Notes on a Scorecard - July 26, 1990

According to the latest Dodger organization report, center fielder Tom Goodwin of San Antonio hasn’t hit a home run in the Texas League this season. Fred Claire could care less. In fact, he’s happy about it. . . .

“With all due respect, we don’t want Goodwin to became another Devon White or Gerald Young,” the Dodger general manager said. “We want him to utilize his speed. We don’t want him hitting fly balls. We want him hitting line drives, bunting and stealing bases.” . . .

Goodwin, an All-American at Fresno State drafted during the first round in June 1989, hit .287 in his first 64 games with San Antonio and stole 39 bases. He started the season at Bakersfield of the Class-A California League and most likely will play at Albuquerque in the triple-A Pacific Coast League next season. . . .

And wouldn’t it be nice to have some excitement return to center field at Dodger Stadium in, say, 1992 after the drought of the ‘80s?. . . .

Ramon Martinez, 22, wouldn’t be the youngest Dodger to win the Cy Young Award. Fernando Valenzuela was 20 when he won the National League honor in the strike-shortened season of 1981. But Sandy Koufax didn’t win what was then the major league Cy Young Award until he was 27 in 1963. . . .

The trade that sent Juan Samuel to the Dodgers from the New York Mets for Mike Marshall and Alejandro Pena probably will be a washout by next season. Samuel becomes a free agent, and the Mets are shopping both Marshall and Pena. . . .

If Ozzie Canseco ever hits a home run in the American League, the umpires should check to make sure that twin brother Jose didn’t switch uniforms with him. . . .

Eight future UCLA Bruins and seven future USC Trojans will participate in the Shrine North-South All-Star game Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, a place where they hope to be spending some New Year’s Days. . . .

Mark McGwire’s brother Dan, a 6-foot-8 quarterback at San Diego State, is regarded by some pro football scouting services as the best senior prospect in the nation at his position. . . .

What have you done for us lately? Neither the Chicago Bears nor the Dallas Cowboys were invited to appear on ABC’s “Monday Night Football” this season. . . .

However, the network has given the Raiders a vote of confidence by scheduling them for games in the second half of the season at Detroit and Miami. . . .

Lyle Alzado, 41, can bench-press 500 pounds. . . .

NFL owners dropped developmental squads because of a fear of antitrust violations. . . .

I’m not sure the Soviet victory over the United States basketball team Tuesday night was an upset. There’s so little interest in the Goodwill Games that no wagering line was posted in Nevada. . . .

One of these days, a U.S. coach is going to realize the importance of the three-point basket in international competition. . . .

Mike Dunleavy of the Lakers will become the first person in the NBA to coach nine players against whom he’s played. . . .

Good to see all those former Clipper coaches getting work. . . .

Loyola Marymount’s first 10 basketball games next season will be on the road, unless a home game can be worked into the schedule in December. . . .

UCLA catcher Paul Ellis is one of five finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy as the nation’s outstanding college baseball player. . . .

Your Rotisserie League isn’t state-of-the-art unless you have 40-man rosters that include minor leaguers who are likely to be brought up in September. . . .

Before Michael Carbajal can even think about a big-money bout with Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez, the World Boxing Council light-flyweight champion, he must dethrone Muangchai Kittikasem, the International Boxing Federation champion, Sunday in Phoenix (on ABC-TV). The former kick boxer from Thailand has been promised a new car by his manager if he scores an upset in Carbajal’s hometown. . . .

Gonzalez, incidentally, is a natural right-hander, but switches to southpaw as effectively as any fighter in recent memory. . . .

In real life, Rocky Balboa doesn’t fare as well as on the screen. Jaime (Rocky) Balboa, a lightweight from Monterrey, Mexico, lost a decision to Darryl Tyson Tuesday in San Antonio. . . .

George Foreman will earn $250,000 and a percentage of the gate for fighting Canadian heavyweight champion Kenny Lakusta, who has an 18-16 record, Tuesday in Edmonton. . . .

I can’t wait for the Poulan-Weed Eater Independence Bowl.