BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Perez Waiting for Reds to Get Going

Rookie Manager Tony Perez is disgusted with his Cincinnati Reds and their 2-7 record.

It is the franchise’s worst start since 1966, when the Reds lost seven of their first eight games. The Reds were swept in a three-game series that ended Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

They will play the New York Mets tonight in Cincinnati.

Perez, usually even-tempered, is angry with his team’s performance.

“I don’t think yelling and throwing things around are going to make us play better, but I’m mad,” he said. “I’m tired of seeing it.

“We’re just not playing well. We’re not hitting the ball, we’re not fielding, we’re not doing nothing. If we play like this, we’ll lose to anybody.”

Tom Browning was the loser in Wednesday’s 9-2 defeat. He became the third consecutive Cincinnati starter unable to reach the sixth inning. He gave up five runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The earned-run average of Cincinnati’s starters is 6.32.

Meanwhile, the hitters have been unproductive. Only one of their 41 hits the last five games has gone for extra bases.

Injuries have sidelined first baseman Hal Morris until at least June. Cleanup hitter Kevin Mitchell has missed the last five games because of a hamstring injury, and leadoff man Bip Roberts has been sidelined for two games.

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Jose Canseco didn’t get any hits, but the Texas Ranger slugger was perfect as the starting pitcher in an game against the triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers at Oklahoma City.

Canseco struck out one batter and walked none as he opened the game on the mound in a 2-0 loss. Canseco also was hitless in two appearances as the Texas designated hitter.

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Colorado Rockies officials should keep their minds on baseball and off the condition of the field at Mile High Stadium, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb says.

“Four walks in a row didn’t have anything to do with the field,” Webb said, referring to walks in Tuesday’s eighth inning that helped the New York Mets to a come-from-behind 8-4 victory.

“It’s a football field. We worked like the dickens to try to get it where the Rockies can play there,” he told the Denver Press Club. “I’m frankly surprised at the tone of the criticism that came from the Rockies, given how closely we tried to work with them.”

Since opening day Friday, Rockies officials have complained about the scarred grass in right and center fields and loose dirt in the infield. Rockies Manager Don Baylor has said he not only has to manage the team, but “do a groundskeeper’s work.”

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The Florida Marlins won a coin toss with Colorado and will draft 27th while the Rockies pick 28th in baseball’s amateur free agent draft June 3-5. This was the fourth and final coin toss between the two expansion teams. The Rockies won two previous tosses for draft position, including the one in the expansion draft to stock the new teams. The Marlins won the toss for last December’s draft of minor league players. . . . The committee charged with finding a new commissioner hired an executive search firm in Dallas to start the hunt. Eastman and Beaudine, Inc., one of the country’s leading management search firms, will help baseball in “this very wide, inclusive search,” said Atlanta Brave chairman Bill Bartholomay, who also chairs the search committee. “The predominant thinking is to get the right person, the person who will stay with us and take us down the road into the 21st Century,” Bartholomay said.