Notes on a Scorecard - July 28, 1993

The topic on the table is San Diego Padre baseball. . . .

“San Diego bills itself as America’s finest city, but it has America’s worst baseball owners,” XTRA radio sports-talk host Lee Hamilton said. . . .

“The fans are enraged. Last week, I asked them if they would buy tickets to a Padre game the rest of the season. Forty-four of 48 callers said they would not. This ownership is a national embarrassment to the national pastime. It has betrayed the community, the season ticket-holders and the advertisers.” . . .

Since Sept. 1, Tom Werner and company have orchestrated the trading of $28 million in salaries for $1.1 million. They have traded three present or former all-stars for one player who is in the major leagues, unproven reliever Trevor Hoffman, and nine who are in the minors. . . .

“The difference between San Diego and anybody else is that the Padres have dismembered a pennant contender,” Hamilton said. “At the trading deadline last year, they were five games out of first. Now they are in a race for last.” . . .

Hamilton says he understands the obstacles facing franchises in small markets, but that Werner should realize that changes probably are going to be made in the arbitration rules soon that will favor ownership. . . .

“The Padres are going to lose 100 games this season and 100 next season,” Hamilton said. “Who’s going to go see them?” . . .

Last week, the San Diego Chargers drew about 6,000 fans for a training camp scrimmage against the Rams. Hamilton said he attended a Padre-Montreal Expo game the same week when attendance was announced as 11,000, but appeared to have been about 5,000. . . .

“I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying something slanderous on the air,” Hamilton said. “I have a passion for this game. A baseball franchise is a public trust, as well as a business.” . . .

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The Angels weren’t the only ones embarrassed during the Oakland Athletics’ eight-run third inning Monday night at Anaheim Stadium. Some wires got switched and Channel 5 viewers briefly heard the A’s feed with Dick Stockton announcing. . . .

Take heart, J.T. Snow: A slumping rookie named Mickey Mantle was sent down to the New York Yankees’ Kansas City farm club in the American Assn. in mid-July of 1951 and was recalled late the next month. . . .

The Florida Marlins lead the National League in road attendance. It must have something to do with the fact they have already played their six games in Colorado. . . .

Tim Raines, with 736 stolen bases in his career, has stolen only six this season and been thrown out seven times. . . .

What an awesome display of power Cecil Fielder put on Monday when he reached across the plate to send a pitch by Jimmy Key halfway up the second deck above right field at Tiger Stadium. . . .

*

Halls of Fame: The Raiders will play the Green Bay Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game Saturday at Canton, Ohio, and the Dodgers will play the Cleveland Indians in the baseball Hall of Fame game Monday at Cooperstown, N.Y. . . .

Jim Everett of the Rams and Jeff Hostetler of the Raiders will be among 10 participants in the “Quarterback Challenge,” to be shown Saturday and Sunday on NBC. . . .

Del Mar, which will open its 54th season today, now can accommodate as many as 40,000 fans. Think the weather there would be a little more comfortable in early November than at Woodbine in Toronto, site of the 1995 Breeders’ Cup? . . .

A 3-year-old colt to watch at Del Mar is Seattle Sleet, who came back to the races in impressive style on closing day at Hollywood Park. . . .

It looks as though Friday night racing is going to have a long and successful run at Hollywood Park. . . .

Ben Crenshaw is supervising the rebuilding of all 18 greens at Riviera Country Club, which will be the site of the 1995 PGA championship tournament. . . .

The Chicago Bulls, who won a third consecutive NBA championship, and the Orlando Magic, who didn’t make the playoffs, each will have eight regular-season games televised by NBC next season. . . .

Thumbs up to Charger defensive end Chris Mims, who has made a $50,000 commitment to keep the L.A. Prep Senior Bowl all-star football game going. Mims, a Dorsey High graduate, was MVP of the 1988 game. The 17th will be played Friday at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.