BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Podres Recalls Drysdale Days

During the eighth inning of the Philadelphia Phillies-San Diego Padres game Saturday night Johnny Podres was told by pitcher Curt Schilling that Podres’ close friend, Don Drysdale, had died.

Podres, the Phillies’ pitching coach, talked on Monday about his former Dodger teammate of 10 seasons, beginning with 1957.

“Even the superstar that he was, what made him so great was that he was just one of the guys,” Podres said. “I remember one time he broke a pinky and he wouldn’t go on the disabled list, but they put him on without him knowing, and when he found that out, I think he was going up to punch Buzzie (Bavasi) in the nose. Buzzie was the general manager at the time. (Drysdale) was going to pitch (with) a broken pinky.

”. . . How many years did he pitch for the Dodgers, how many pennants did they win, how many World Series did they win? That will tell you how great he was.” Podres said Drysdale always stood in front of the dugout when somebody else was pitching to give that pitcher more enthusiasm.

“There are sometimes you don’t even think about it,” Podres said. “You play baseball and you don’t even think he’s gone, but then . . . it’s tough. What can you say? What can you say?”

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Todd Worrell pitched three innings Sunday for the Albuquerque Dukes, giving up a home run. Manager Bill Russell said that Worrell is ahead of schedule in rehabilitating his sore left elbow and is having no problems after he pitches. “We will rest him for a couple of days and then start pitching him in late-inning situations,” Russell said.

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Eric Davis asked for a cortisone shot in his left hand, where he had surgery in September, and Henry Rodriguez started in left field.

Trainer Bill Buhler said that after a player receives an injection he usually sits for 24 hours but can play in late-inning situations.

Davis is four for 13 on the trip (.308) and is batting .281 in his last 16 games, but it hasn’t been enough to boost his overall batting average past .226.

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Kevin Gross’ ring finger on his right hand is sore, but he says he doesn’t think it has affected his pitching.

Trainer Charlie Strasser said Gross has indicated he has pain there, but is receiving no treatment for it.

Strasser said Mike Sharperson’s strained right hamstring, “is improving, but “not there yet.”