BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

Toronto designated hitter Paul Molitor has been told that he definitely will play the field when the World Series resumes in Philadelphia, but he just has no idea which position.

Molitor, who has been taking ground balls at third base the last few weeks, was taking infield at first base Sunday.

“Paul deserves to be in there every game, and so does John (Olerud),” third baseman Ed Sprague said. “If I’m the odd man out, so be it. I think he can do the job, no question. They have a lot of left-handed hitters, we’re on Astroturf, and he’s played there nine years.

“I think he’ll do just fine.”

Yet, while Sprague is bracing himself to coming out of the lineup, Olerud says he also is prepared to sit.

“I think when you get to this point, everyone is just concerned with winning the World Series,” said Olerud, the American League batting champion with a .363 average. “I think it would be easier for Paul at first. He’s played there more recently, and in big games like this, you want to play wherever you are the most comfortable.”

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Considering that the World Series championship team traditionally has found its picture gracing the box of Wheaties, Phillie reliever Larry Andersen was pondering what product would be most symbolic for their team photo:

“Probably Pepto-Bismol,” he said. “I mean, take a look at us.”

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The Blue Jays will go to a four-man rotation for the Series, Manager Cito Gaston said, likely employing Todd Stottlemyre on Wednesday in Game 4.

“There’s no way I’ll pitch Juan (Guzman) on three days’ rest in the series,” Gaston said. “Juan has pitched much better on four days’ rest. Right now, I’m leaning toward Todd Stottlemyre.”

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The Blue Jay pitchers were taking batting practice Sunday. While Stottlemyre easily was the best-hitting starter, according to hitting coach Larry Hisle, and Duane Ward and Danny Cox were the top relievers, Guzman didn’t even bother taking batting practice.

“Guzman doesn’t want any part of the bat,” Gaston said.

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Phillie bullpen stopper Mitch Williams on the San Diego Padre organization, the first team to give up on him: “I remember there was this one game (in Walla Walla, Wash.) where I walked seven guys in a row,” he said. “Now, how in the world do you ever let a guy walk seven batters in a row? I mean, a couple of times I looked over at the bench and said, ‘What, do I look like I’m on the verge of just figuring this out.’

“Eventually, they traded me because they thought I had a drug problem.

“They said no one sober could be that wild.”

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Phillie first baseman John Kruk contends that one of his greatest baseball accomplishments was teaching English to White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen when they were teammates in the Padres’ organization.

It wasn’t easy of course, with Kruk coming from West Virginia and Guillen from Venezuela.

“I figured the best way for him to learn English,” Kruk said, “was to learn curse words, then talk about baseball, then put it all into a sentence. I think he knows English petty well now because he still likes to talk.”

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Steve Hirdt of the Elias Sports Bureau, on what you get if you combine Kruk and Olerud: “A person of normal intensity who hits .340.”

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Phillie third base coach Larry Bowa said that he will be interviewed after the World Series for the vacant Houston Astros managerial position. The Astros already have interviewed Davey Lopes, who is considered the leading candidate, and are expected to talk with former Texas Manager Bobby Valentine. . . . Phillie reliever David West has failed to retire any of the eight batters he has faced in the World Series. If he retires his next batter, his ERA will be 81.00.