Notes on a Scorecard - June 20, 1991

Until the other day, I thought Darryl Strawberry was the luckiest Dodger on the face of the earth. . . .

He was the only .224 hitter with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 53 games being paid $3.5 million this season. . . .

The fact that he constantly came up empty in important situations often was overlooked because his team was winning. He was rarely booed at Dodger Stadium, where the fans are laid back and patient. He struck out five consecutive times one night at Montreal, but few noticed because Nolan Ryan pitched his sixth no-hitter and Rickey Henderson set his stolen-base record the same day. . . .

But if he felt so much pain in his shoulder that he thought it necessary to put himself on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, maybe Strawberry wasn’t as fortunate as I thought. . . .

Peter O’Malley can only hope that he starts getting some dividends on that five-year, $20.25-million contract when Strawberry, physically and mentally refreshed, returns to the field. . . .

In the meantime, the Dodgers, with either the bat of Chris Gwynn or the glove of Stan Javier in the lineup, should be able to maintain their grip on first place in the National League West. . . .

My friend Minishian the Statistician already has circled Oct. 12, 13 and 14 on his calendar for National League championship series games at Dodger Stadium. . . .

He may be a little premature, but I won’t argue with him. Not the way the Dodgers are pitching. Not the way they beat the Cubs early Wednesday morning. Not the way the rest of the division is sputtering. . . .

In fact, the four games against Pittsburgh tonight through Sunday may be a playoff preview. . . .

The Pirates are strong candidates to become the first team to repeat as a National League divisional champion since the 1978 Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. . . .

One of the most underrated pitchers was Rick Reuschel, who won a lot of games for a lot of mediocre Chicago Cub teams. . . .

Director-writer Barry Levinson soon could own a piece of the Baltimore Orioles if they’re sold to his wealthy friend Leonard Weinglass. The character Boogie in “Diner,” played by Mickey Rourke, was patterned after Weinglass. . . .

Charlie Hough of the Chicago White Sox vs. Tom Candiotti of Cleveland Tuesday was that rarest of duels between knuckleball pitchers. Neither went the distance, but Hough got the victory and Candiotti the defeat in a 6-5 decision. . . .

The Mets-Cincinnati game Tuesday at Shea Stadium was proof that baseball can be played in a steady rain. . . .

The Houston Astros could move to St. Petersburg, Fla., or Buffalo. Would you rather have that motley bunch or an expansion team? . . .

Coached by former major leaguer Mike Epstein, the Orange Crush won the state Continental Amateur Baseball Assn. championship in the 13-year-old division and will compete for the national title Aug. 1-10 at McCook, Neb. . . .

You would think the Clippers, with all those draft picks the next three years, could find a way to deal for a point guard without giving up Charles Smith or Danny Manning. . . .

If Nevada Las Vegas wants a high-profile successor to Jerry Tarkanian, it might be interested in Billy Tubbs of Oklahoma. . . .

Ed O’Bannon, coming off knee surgery, is shooting jump shots in the gym and expects to be ready for the start of basketball practice at UCLA next fall. . . .

Terry Norris will defend his World Boxing Council super-welterweight championship against third-ranked Brett Lally Aug. 17 on HBO. San Diego is the probable site for the Ten Goose-promoted show. . . .

Alan Eagleson’s imminent departure has put some teeth into the NHL Players Assn. . . .

The NHL central scouting bureau rates Scott Lachance, an 18-year-old freshman defenseman at Boston University, as the second-best prospect in the draft Saturday behind the famed Eric Lindros. . . .

That multiyear contract Bill Parcells signed with NBC may not last more than one year. . . .

Friday is the deadline for entries in the Ricky Bell Scholarship Golf Classic June 28 at Brookside Park in Pasadena. Mike Garrett of USC is chairman of the event, which benefits students from five inner-city high schools, among them Bell’s alma mater, Fremont. . . .

Free agent outside linebacker Vernon Maxwell, who played for Verbum Dei High, could fit well into new Ram defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher’s attacking style. . . .

How refreshing in these troubled times to read about Buffalo Bill star Thurman Thomas donating $125,000 to the Oklahoma State athletic department and designating it as beneficiary of a $750,000 life insurance policy.