Notes on a Scorecard - May 29, 1990

Tim Belcher ought to know by now that no lead is too big for the Dodger bullpen to blow. . . .

It must be an overreaction to Orel Hershiser’s injury when Belcher asks to be lifted after he puts down the Pittsburgh Pirates on one hit for eight innings, throws a low number of pitches, and leads, 5-1. . . .

It would have been one thing if Dennis Eckersley, ElRoy Face and Rollie Fingers were in the bullpen. It’s quite another when Pat Perry and Jay Howell--both coming back from injuries--and Don Aase are in the bullpen. . . .

Then again, maybe Tom Lasorda should have insisted that Belcher go out for the ninth inning. Or is this simply another case of the inmates running the asylum? . . .

Times staff writer Steve Harvey was surprised when I told him the final score. In the tradition of most Dodger fans, he left his seat in his living room after the seventh inning. . . .

Having Don Drysdale call a brushback war is like having Gaylord Perry call a spitball controversy. . . .

Lost in the shuffle was a great piece of hitting by Eddie Murray with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, two out and the score tied, 1-1. He took two pitches that were barely out of the strike zone, fouled off several others, worked the count to 3-and-2 and smacked a two-run single. . . .

What the trade of Willie Randolph to Oakland and the move of Juan Samuel to second base has done for the Dodgers is give young outfielders like Chris Gwynn and Jose Gonzalez opportunities they’ve capitalized on. . . .

Funny, but I guess Angel Manager Doug Rader is being second-guessed for leaving Jim Abbott in too long against Cleveland Monday. . . .

Bill Laimbeer should have gotten a technical foul or been thrown out of the game in the fourth quarter when the Detroit Pistons’ hatchet-man delivered a forearm to the face of Michael Jordan, who already had been fouled by Vinnie Johnson. . . .

The calm sideline demeanor of Chicago Bull Coach Phil Jackson reminds me of Ram Coach John Robinson. He even smiles occasionally. . . .

CBS basketball analyst Hubie Brown is good, but tends to get bogged down in the technical aspects of the game and forgets about the emotional factors. . . .

Jon Miller is the most capable of the ESPN baseball play-by-play announcers, but his imitation of Vin Scully is still the best thing he does. . . . Criminal Type, an upset winner over Housebuster and Easy Goer in the Metropolitan Mile as part of Wayne Lukas’ remarkable week, should make things interesting for Sunday Silence in the Hollywood Gold Cup June 24. . . .

Barry McGuigan, the fighter, was a notorious bleeder, so it figured that Barry McGuigan, the horse, would be on Lasix when he raced at Hollywood Park last week. . . .

Why don’t more centers develop sky hooks and why don’t more fastball pitchers develop changeups? . . .

As if they need the help, the Oakland Athletics will have five of the first 42 choices in the June amateur draft. . . .

He could have said it after the World Series, but it wasn’t until Saturday that San Francisco Giant Manager Roger Craig admitted, “We’ve got to do something about our pitching.” . . .

There could be a new look in the outfield next year in St. Louis, where Vince Coleman and Willie McGee are in the last year of their contracts. . . .

Edgar Martinez is the best Seattle Mariner nobody knows. . . .

I’m a schmo for misspelling John Smoltz’s name. . . .

It wouldn’t make sense economically, but would be more fair for the competition if teams weren’t allowed to play in the NCAA baseball regionals on their home diamonds. . . .

What I liked best about Mike Schuler the day he was introduced as Clippers’ coach was that he said, “When we advance to the playoffs next season” instead of “if.”. . .

Tom Lasorda lobbied for his good friend, Mike Fratello, to replace Don Casey and even made an appearance at Clipper owner Donald Sterling’s lottery party after a Dodger game. . . .

UCLA has won at least one NCAA championship in 26 of the last 27 years after taking the softball title. . . .

Jerry Falwell’s big-name athletic department at Liberty U. includes football Coach Sam Rutigliano and Athletic Director Bobby Richardson. . . .

So Cus D’Amato didn’t like Richie Giachetti, who has taken over as trainer of Mike Tyson. Exactly whom did Cus like? . . .

According to the schedule just released by the league, the NBA finals will conclude before next fall. . . .

You must still be tired after getting up at 6 a.m. for the start of the French Open on ESPN Monday.