NAMES AND NUMBERS

There are two measures of Bill Swift’s importance to the San Francisco Giants: They were 8-18 when he was on the disabled list from May 23 to June 20. They are 14-2 when he starts.

A 4-1 victory over the Montreal Expos on Wednesday night gave Swift an 8-2 record. It was only his second victory in his last nine starts, but a 2.29 earned-run average is more reflective of his work.

* Jeff Parrett, signed as a minor league free agent by the Oakland Athletics on the eve of spring training, has re-established his career in the A’s bullpen. He is 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA after going 3-9 at Atlanta and triple-A Richmond last year and 5-10 with the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies in 1990.

* A 2-1 loss to John Smiley and the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night seemed typical of Charles Nagy’s fate this year. The Cleveland Indian All-Star has an 11-5 record but it could be better, as his 2.44 ERA attests. The Indians have scored only six runs in his five losses.

* A three-inning starting stint in the Chicago White Sox’s 7-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night was the shortest of Mike Mussina’s one-plus seasons with the Orioles. The former Stanford star had completed at least five innings in 27 consecutive starts and 28 of 29 in the majors. He has given up more than two runs in only three of 18 starts this year.

In this one, Frank Thomas hit a two-run homer and continued to emerge as Mussina’s nemesis. The Chicago first baseman is 10 for 16 with three home runs and five RBIs in his career against Mussina.

* Department of You Never Know: After employing Kim Baptiste, Mariano Duncan, Mickey Morandini and Dale Sveum at shortstop this year, the Philadelphia Phillies have settled on fourth-year pro Joe Millette, a graduate of St. Mary’s College who made a last-gasp run at a pro career in a 1988 tryout camp at Orange Coast College. He impressed scout Tommie Ferguson enough to receive a $500 signing bonus and a 1989 ticket to Batavia, where he began his climb to the majors.