Notes on a Scorecard - March 31, 1992

What to expect during the baseball season, which opens Monday:

Darryl Strawberry will let his mouth do his talking. . . .

Everyone except the concessionaires will complain about the length of games. . . .

The toughest job will belong to Rick Rizzs, who is Ernie Harwell’s replacement in the Detroit Tiger broadcasting booth. . . .

An American company will be rebuffed in its efforts to buy the Tokyo Giants. . . .

The Dodgers will call up Pedro Martinez. . . .

Kent Hrbek won’t slide into third base head first. . . .

No player at Anaheim Stadium will receive a bigger ovation on opening day than Matt Keough when he delivers the ceremonial first pitch. . . .

Managers Tom Lasorda and Jim Lefebvre won’t fraternize around the batting cage before Dodger-Chicago Cub games. . . .

The Expos will have all of Montreal talking hockey. . . .

A foul-ball strike won’t draw any applause, but a swinging strike will be cheered. . . .

The Twins will sign Kirby Puckett to a contract that will make Ryne Sandberg the second-highest paid player. . . .

Yankee third base coach Clete Boyer will make better plays on foul balls than Yankee third basemen will on fair balls. . . .

Jim Abbott will win 20 games. . . .

Brett Butler will get 20 bunt singles. . . .

Mark McGwire and Dave Stewart will battle for the title of American League comeback player of the year. . . .

Gary Sheffield will make San Diego Padre General Manager Joe Mcllvaine look good. . . .

The Toronto Blue Jays will be home free by Labor Day. . . .

Ken Griffey Jr. will be compared to Willie Mays. . . .

A no-hitter or two will be pitched against the Angels. . . .

A Cecil Fielder home run will clear the Tiger Stadium roof and several nearby tall buildings. . . .

Robin Yount finally will get some recognition outside the Midwest when he gets his 3,000th hit. . . .

George Steinbrenner will suggest to Pete Rose that they jointly sue Fay Vincent. . . .

Bobby Bonilla will miss the Pittsburgh Pirate fans. . . .

The Pittsburgh Pirate fans will miss Bobby Bonilla. . . .

Cleveland Indian third baseman Jim Thome, despite an injured wrist that may keep him out of the opening-day lineup, will be the American League rookie of the year. . . .

San Francisco Giant shortstop Royce Clayton will be the National League rookie of the year. . . .

Ted Turner will fall asleep at the ballpark. . . .

Jane Fonda will wake up Ted Turner. . . .

The St. Louis Cardinals will wear the best-looking uniforms. . . .

Barry Bonds will be unhappy. . . .

The new M & M Boys will be pitchers Ben McDonald and Mike Mussina of the Baltimore Orioles. . . .

Nolan Ryan, 45, will work harder than minor league prospects half his age. . . .

CBS will treat baseball as a minor sport. . . .

The Dodgers won’t turn a triple play. . . .

Vin Scully will hold your interest during the eighth inning of a 10-2 game. . . .

Half the Giants’ pitching staff will be down with injuries by May. . . .

The Chicago Cubs’ pitching won’t be good enough. . . .

Benito Santiago will hit .260 and ask to be traded 260 times. . . .

The nicest guys on most teams will be the coaches. . . .

Chicago White Sox outfielder Warren Newsom, 5 feet 7, will hit a home run off 6-10 Seattle Mariner pitcher Randy Johnson. . . .

After having been on the road for nearly a month because of the Republican convention at the Astrodome, the Houston Astros will vote Democratic. . . .

Dale Murphy will be called a throwback to another era. . . .

Kal Daniels will play first base better than anyone could have expected. . . .

The Kansas City Royals will be the most improved team in the major leagues. . . .

A National League game will end 14-12 and fears will be expressed for the pitching staffs of the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins. . . .

The ghost of Babe Ruth will be sighted in the new Baltimore ballpark. . . .

The Candlestick Park organist won’t play “I Love L.A.”