Notes on a Scorecard - July 5, 1990

The Dodgers ought to keep Kirk Gibson. . . .

He proved that he is still capable of delivering in the clutch when he drove home the tying and winning runs against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. . . .

The argument is that the 33-year-old outfielder probably will wind up in the American League as a designated hitter next season, and the Dodgers should trade him now rather than lose him to free agency. But nobody is going to give the Dodgers much in return under those circumstances. To deal Gibson for a second-rate pitcher would be to throw in the towel on this season. . . .

Granted, the Dodgers may need a miracle to contend for the NL West title. But who better to supply it than a guy who once won a World Series game by hitting a home run on two bad legs? . . .

One move Fred Claire should make is a trade of shortstop Alfredo Griffin. That would enable Albuquerque phenom Jose Offerman to move up. . . .

The real fireworks may not begin at Dodger Stadium until tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates arrive. These teams do not care for each other. And I wouldn’t invite the managers, Tom Lasorda and Jim Leyland, to the same party. . . .

See where Steve Sax was voted to the American League All-Star team? . . .

The fans made their usual mistakes--most notably leaving out Ozzie Guillen, Cecil Fielder, Kelly Gruber, Barry Larkin and Barry Bonds--but the players wouldn’t have done much better if they still had the vote. . . .

Reputation, rather than 1990 performance, is what got shortstops Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken Jr. and third baseman Wade Boggs into the starting lineups again. . . .

Who are you picking in the World Cup shootout between West Germany and Argentina Sunday? . . .

The ludicrous shootout format to break overtime ties is like having Stanley Cup games decided by a series of penalty shots. . . .

The World Cup comes around only once every four years, leading to the belief that games should be decided by legitimate goals even if it takes all day or night. . . .

Only reason they have a third-place game, something the NCAA eliminated from its basketball tournament long ago, is money. Italy and England care so little about it that the final score Saturday probably will be something like 6-5. . . .

If Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini win today at Wimbledon, we will have another West Germany-Argentina final. . . .

Best essay by a 14-year-old ninth-grader next fall should be “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” by Jennifer Capriati. . . .

Now that Easy Goer has whipped De Roche, he’s bound to move to the top of the list on many Easterners’ horse-of-the-year ballots. . . .

Steve Garvey didn’t play in the Dodger old-timers’ game because he was in Moscow conducting a baseball clinic. . . .

Darryl Strawberry is hitting the longest home runs in New York since Mickey Mantle. . . .

The San Diego Padres should grant Jack McKeon’s wish and let him concentrate on the front office. He’s always been better there than in the dugout. . . .

Randy Johnson’s no-hitter may not have been a fluke. . . .

A lot of people can’t name the manager of the New York Yankees. . . .

Tony Pena is among the reasons the Boston Red Sox are in first place. . . .

Jorge Paez, the clown prince of boxing, is beginning to wear a little thin and needs an improved performance in his rematch against Troy Dorsey Sunday at the Las Vegas Hilton to remain a hot NBC attraction. . . .

Bryan Trottier, who was released from the New York Islanders after scoring 500 goals, could finish his NHL career with the Rangers. . . .

Vince Dooley, who was a disappointment as a football commentator on ESPN, will be replaced next season by former Pitt Coach Mike Gottfried. . . .

The unified German team should be heavily favored to win the medal race in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. . . .

My favorite name on the senior bowlers’ tour is Skee Foremsky. . . .

The Lakers, not the Kings, will play at the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary Oct. 26 and at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton Oct. 27. They’re exhibition games against the New Jersey Nets. . . .

Harley Tinkham, who was born on New Year’s Day of 1923 and died on the Fourth of July in 1990, competed in the decathlon. But it was as a newspaperman that he truly showed his all-round skills. There wasn’t anything in The Times sports department that Ace didn’t do well. His wit, wisdom and courage will be missed.