NAMES AND NUMBERS

With Darryl Strawberry gone and Kevin McReynolds injured, the New York Mets have become the Go-Go Mets. Led by Vince Coleman, they were 10 for 10 in stolen base attempts during the three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dave Stewart of the Oakland Athletics may be Mr. April, but Chris Bosio of the Milwaukee Brewers isn’t far behind. Bosio pitched eight innings of a 6-0 victory over the Texas Rangers Wednesday night to improve his career record in April to 14-2 with a 1.84 earned-run average. But unlike Stewart, Bosio isn’t the same after April. His career record in the other months: 24-44 with a 4.34 ERA.

In his last three opening-day starts, Bret Saberhagen of the Kansas City Royals has yielded home runs to George Bell, Sam Horn and Albert Belle, causing him to say: “A Bell, a Horn and a Belle. The next time I start on opening day, I hope there’s no instrument in the lineup.”

Asked about his .190 career average at Royals Stadium, new Royal Kirk Gibson said: “I don’t worry about average. I’m not an average person.”

Gary Scott, the 22-year-old rookie jumping from double A, is the Chicago Cubs’ 60th third baseman since the end of the 1974 season, when Ron Santo was traded to the cross-town White Sox. Now a Cub broadcaster, Santo said of Scott: “He’ll be out there the next 15 to 18 years. Write it down and check it out.”

Hensley Meulens became the first rookie to start in left field for the New York Yankees on opening day since Hank Bauer in 1949, and Bernard Gilkey became the first rookie to start in left field for the St. Louis Cardinals on opening day since Red Schoendienst in 1945.

The erratic play of the Yankees already has manager Stump Merrill stumped. “If this is major league baseball, I don’t know where I’ve been,” he said after only three games.

The possibility of the Cardinals trading shortstop Ozzie Smith to the Toronto Blue Jays or picking up his 1992 option have stalled amid confusion about who represents Smith. Agent Jack Sands insists he still does, but Smith says he represents himself. General Manager Dal Maxvill has asked Smith to straighten it out.

The Baltimore Orioles drew a sellout crowd of 50,213 for their final opening day in Memorial Stadium, but it was only the third-largest crowd they have drawn this year. They drew more than 120,000 for two exhibition games in Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium.

It was very uncharacteristic when relief ace Tim Burke of the Montreal Expos hit two batters in the eighth inning Tuesday night to help the Pittsburgh Pirates rally for a 4-3 victory. Burke had hit only two of the previous 649 batters spanning the 1989 and ’90 seasons.

It wasn’t surprising that Rick Mahler drew the loss as the Mets defeated the Expos, 6-3, Thursday night. Mahler is 0-11 vs. the Mets since 1982.

Said Andy Van Slyke, as W-4 tax forms were distributed in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ clubhouse: “In here they ought to be W-$4-million forms.”