BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Howell Happy With Workout

For the first time in nearly a month, Jay Howell was smiling Wednesday after throwing well for 20 minutes. His workout included 10 good minutes when pitching off a mound for the first time since his condition was diagnosed as an irritated medial collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Howell, who is more confident than ever that he can return before the end of the season, could test his elbow again this weekend.

“This is really great news for me,” Howell said. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I could not be happier with my progress.”

Said therapist Pat Screnar: “We were happy that the elbow felt good when he was throwing off a mound to a catcher. He was throwing about half speed, but the main thing is that the elbow felt good.”

Showing the Dodgers who’s the boss, National League President Bill White fined Manager Tom Lasorda $500 for having actor Tony Danza in the dugout during the Dodgers victories over the Braves Saturday and Sunday.

Lasorda would not comment on the fine. Others associated with the team said it was silly, considering White fined the Cincinnati Reds’ Norm Charlton only $1,000 after Charlton acknowledged that he tried to hit Mike Scioscia in the head with a fastball.

Danza was only planning to sit with the team Saturday, but when the Dodgers won a thriller in the ninth inning, the players asked him to return for good luck.

Alfredo Griffin returned to Los Angeles, where the diagnosis of a mild sprain in the medial collateral ligament in his right knee was confirmed by Dr. Ralph Gambardella. Griffin was given a shot of cortisone, and the Dodgers will be thrilled if he returns by the end of this weekend. . . . The San Francisco Giants will be throwing three left-handers against the Dodgers this weekend in the sold-out games at Dodger Stadium--Bud Black, Trevor Wilson and Bryan Hickerson. The Dodgers will counter with a revamped rotation of Tim Belcher, Ramon Martinez and Mike Morgan, pushing Orel Hershiser back to Monday.