NAMES AND NUMBERS

David Cone of the New York Mets improved his record against the Pittsburgh Pirates to 7-0 Monday and convinced Andy Van Slyke that he’s the best in the National League.

“There’s guys who throw harder and have a better curve, but I’m talking about the entire package, putting all four of his pitches in one basket,” Van Slyke said.

* Pittsburgh insiders are still predicting that Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds or both will be traded before the month is over, with the New York Yankees or Seattle Mariners still the leading possibilities.

* The Pirates drew 54,274 for their home opener but only 52,820 for their next five dates, three of them with the division rival Mets.

* Rob Dibble’s behind-the-head attempts at intimidation have become a tired and sorry act, but not even his three-game suspension for inciting Eric Yelding of the Houston Astros to charge the mound seems likely to deter the Reds’ reliever.

“I’m going to pitch the same way in Houston and everywhere else,” he said. “If they don’t like it, they can come out and see me again.”

* Problems continue to stalk Milwaukee Brewer relief ace Dan Plesac, who went from a total of 63 saves in 1988 and ’89 to just 24 last year, when he blew 10 chances. Plesac gave up 10 hits and four runs in the four innings of his first four appearances this season but believes he finally found a flaw in his delivery after watching so much videotape that “I’ve driven myself crazy.”

* No sentiment from Detroit Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson as he arrived at the new Comiskey Park and saw the old one being demolished.

“I’m 1,000 degrees against tradition,” he said. “Why would you want a dump for a home when you can have something really nice and new?”

* Roger Clemens, with a 3-0 record and 0.61 earned-run average, can display some imposing statistics, but the most impressive may be his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 27 to 1.

* The spring spotlight was on Jim Palmer’s comeback attempt with the Baltimore Orioles, overshadowing Mike Flanagan’s. But the 39-year-old left-hander, released by the Toronto Blue Jays last season, won a berth with the Orioles and, with Palmer watching from the TV booth, has made five scoreless appearances in the first two weeks of the season, retiring 26 of 32 batters while allowing only two hits in 9 1/3 innings.

* Of his eight-for-11 start as the Texas Rangers’ designated hitter, former Angel Brian Downing said: “I’m playing every day like it’s my last one. I’m not sure when this will fall apart, but I know every day is one more than I thought I was going to get.”

* How bad is the Philadelphia Phillies’ starting pitching? Consider that relievers Darrel Akerfelds, Joe Boever and Mitch Williams each pitched in the first nine games and Roger McDowell was in five.

* It’s early, but the Kansas City Royals have growing concern about the struggling starts of two key youngsters. Second-year center fielder Brian McRae was three for 30 through Thursday, and rookie second baseman Terry Shumpert was four for 25.

* Relief pitching was the area that most concerned Houston after its winter purge. Without a proven closer since the departure of Dave Smith and Juan Agosto, the Astros’ bullpen has been rocked for 21 earned runs in its first 25 2/3 innings, among them eight and seven-run uprisings.