NAMES AND NUMBERS

With George Brett out for a month because of a knee injury, Danny Tartabull nursing a strained thigh muscle and the Kansas City Royals batting .191 over a 10-game span, Kirk Gibson eased some of the pain by homering in four consecutive games through Wednesday, including a ninth-inning game winner against Cleveland when he shook off a touch of food poisoning.

“He’s one of the best gamers I’ve ever seen,” Manager John Wathan said. “We’ve had one of the best (Brett) for 17 years, now we’ve got another winner just like him.”

New York Met pitchers are bringing definition to the category known as quality starts. In 12 of their last 13 games through Thursday, the starter had gone six or more innings and allowed three or fewer runs.

The Mets, in moving Gregg Jefferies to third base, were so determined that he would never play another game at second that they had not allowed him to take a ground ball at that position--in a game or practice--since August.

But the combination of Tom Herr’s slump and Kevin Elster’s return from shoulder surgery has put Howard Johnson back at third, Elster at short and Jefferies back were he was never going to be seen again.

Seattle Mariner Manager Jim Lefebvre took exception to the inclusion of his catcher, Dave Valle, on an All-Overpaid team recently compiled by The Times. Valle signed a three-year, $3.6-million contract last winter after batting .214 with 33 runs batted in.

“Sometimes we make the mistake of judging guys strictly on their offensive statistics,” Lefebvre said. “Valle blocks pitches and throws as well as anyone in the game. Our pitchers don’t have to be afraid of putting their breaking pitches in the dirt. He’s struggled offensively, but he’s also been injured a lot.”

A lot? Valle has been on the disabled list 11 times in five-plus seasons.

Acquired from the Montreal Expos, Tim Raines notified reporters covering the Chicago White Sox in spring training that he wanted to be called by his middle name, Rock. But batting .106 on Monday, Raines announced “to all my Rock fans” that he wanted to be Tim again. No choice, really.

“Because of recent developments in my statistics, I have to go back to Tim,” he said.

Dave Stewart, who until this season had won 20 consecutive decisions in April, has allowed 29 hits and 20 runs in the 18 innings of his last three starts. That has prompted speculation that he is ailing, but pitching coach Dave Duncan of the Oakland Athletics said the problem is strictly mental. It’s a breakdown in pitch selection and execution, according to Duncan.

“God knows I’ve been through worse,” said Stewart, traded twice and released before signing with the A’s and reviving his career.

Add Stewart: His problems compound the bullpen loss of Rick Honeycutt, Gene Nelson and Todd Burns.

“I do feel responsible for what’s going on,” Stewart said of the club’s early struggle. “I need to carry my weight. If we get three dependable starters, the bullpen will be all right and our offense will, too.”

Jim Presley drove in two runs in his first at-bat in the San Diego Padres’ opener, but the Padres haven’t had an RBI from a third baseman since.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers played 11 innings in the rain at Milwaukee County Stadium Tuesday night, the ground crew going through three tons of Diamond Dust in trying to keep the dirt areas playable.

Larry Barnett, chief of the umpiring crew, was believed to be so angry at Milwaukee owner Bud Selig for ordering the game to start that he was determined to see that it finished.

Baltimore left-hander Jeff Ballard seems to have regained his 18-victory form of 1989 after an injury-plagued last season, in which he was 2-11. And he is still doing it with finesse. Ballard has struck out three or fewer batters in 87 of 95 starts in his career, but he is the only pitcher to have struck out Don Mattingly three times in one game.