DODGERS : No Immediate Pursuit of Jackson Is Planned

The Dodgers, who did not claim Bo Jackson off waivers, are saying they have no interest in pursuing the free agent slugger for now.

But with emphasis on the phrase “for now.”

“We do not have a pressing interest right now,” said Fred Claire, Dodger vice president. “Not to say we would close the door, but I don’t think we would have to make a quick decision. This is not a pressing issue for us.”

The Dodgers are apparently waiting for Jackson’s hip to show signs of recovering, if that is possible.

“The key factor in all of this is Bo’s recovery . . . this is not a one-week recovery, I really don’t know what it is,” Claire said. “And it’s not as if we have a significant need in the outfield right now. We have three fine players starting and three fine players behind them.”

Claire said he has no plans to speak with Richard Woods, Jackson’s agent. And the Dodgers apparently have not requested Jackson’s medical records, according to Dr. Frank Jobe.

“I assume if (Dodgers) are interested, that will change,” Jobe said.

And if Jackson simply phoned Claire and asked for a job, as many have assumed he might because he also plays for the Raiders?

“That would not change things,” Claire said.

A couple of nights ago, for the first time this spring, Kevin Gross slept well.

But conquering insomnia did nothing to lay his pitching woes to rest. He gave up six runs in five innings in the Dodgers’ 7-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics before 28,877 at the Superdome in New Orleans.

In the first of a two-game exhibition series, Gross gave up seven hits, including home runs by Jose Canseco and Dave Henderson, the latter a two-run shot in the fifth inning that put the A’s ahead for good.

In four spring starts, Gross is 0-3 with a 10.20 earned-run average. But he says that is not what is keeping him up nights.

“I don’t know why I haven’t been able to sleep, but the club gave me a pill for it and I have been fine ever since,” Gross said. “And I really think I threw the ball well today against a great team. I finally felt rested. I finally felt good. I just didn’t get the results.

“I know all anybody cares about is results, but it is spring training. Home runs don’t count.”

Darryl Strawberry decided he was glad he came to New Orleans, even though he called the Superdome turf “bad,” and said he wouldn’t dare play on it.

“I’m just here because they want to showcase me, but that’s all right,” Strawberry said. “I wanted to come here because I wanted to eat. I’ve been in Vero Beach too long.”

Strawberry, who worked out at Dodgertown Friday morning before flying with the team to New Orleans, said his pulled right hamstring feels good enough to allow him to return to the lineup Sunday in Vero Beach against the Atlanta Braves.

He will have missed 13 games at that point, with 14 spring games remaining, including the three-game Freeway Series against the Angels.

“I’m getting back just at the right time so I can be ready for opening day,” Strawberry said.

In rejecting implications that the Dodgers were hurting his rehabilitation by forcing him to come to New Orleans, Strawberry said he decided a couple of days ago that his hamstring was too tight for him to play on grass fields in Florida with the other Dodgers’ spring squad this weekend.

Dodger Notes

Today’s game between the Dodgers and A’s will be televised on Channel 11 at 10 a.m. PST. Tim Belcher will face Eric Show, who joined the A’s last winter from the San Diego Padres. . . . This is a special weekend for Barry Lyons, who grew up 60 miles from New Orleans in Biloxi, Miss. He left tickets for 60 friends and family members for these games. “Some of those people have never seen me play as a pro,” said Lyons, who asked the Dodgers several weeks ago if he could make this trip.

The Dodgers’ other spring squad lost, 6-5, to Philadelphia in Clearwater. Fernando Valenzuela struggled in his first appearance since pitching in Mexico last weekend, giving up three runs in 4 2/3 innings on eight hits and three walks, his first walks of the spring. Mike Hartley gave up only one hit in 1 1/3 shutout innings. . . . Orel Hershiser felt good after working with weights in Vero Beach Friday and could begin throwing off a pitching mound as soon as today. . . . The Dodgers have assigned four players to the minor leagues. Pitchers Dan Opperman, Mike James and Zak Shinall were sent to triple-A Albuquerque; Braulio Castillo was sent to double-A San Antonio. The Dodgers still need to cut 11 more players, with few surprises expected.