BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Bagwell Learns About Earthquakes

Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros experienced his first earthquake Sunday morning on the sixth floor of a Los Angeles hotel.

“I thought there was a good chance of the game being called off because they were saying on the news that there is a good chance of another quake, and I wondered about the safety of the fans,” Bagwell said. “At least we (the players) are down here in the open. But so far, so good.”

Dodger officials said they checked out the stadium and decided to go on with the game.

Bagwell said that his fascination with the earthquake was quickly lost. “At first when everything started shaking I thought, ‘Hey, this is cool,’ but I only thought that for a second,” Bagwell said. “I jumped up and ran to the doorway of the bathroom and stood there, and I couldn’t believe it. I thought we were all going to die.

“It’s terrible all the devastation and people losing their homes. Then I went back to bed, and the bed kept shaking from all the aftershocks. Some of the players were on a higher floor, and they thought the second quake was stronger, but I felt the first quake more.”

Darryl Strawberry took batting practice and ran lightly for the second consecutive day and said he felt no ill effects. He hit a couple of balls into the pavilion.

Strawberry, who has been out since the middle of May with a back injury, said he is stronger than expected. “The Dodgers will decide whether I need a rehab assignment or not, and I’ll do whatever is best,” he said. “This week I’ll start shagging balls.”