BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Nothing’s Going Right in That Field

Darryl Strawberry pronounced right field at Dodger Stadium as “jinxed” Tuesday when Todd Benzinger was scratched from the lineup after revealing that he has been playing with a sore right foot.

Strawberry, Eric Davis, Mitch Webster and Benzinger have all suffered injuries while playing right field here.

“Whatever is going on out there, it ain’t good,” Strawberry said. “Maybe everybody is stepping on the same spot. Something sure is wrong out there.”

Benzinger, who has one hit in his last 16 at-bats, is also suffering from a sore right hip and right arm. He does not know how he acquired the nagging injuries, but his problems could be caused by last month’s switch from first base to right field.

He had not played there since early last season with the Cincinnati Reds, and the sudden change in throwing mechanics could be taking its toll.

“I know I had to air out my arm all of a sudden,” Benzinger said. “I can still play, but there is a certain point you have to go in and tell somebody about it. And right now, we certainly aren’t losing anything with a healthy Mitch Webster out there.”

Fred Claire, Dodger vice president, said he has been convinced by Ramon Martinez that the pitchers’ problems have nothing to do with a sore or tired arm.

“Ramon is a very intelligent young man, it would make no sense from him to not tell me the truth about this, and he has convinced me totally . . . he does not have an arm problem,” Claire said. “I have asked him, and he has told me everything is fine, and I believe him totally.”

Added Claire: “You do not pitch in Chicago (a shutout of the Cubs) like he did recently with arm problems. He was throwing in the 90s that day. His problem is all in mechanics.”

Tom Lasorda said that pitching coach Ron Perranoski will continue working on Martinez’s mechanics.