Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 12, 1991

I realize the Dodgers needed a proven first baseman, but I’m sorry to see Chris Gwynn leave. He has the kind of bat that will do the family name proud if given the opportunity. . . .

The San Francisco Giants showed their eagerness to get rid of Kevin Mitchell when they traded one of the best power hitters in baseball to the Seattle Mariners for three undistinguished pitchers. . . .

Mitchell should hit at least 40 home runs in the Kingdome, and the Giants should finish near the bottom of the National League West. . . .

Jose Offerman was traded for George Bell--in the Dominican Winter League recently as part of a 10-player deal between Azucareros and Licey. . . .

Perucho and Orlando Cepeda, father and son, have been inducted into the Puerto Rico baseball hall of fame. . . .

Major league baseball owners are paying their labor negotiator, Richard Ravitch, more than they’re paying their commissioner, Fay Vincent. . . .

Chris Bando will manage in the Milwaukee Brewers’ chain next season. His brother, Sal, is general manager of the Brewers. Think Chris has a future in the organization? . . .

It was surprising that the Houston Astros traded speedy outfielder Kenny Lofton, a natural for the Astrodome, to the Cleveland Indians. . . .

How quickly they fall: Darryl Strawberry is the 10th-highest paid player in the major leagues. . . .

Walt (No Neck) Williams has resurfaced as manager of the Texas Rangers’ Gastonia, N.C., farm club in the South Atlantic League. . . .

The late George Allen’s 6-5 record at Cal State Long Beach in 1990 seems all the more remarkable after the school’s decision to drop football. . . .

Award-winning chef Joe Cahn of New Orleans will be working for the opposition when he cooks up some Cajun specialties at a private Coliseum Club reception during the Raider-Saint telecast Monday night from the Superdome. . . .

It isn’t often that a rusher and a pass receiver each have 100-yard games the same day for the same team, but the Dallas Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin did it Sunday against the Saints. . . .

Rocket Ismail will play in the United States next year. The Toronto Argonauts and British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League have signed to play an exhibition game in Portland, Ore. . . .

Tom Selleck, who played basketball and club volleyball at USC, filmed scenes for his motion picture, “The Big Leaguer,” last week at Dedeaux Field. . . .

Ben Johnson, who will sprint in an indoor track and field meet on Feb. 15 at the Sports Arena, has added a sports psychologist to his entourage. . . .

Among the demands Steve Spurrier made when he left Duke for Florida before the 1987 season was that the artificial surface at Florida Field be torn up and replaced by grass. . . .

When Itsallgreektome takes the track for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup at Hollywood Park Sunday, he will have to be introduced to his jockey again. Kent Desormeaux will be the Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up’s third rider since Corey Nakatani rode him last August. . . .

Nakatani is the son-in-law of Itsallgreektome’s trainer, Wally Dollase, but lost the assignment when he chose to ride Lite Light on a conflicting date. . . .

Bill Walton says that Tim Hardaway of the Golden State Warriors is the successor to Magic Johnson as the best point guard in the NBA. . . .

Walton, on Golden State’s Jim Petersen: “He’s a foul waiting to happen.” . . .

Walton, Mike Fratello and play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler are a lively team, but the Clipper telecasts on Channel 13 are marred by all those camera shots from the floor and high above the basket. . . .

Iowa may be the surprise of the Big Ten basketball race. . . .

Attention Chuck Noll: What do you think Bob Knight would have done to Calbert Cheaney, Eric Anderson or Damon Bailey if they had refused to play for Indiana against Vanderbilt after being benched for the entire first half? . . .

New Jersey Net Coach Bill Fitch was Bob Gibson’s college baseball coach at Creighton in 1956-58. . . .

My vote for sportsman of the year goes to George Foreman. . . .

Offensive linemen have a reputation for being the nicest people and best interviews in the NFL. Joe Scibelli, who died of cancer Wednesday at 52, was the prototype. He was mean only on the field, where he spent 15 years making life easier for the Rams’ backs.