BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Howell Gets Cortisone Shot

The Dodgers bullpen, suspect at full strength, was shaken with the news Saturday that Jay Howell is suffering from a sore right shoulder. The Dodgers administered a Magnetic Resonance Imaging exam, which showed no rotator cuff damage.

Howell received a cortisone shot for tendinitis and probably can pitch again within three days.

“When a guy goes in for an MRI, he’s not going in there to fool around,” said Tom Lasorda, Dodger manager. “You’ve got to be concerned.”

“Any time you have a shot, it is serious,” Dodger trainer Bill Buhler said. “But with the results of the MRI, we feel that he will be pitching again soon.”

Another reliever went down Saturday. Rudy Seanez’s back stiffened while he was throwing on the sidelines.

Frank Jobe, Dodger team physician, recommended that he not throw for a week.

With possible spots opening in the bullpen, Kip Gross picked a good time to allow one run and two hits in three impressive innings in a 7-4 victory over the New York Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla. It was the Dodgers’ first spring victory in three games.

The Dodgers’ victory featured a group of youngsters that team vice president Fred Claire calls: “Quietly, the most important story in spring training so far.”

Lasorda’s godson, Mike Piazza, a double-A catcher, hit a three-run home run against reliever Paul Gibson that gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning.

Billy Ashley, a double-A outfielder, and third baseman Dave Hansen also hit homers.

Eric Davis beat out a grounder to third base for a single in the first inning Saturday, then made a diving catch in left field in two innings later. . . . Bret Saberhagen allowed only one infield single in three scoreless innings in his Met debut Saturday. . . . Claire said he spoke with Juan Samuel after Samuel was quoted by the Associated Press as asking for a trade Friday. “He said everything is fine and said he was looking forward to the season,” Claire said. “I told him that there had been a story, but he said he felt fine about being here.” . . . Knuckleballer Tom Candiotti makes his first Dodger appearance today against the Houston Astros in a televised game.