BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Howell Is Back; Cook Is Down and Out

The beleaguered Dodger bullpen got a lift when Jay Howell declared himself ready to pitch and was activated from the disabled list in time for Tuesday’s game.

The one Dodger who wasn’t relieved was Dennis Cook, who was sent to double-A San Antonio to make room for Howell. The Dodger bullpen was 2-4 and gave up 21 earned runs in 40 2/3 innings on the recent 2-9 trip. Cook, the 12th man on an 11-man staff, had no record and a 1.17 earned-run average in 7 2/3 innings.

Howell has been nursing a sore ligament in his pitching elbow.

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, said Cook’s double-A demotion was not a reflection of unhappiness with the left-hander. Claire noted that Cook is “a major league pitcher.” Cook shook his head. “I’m a minor league pitcher,” he said. “If I was a major league pitcher, I’d have my name on my back.”

Outfielder Kal Daniels returned to the team after spending 10 days with his sick mother in Georgia. He said he hadn’t had a chance to work out or get much rest in that period and wasn’t in the starting lineup Tuesday. . . . Announcer Vin Scully missed his second consecutive game because of a sore throat. . . . The Dodgers raised the price of their program from $2 to $2.25 to compensate for the new sales tax.