Notes on a Scorecard - April 12, 1993

In a cost-cutting measure, the gates to Dodger Stadium will not be opened until an hour before game time this season. . . .

That means fans no longer will be able to watch the home team take batting practice. . . .

It might not be much of a hardship, though, because watching the Dodgers take batting practice right now is like watching the Dallas Mavericks take shooting practice. . . .

The Dodgers have scored 14 runs in seven games and haven’t hit a home run since Tim Wallach’s on opening day. They have been shut out twice and limited to one run another time. Granted, the last four games were against the Atlanta Braves. But the first three were against the Florida Marlins. . . .

Between them, Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis have one run batted in. It belongs to Davis. Strawberry always has been a streaky performer, but this is ridiculous. . . .

During four at-bats Sunday in Atlanta, Strawberry couldn’t advance any of six runners. You can’t accuse him of overswinging. He has a walk-to-hit ratio of 8-to-3, and has been equally aggressive in right field. . . .

In contrast, Davis, who is on a one-year contract, has struck out eight times and might be too intense. . . .

The Dodgers finished the trip 3-4 only because their pitching was exceptional. However, a dire need for a left-handed reliever remains. That was apparent Saturday night when Orel Hershiser was on the ropes in the ninth inning, but still was asked to face left-handed batters. . . .

Brave Manager Bobby Cox should find a spot in his lineup every day for Deion Sanders, whose best sport might be baseball. . . .

Kirk Gibson, who hit a grand slam for the Detroit Tigers during the first inning Friday night at Anaheim Stadium, didn’t have one during his three seasons with the Dodgers. . . .

It’s too bad that the young Angel hitters can’t be fed a steady diet of Detroit pitching. . . .

I never realized the Montreal Expos, who spent the weekend in Colorado, were such a big attraction on the road. . . .

Then again, as Don Drysdale pointed out, the Rockies were in business for only the second day when attendance at Mile High Stadium dropped off to 65,261. . . .

Charlie Hough, 45, and Nolan Ryan, 46, are 3-0. . . .

Why does the Masters green jacket always seem to fit the winner better 10 minutes after the final stroke than the jacket my tailor takes two weeks to alter? . . .

The Augusta, Ga., organizers should succumb to the pressures of the late 20th Century and allow television cameras to be placed at the first nine holes. . . .

CBS commentator Ben Wright’s description of a John Daly shot: “Grip it and rip it with a seven-iron.” . . .

Look-alikes: Bernhard Langer and Joe Montana. . . .

The Lakers will have to beat Houston, Golden State, and Sacramento in their three remaining games at the Forum to avoid their first losing season ever at home. . . .

Charles Barkley is deserving of the NBA most-valuable-player award, but don’t understimate the importance of the signing of free agent Danny Ainge to the Phoenix Suns’ improvement. . . .

The New York Knicks-Chicago Bulls game the final day of the season, April 25 at Madison Square Garden, might decide the Eastern Conference regular-season championship and home-court advantage if they meet in the playoffs. . . .

The University of Washington made a good choice when it hired former Illinois State basketball coach Bob Bender, who is a disciple of Mike Krzyzewski. . . .

The come-from-behind style of the new future book favorite, Prairie Bayou, indicates that he will be able to handle the 1 1/4 miles of the Kentucky Derby on May 1. . . .

Wayne Lukas has selected Pat Valenzuela to ride Union City in the Derby. . . .

NBC’s dropping of its world track and field championship telecasts further damages a sport that is badly lacking in exposure in this country. . . .

In the March, 1956, issue of Ring Magazine, Archie Moore was ranked as the leading contender for Rocky Marciano’s heavyweight title and Floyd Patterson the leading contender for Moore’s light-heavyweight title. Later that year, Marciano retired and Patterson knocked out Moore in the fifth round to win the heavyweight title. . . .

The Ottawa Senators have exceeded all expectations as a road club this month. . . .

King Coach Barry Melrose should make goaltender Kelly Hrudey first string and Robb Stauber second string for the Stanley Cup playoffs. . . .

My candidate for sportsman of the year is Mario Lemieux.