Notes on a Scorecard - July 20, 1993

The Dodgers are confident that Raul Mondesi will be one of the best outfielders in the National League within a few years. . . .

But the question to be answered the next couple of weeks is whether he can help the team now at 22. . . .

“We wouldn’t have called him up if we didn’t think he could contribute,” General Manager Fred Claire said when Mondesi was summoned from Albuquerque after Tim Wallach was put on the 15-day disabled list. “He will be given an opportunity to play, and he might be able to give us a lift.” . . .

Claire gave Mondesi a lift Sunday. Last year, the native of San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic was so disappointed after the Dodgers had called up Tom Goodwin instead of him that he missed an Albuquerque team flight and was given a plane ticket to San Antonio of the Texas League. This time, he caught the first available flight to Los Angeles. . . .

So far so good, in his first major league at-bat Monday night, Mondesi singled as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.

With San Francisco starting pitchers Bud Black and Trevor Wilson on the disabled list, this might be the time for Atlanta and the Dodgers to make a run at the Giants. . . .

Fred McGriff’s bat should help the anemic Braves, but his work at first base will be a big drop-off from that of Sid Bream. . . .

Eddie Murray’s next home run, his 427th, will break a tie with Billy Williams for 21st on the all-time list. . . .

Ten of the 14 major league games Saturday drew crowds of at least 40,000. . . .

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes have sent tremors throughout the California League by breaking the single-season attendance record. They are averaging 4,800, expect to draw 325,000 and are planning to expand the capacity of the Epicenter from 5,000 to 6,000. . . .

Most surprising holdout in the NFL might be that of the Raiders’ Howie Long, who is one of Al Davis’ favorite football players. . . .

The Rams have returned to Cal State Fullerton after training at UC Irvine the last couple of years, but USC will open practice at the home of the Anteaters Aug. 9. . . .

The last two Super Bowl champions, Dallas and Washington, will play in the Monday night opener Sept. 6 at RFK Stadium. . . .

The New York Jets will attempt to recapture some glory by wearing patches on their uniforms commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Super Bowl III victory over the Baltimore Colts, the one that Joe Namath guaranteed. . . .

*

Weight rarely makes a difference in horse racing, but it did Sunday at Hollywood Park in the $300,000 Vanity Handicap when Re Toss, carrying 115 pounds, upset Paseana, carrying 126, by 1 1/4 lengths. . . .

Versatility is one of the reasons Gary Stevens, 30, has become the youngest jockey ever to reach the $100-million mark in earnings. He is equally proficient in sprint or distance races, on the turf or on the dirt. . . .

Many of the nation’s outstanding high school basketball players are competing in the Slam-N-Jam National Invitation Tournament that concludes Thursday at Cal State Long Beach. . . .

Oscar De La Hoya’s connections wisely have decided not to pursue a title shot at World Boxing Assn. junior-lightweight champion Genaro Hernandez. It would have been difficult for De La Hoya to make the 130-pound limit and, besides, Hernandez is a tough guy. . . .

Ernest Hemingway should have included boxing when he said mountain climbing, bullfighting and auto racing were sports and all the others were games. . . .

Unlike the U.S. Open, there wasn’t much difference in prize money awarded the first three finishers in the British Open--$154,000 for first to Greg Norman, $123,000 for second to Nick Faldo and $103,180 for third to Bernhard Langer. . . .

Sorry, but this non-golfer still can’t see why the flat, tree-less British Open venues are glorified. . . .

Since reaching the Stanley Cup finals, the Kings have received 1,000 new requests for season tickets, more than triple the number of a year ago. . . .

If the Clippers had signed Hubie Brown, they would have gotten a coach who is terrific with X’s and O’s and terrible at player relations. I guess he would have better than nothing, which is what the Clippers have now. . . .

News item: Lawrence Taylor’s losses to Michael Jordan on the golf course are reported to be $1,500, instead of $150,000. Reaction: Big deal. I mean, what’s the difference between a few zeros? . . .

One way to speed up National League games might be to have Billy Swift pitch for the Giants and Jim Quick umpire behind the plate.