BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Crews Not Exactly Sailing This Season

Tim Crews spent much of Saturday afternoon lying in his locker, his head underneath the back bench.

“I’m depressed, but I’ll be all right,” said Crews, who had given up eight runs in two innings in his first two appearances with the Dodgers this season.

Crews said that the groin pull he suffered during spring training was not bothering him, nor was he feeling any pressure from the eventual additions of Jay Howell and Rudy Seanez to the bullpen.

If a member of the bullpen has to be demoted, Crews is the leading candidate.

“I’m not worried because either way, I’m going to get paid,” said Crews, who has a guaranteed contract worth $1.175 million.

Crews said he is also not worried because, as the Dodgers’ leader in relief appearances the last three seasons with 172, he is more experienced than Seanez, who could be ready within a month.

“Seanez is unproven, I’m not,” Crews said. “I started out in 1989 in similar circumstances, and then I went on a roll like I usually do and I was fine.”

Eric Karros said he will remember one thing more than his first major league home run. He also will remember the trouble he encountered in retrieving the ball.

Karros said his brother and a buddy ran into the left-field seats at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Thursday night after Karros hit a first-inning homer against Craig Lefferts.

“They had to ask around and find out who caught the thing,” Karros said.

Once the man was found, he would not give up the ball until he obtained autographs from Karros and Darryl Strawberry in return.

“So here I am, I have to ask Strawberry for an autograph during the game?” Karros said. “I thought, I can’t do that.”

Mike Sharperson offered to ask Strawberry, who signed between innings. Karros’ home run ball is currently wrapped in plastic and tucked away in the pocket of a warm-up jacket.

“I know it was Darryl’s autograph that did it,” he said.

The average age of the three starting pitchers the Dodgers will face in Houston this week is 23.3 years. Butch Henry and Darryl Kile are 23, and Ryan Bowen is 24. . . . The average age of the three scheduled Dodgers pitchers--Orel Hershiser, Tom Candiotti, Bob Ojeda--is 33.6 years. . . . Kip Gross has moved into the starting rotation at triple-A Albuquerque. He was credited with the win in a 9-4 victory over Las Vegas Friday after giving up four runs in six innings. . . . Mike Piazza has not slowed down since spring training. He had a home run with two runs batted in during the season opener for double-A San Antonio Friday in a 10-2 victory over Midland.