BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Lasorda Gives Karros an Opportunity

After putting Eric Karros in the starting lineup against San Diego Padres’ left-hander Craig Lefferts on Thursday, Manager Tom Lasorda said he has not dismissed the idea of platooning either Karros or Todd Benzinger with Kal Daniels.

Despite getting three hits in his first seven at-bats this season, Daniels is better known for having a career average of .308 against right-handers and .248 against left-handers.

“I’m not going to be definite about that one way or another,” Lasorda said. “I have to see certain things first.”

One of those things is Karros’ bat, which produced a two-run homer in the first inning Thursday.

“Eric is a better hitter than what I saw last year,” Lasorda said, referring to Karros’ .071 average in 14 at-bats last September. “I would say Eric was the hardest worker we had during spring training--but spring training is one thing, and game situations are another.

“It’s like they say in basic training. I want to see some guys under fire.”

Daniels calmly accepted the switch.

“I’ll just be watching the game like everybody else,” he said with a shrug. “I’m not the manager, I don’t make out the lineup card. You’ll have to ask him what’s happening.”

Daniels was also removed for pinch-hitter Benzinger against left-hander Dave Righetti in Tuesday’s game against San Francisco.

Shortly after Lefferts left the game in the first inning Thursday, his name appeared in block letters as the answer to a question on the scoreboard. The name was loudly booed. . . . Mark Cresse missed what may have been his first game in 16 seasons as the Dodger bullpen coach to attend his ailing father. . . . Lasorda called Bill Russell Thursday, shortly before Russell’s first game as manager of the Albuquerque Dukes. “I just wished him luck and told him that he should put to use all the things he has learned,” Lasorda said. “I told him to be aggressive, to be daring, and to treat players the way he wanted to be treated. Then I told him I loved him and missed him very much.” Albuquerque defeated Las Vegas, 5-2. . . . Rudy Seanez has joined the Dodgers’ double-A club in San Antonio, but Fred Claire, vice president, said it could still be a week to 10 days before he can begin pitching on his 30-day rehabilitation assignment.