NATIONAL LEAGUE NOTEBOOK : Win or Lose, Pirates’ Walk Has Had It Worse

Bob Walk, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter tonight, says he isn’t bothered by such things as the three runs the Cincinnati Reds scored against him in the first inning of Game 1 of the National League playoffs.

He won that game, and he says the reason is simple.

Once you have been released by the Atlanta Braves, few things can rattle you.

“Early in my career with Philadelphia and Atlanta, I had the same problem as a lot of young guys,” said Walk, 33, who was released by the Braves in 1984. “I was afraid to go out there and fail, basically. You’re afraid to let the other team hit the ball all the time because you always felt bad things were going to happen.

“Once I got released, it was like a big weight had been taken off my head. I could go out there and just pitch my game. The worst that could happen to me had already happened.”

Walk, who has allowed the Reds only three runs in 14 innings this season, will face the Reds’ Jose Rijo, who allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings in Game 1, receiving no decision.

Larry Doughty, Pirate general manager, defending his trade of three top prospects for pitcher Zane Smith, who gave up eight hits and five runs Monday in five innings: “I’ll tell you what, I can’t work on fear. If I worked on fear, I might be sitting at home watching TV today, because we might not be here today.

“I’m not saying we wouldn’t have gotten here without Zane, that’s not fair to everyone else, but he sure made a huge difference down the stretch.”

Mariano Duncan, who had consistently bashed the Dodgers after being traded to the Reds in midseason last year, was giving a different speech Monday.

“The Dodgers are a fine organization,” said Duncan, who was traded with Tim Leary for Kal Daniels and Lenny Harris.

Duncan also credited former general manager Al Campanis with convincing him, in 1988, to stop switch hitting and bat only right-handed.

“I see the ball much better now, and I am more comfortable, thanks to Campanis,” he said.

The Pirates sold only 45,611 tickets for Monday’s playoff game, 13,118 less than capacity at Three Rivers Stadium.

Cincinnati reliever Rob Dibble has faced 13 batters in the series, and the only batter reaching base was by a walk. The breakdown: eight have struck out, two have grounded out, one hit an infield popup, one flied to left and one walked.

The hottest selling T-shirt in Pittsburgh: “I’d rather be dead, than a Cincinnati Red.”

Times staff writer Bob Nightengale contributed to this story.