BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Basgall Says Daniels Rates at First Base

Monty Basgall, longtime Dodgers infield coach and current adviser, has given his blessing to the idea of Kal Daniels as a first baseman after watching him for a week.

Basgall’s opinion is considered important by club officials because he is the coach who engineered moves that sent Steve Garvey from third base to first base and Bill Russell and Davey Lopes from the outfield to the infield.

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” Basgall said. “Kal is making the move at least as well as Garvey did, if not better.”

Basgall said that Daniels’ footwork and fielding proved to him that Daniels used to be an infielder in high school.

“He catches like an infielder, he throws like an infielder,” Basgall said. “The only thing I haven’t seen him do is scoop balls out of the dirt, but he hasn’t had the chance.”

Juan Samuel attempted to put to rest reports that he wants to be traded by saying: “That was all bull. I do not want to be traded.”

He added: “I have to give my permission to be traded, right? That means I would tell Fred Claire first. I sure wouldn’t tell some reporter before I told him. I have not asked anybody for a trade.”

Brett Butler, one of Samuel’s closest teammates, said he feels Samuel is still trying to deal with the Dodgers’ apparent snub this winter.

“The only things he wants is to feel wanted,” Butler said.

After Darryl Strawberry drove in three runs with a homer and double in Sunday’s 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros, he was strangely apologetic. “I really don’t want to hit home runs now,” Strawberry said. “But sometimes they pitch the ball where I really don’t have a choice.” No home runs? “I want to save that for the start of the season,” Strawberry said. “When I get that home run swing, it’s incredible.” . . . Tom Candiotti and Mike Scioscia worked well together Sunday with no wild pitches or passed balls. Candiotti allowed two runs and two hits in three innings with four strikeouts. “Mike’s pitch-calling was really in sync with me,” Candiotti said. “He’s already said he doesn’t care what the situation is, if I have to throw the knuckleball, I should throw it and he’ll knock it down.” . . . Frank Jobe still doesn’t know exactly what is wrong with Jay Howell’s shoulder, which has been diagnosed with having bursitis. “Nothing showed up on the (X-ray), so we’re still trying to pinpoint it,” Jobe said. “For now, we’ll just treat it on a daily basis and hope he can be back within a couple of days.” . . . Dave Hansen and Raul Mondesi hit three-run homers to lead the Dodgers B squad to an 8-1 victory over the Astros B squad.