BASEBALL MISCELLANY : NAMES AND NUMBERS

Expansion: The National League will begin listening to presentations from groups interested in the two 1993 expansion franchises on Sept. 17. One of two groups pursuing a Denver franchise is fronted by local businessman Cary Teraji and includes Ernie Banks, Hank Aguirre and former Angel Doug DeCinces, who now operates his family’s construction business in Van Nuys.

DeCinces said he is hopeful of taking a role in the club’s operation if Teraji wins the franchise, but some baseball people are known to have told Teraji that they frown on DeCinces’ involvement because he was often a leader in the labor unrest of the ‘80s as a player representative and union activist.

Banks, of “It’s a great day to play two!” fame, told the Rocky Mountain News that he will be responsible for getting more doubleheaders as “VP in charge of doubleheaders.”

* Witt’s End? There’s no end in sight as Bobby Witt of the Texas Rangers is now 12-0 with a 1.97 earned-run average over his last 14 starts. Witt is 15-8 and has five more starts in his late-blossoming bid for 20.

* Moral Victory: Pete Incaviglia of the Rangers went hitless in three at-bats against Greg Swindell of the Cleveland Indians Wednesday night, but he didn’t strike out. In his career, Incaviglia is hitless and has struck out 12 times in 22 at-bats against Swindell. He is also hitless in nine at-bats against Clemens, having struck out every time.

* Odds & Ends: Seldom has there been a more schizophrenic team than the New York Mets, who are 21-26 against left-handed starting pitchers and 56-33 vs. right-handers. . . . John Smoltz, one of the Atlanta Braves most relieved by the firing of Manager Russ Nixon, is 10-3 with a 2.44 earned-run average since June 21 and has pitched seven innings or more in 16 straight starts.

It’s almost certain that Dallas Green will take over operation of the Braves after the season and that the next move of former General Manager Bobby Cox, who replaced Nixon as manager, will be back to Toronto, where he will replace Cito Gaston as manager. . . . The Cincinnati Reds, who have continued to lead the National League in ERA despite the periodic loss of Tom Browning, Danny Jackson, Jose Rijo and Jack Armstrong, are trying to win that title for the first time since 1940.

Zane Smith is 4-0 in five starts as a Pittsburgh Pirate and pitched eight shutout innings to no decision in the start he didn’t win. . . . The Oakland A’s Mark McGwire began a weekend series against the New York Yankees with 94 RBIs and 102 hits. . . . Kevin Mitchell has hit 79 home runs in the last two seasons. Only three San Francisco players have hit more in consecutive seasons: Willie Mays, with a high of 99 in ‘64-65; Willie McCovey, 84 in ‘69-70, and Orlando Cepeda, 81 in ‘61-62.