BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Maddux Is the Best, Cubs’ Lefebvre Says

Manager Jim Lefebvre of the Cubs says Greg Maddux (15-9) should win the Cy Young Award, not last year’s winner, Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves.

“Except for his 19 victories, Glavine has nothing on Greg,” Lefebvre said. “Greg leads the league in innings pitched, he’s No. 2 in ERA and complete games. He’s fourth in strikeouts.

“The only reason he doesn’t have 20 victories is that we haven’t scored any runs for him. He’s only 26, but he’s already a great pitcher.

“He’s the brightest, most intelligent pitcher and most advanced for his age I’ve ever seen. He’s a worker, too. He comes in every day and studies films, goes over hitters and works all of the time.”

The Cubs had the worst pitching in the majors last season. This season, they have the best.

“I give Maddux and (Mike) Morgan much of the credit. Morgan has been a godsend. Between the two of them, they will throw one-third of the innings for us this season. That’s like (Don) Drysdale and (Sandy) Koufax.”

It has been a tough season for Tom Lasorda, a manager who has known more peaks than valleys in his long career with the Dodgers.

He has watched his young, mistake-prone team lose 33 one-run games.

Lasorda relieves the frustration by pitching batting practice and swimming 25 or more laps per day.

“I pitch batting practice every day,” Lasorda said. “I can pitch it all day. How many guys almost 65 (his birthday is Sept. 22) can throw every day? One day I threw for two hours and threw only curveballs.

“Why do I do it? Because I love this game. I always want to be a part of it.

“We may be down this year, but we’ll be back. I promise you.”