Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 1, 1991

Shawn Abner and Mike Marshall sure should help the Angels cure their fifth-starter woes. . . .

Struggling Roger McDowell may not be the answer in the bullpen, but at least the Dodgers addressed their problem. . . .

Jim Deshaies of the Houston Astros averages 15.2 pickoff attempts per nine innings, and people wonder why games take so long. . . .

The bleacher bums have a lousy tradition at Wrigley Field, throwing back home run balls hit by the enemy. Imagine catching a souvenir and not being able to keep it. . . .

Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas will need to hit 260 more home runs to surpass the 286 hit by his namesake during a major league career spent with Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Mets, Philadelphia, Houston and the Milwaukee Braves in 1951-66. . . .

I can’t blame the Baltimore Orioles for sending Jeff Robinson down, but I still can’t forgive them for firing Frank Robinson. . . .

It’s no coincidence that the Kansas City Royals started to hit better after Hal McRae left his job as Montreal batting coach to manage them. . . .

Surprise of the night Tuesday was the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros hitting five home runs in the Astrodome. . . .

The surprise in boxing that same evening was lightweight prospect Rafael Ruelas suffering his first defeat when he somehow failed to beat the count after being knocked down by journeyman Mauro Gutierrez in the second round at the Country Club in Reseda. . . .

Dan Goossen, Ruelas’ promoter-manager, took further punishment when he replayed USA network’s coverage of the knockout seven times on his VCR. . . .

“I still can’t believe it,” Goossen said. “Rafael almost knocked the guy out in the first round. Then he got tagged by a left hook. He went down on one knee but, clearly, he was OK. He was in complete control of his senses. It was just an error in judgment. My brother, Joe, was telling him from the corner to hold on and relax once he got up. Then he got up, but he timed it wrong by a split second.” . . .

This wasn’t the first time the perfect record of a Ruelas brother has been spoiled in a bizarre manner. Gabriel was way ahead of Jeff Franklin on points in Las Vegas in 1990 when he suffered a broken left elbow in the seventh round. . . .

I’m rooting for Marcus Dupree to have a big season with the Rams. . . .

The Raider offensive line won’t be the same until Don Mosebar signs. . . .

A revelation in the Washington Redskins’ camp has been rookie running back Ricky Ervins from USC. . . .

Tony Casillas, newly acquired from the Atlanta Falcons, has moved ahead of No. 1 draft pick Russell Maryland on the Dallas Cowboys’ depth chart at defensive tackle. . . .

Quarterback Stan Gelbaugh, who wasn’t offered a job in the NFL after leading the London Monarchs to the first World League of American Football championship, has signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. . . .

The NFL scouting combine rates Indiana running back Vaughn Dunbar as the best senior pro prospect and Houston quarterback David Klingler only fourth best. . . .

Just two more days until Team Canada opens training camp for the Canada Cup hockey tournament. . . .

Newly acquired St. Louis Blue forwards Dave Christian and Brendan Shahanan will provide Brett Hull and Adam Oates some badly needed scoring help. . . .

It will be the battle of the big serves today when Pete Sampras faces Shuzo Matsuoka in the second round of the Volvo/Los Angeles tennis tournament at UCLA. Last week, Matsuoka upset Sampras in the second round of the Canadian Open. . . .

Mitchell Butler of UCLA and Duane Cooper of USC are members of the Pacific 10 basketball team that will tour the Netherlands and Belgium this month. . . .

Requests for 214,000 tickets have been received for the Final Four April 4 and 6, 1992 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. . . .

Seven UCLA student-athletes had 4.0 grade-point averages in the spring quarter, and 220 had 3.0 averages or better. . . .

Bruin quarterback Tommy Maddox is on the cover of six preseason magazines. . . .

For the fourth consecutive year, contributions to the USC athletic department have exceeded $7 million. . . .

The Amateur Athletic Foundation is helping to improve high school track and field coaching by conducting clinics that continue Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Birmingham High in Van Nuys. Those interested need merely show up. . . .

Do you prefer summer league basketball, winter league baseball or spring football? . . .

The World University Games in England lost even more money than the U.S. Olympic Festival in Los Angeles. Must have been that lousy coverage in the Times of London.