Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 23, 1990

I was one of those 35,000 or so people who left Dodger Stadium early Tuesday night. . . .

It was the top of the sixth inning. The Dodgers had just scored eight runs and were leading the Fightin’ Phils, 11-1. Two hours of baseball was enough. Besides, I could still get home in time to see the rerun of a “thirtysomething” that I had missed. . . .

Normally, I stay up for the late edition of “Sports Center,” on ESPN, but this was a slow news day and I already knew that the Reds had won, meaning their lead over the Dodgers would remain at 5 1/2 games. . . .

On the way to work Wednesday morning, I was planning my next column. A preview of the Dodger-Met series. The hot Dodgers and the frigid Mets. What a turnaround the Dodger bullpen was making. Leads were safer now. And maybe I would tweak Tom Lasorda for not starting the phenom, Jose Offerman, at shortstop Tuesday after his batting average had dipped to .444. . . .

I reached my desk and saw this message on my computer terminal from Times columnist Mike Downey: “It ain’t over till it’s OVER.” It was filed at 12:31 Wednesday morning. I had sat behind Downey in the press box for five innings at Dodger Stadium, but what was he trying to tell me? . . .

I picked up the newspaper. A final from Chavez Ravine: Philadelphia 12, Los Angeles 11. Jose Offerman, substituting for Alfredo Griffin, had made two errors in the Phillies’ nine-run ninth inning. The Dodgers were 6 1/2 back. . . .

Tom Lasorda said he was shocked. So was I. . . .

If you’re the Dodgers, do you sign Darryl Strawberry even if it costs you in the neighborhood of $5 million a year? Yes. . . .

Like the smartest NFL teams in the draft, you go after the best athlete available. That’s Strawberry, who told the Mets in a clubhouse meeting Friday that he probably won’t be around next season after becoming a free agent. . . .

A logjam in the outfield? Don’t worry about it. If anything, that’s a plus that gives you trading leverage. The important thing is to sign Strawberry, one of the few players in baseball who can carry a team for an extended period. . . .

The return of Orel Hershiser and the addition of Strawberry would make the Dodgers solid favorites to win the National League West next season. . . .

I never did like the strategy of pitching to a No. 8 hitter with the pitcher on deck, a runner in scoring position and two outs. It backfired on Tom Lasorda in the second inning Tuesday night when Dickie Thon singled home Tommy Herr from third base. Of course, who knew that the run would make a difference? . . .

It looks as though Wade Boggs is going to reach 200 hits again, after all. . . .

Quarterback Bret Johnson, who has left UCLA after starting for the Bruins last season, was rated a better college prospect than former Orange County high school rival Todd Marinovich by many scouts. . . .

Look for Larry Burnett and Alan Massengale of ESPN fame to be on Prime Ticket’s sports news show when it makes its debut in October. . . .

Mike Trainer is talking to promoters in Japan, Italy and France about a Sugar Ray Leonard fight in December. The opponents being mentioned are not household names--Carlos Elliott, Dario Matteoni and Gianfranco Rossi. . . .

Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and defending champion Curtis Strange will make up the field for the Skins Game Nov. 24-25 at PGA West in LaQuinta. . . .

Jerry Reuss recently pitched 24 consecutive scoreless innings for Buffalo and probably will be called by Pittsburgh next month when the rosters are expanded. . . .

Opperman and Offerman? Dan Opperman, the former first-round draft choice who missed the 1987 and ’88 seasons after undergoing elbow surgery twice, was named the Dodgers’ minor league pitcher of the week after improving his record at San Antonio to 10-8. . . .

Ralph Boston, the former long jump record-holder and 1960 Olympic Games gold medalist, is co-owner of the CBS television affiliate in Knoxville, Tenn., and is in town for the Tennessee-Colorado game Sunday at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

They take their college football seriously in Tennessee. Thirty-six reporters are traveling west to cover the Vols. . . .

Fontana High School, which went 14-0 and won the Southern Section Division I football championship last year, is supposed to be even better this season. . . .

It wouldn’t bother me if Robert Nederlander also replaced George Steinbrenner on the U.S. Olympic Committee. . . .

Clipper center Benoit Benjamin attended Pete Newell’s big-man camp last week. “It’s the hardest I’ve ever seen Benoit work,” said General Manager Elgin Baylor. . . .

Among those participating at the Newell camp is a seven-footer from Japan. . . .

Next time the Dodgers take an 11-1 lead, I’ll stay at least until the seventh inning.