NAMES AND NUMBERS

* SMOOTH MOVE: Dodger President Peter O’Malley did the right thing in making an early decision on the fate of Manager Tom Lasorda, whose status would have become the focal point of what figures to be a long second half for the Dodgers.

The contract of Butch Hobson of the Boston Red Sox, who figured to be 1993’s first managerial victim when the season started, also was extended through 1994 on Friday. There is modest calm on the managerial front, with only Jim Lefebvre of the Chicago Cubs and Gene Lamont of the Chicago White Sox thought to be in jeopardy.

The White Sox continue to lead the American League West, but co-owner Jerry Reinsdorf recently branded the White Sox as underachievers, seemingly a slam at Lamont’s motivational approach.

* CAN’T BUCK IT: Bill Buckner, playing in the Heroes of Baseball game in Baltimore on Monday, said he is tired of continually being reminded about his error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series with the Red Sox, has growing concern that his two children will continue to hear about it in school and is selling his Andover, Mass., home in favor of a return to Idaho.

Buckner, a minor league instructor with the Toronto Blue Jays, was heckled about it outside the park at Pawtucket, R.I., last week, grabbed the heckler by his shirt and lifted him off his feet.

“People in Boston have been generally pretty good, but I hear about it at least once a week during the baseball season and I’m tired of it,” he said. “I’m out of there. I don’t want to hear it anymore.”

* LACK OF INTEREST? More than 100,000 people paid $12 a ticket over a five-day period during the All-Star celebration in Baltimore to attend the FanFest exhibition, often waiting in line for more than an hour during the heat wave.

In addition to $25 baseball caps, $20 T-shirts, $300 jackets and a variety of other items questionably priced for the “family entertainment” baseball still claims to be, a Honus Wagner card was available for $95,000.

* IN A RUT: The New York Mets picked up where they left off, losing their first game of the second half, 8-1, to the San Francisco Giants. “I’m not sure how many of these guys give a damn if we win or lose,” Manager Dallas Green said, reacting as if it was a sudden development.