Jordan’s Not Doing Any Harm Trying Out for White Sox

U nconventional wisdom of the day . . . Michael Jordan: So what’s the fuss? World’s greatest basketball player, producer of three NBA titles for Jerry Reinsdorf’s Chicago Bulls, wants his own private baseball fantasy camp and Reinsdorf, who also owns the White Sox, is in a position to help. And he who helps Jordan helps himself, since a happy Michael Jordan might someday deem Reinsdorf’s Bulls worthy of a comeback. It’s called protecting your investment. Meanwhile, the rest of Major League Baseball needs to lighten up. What’s the worst thing that can happen by giving Jordan a spring training tryout? He embarrasses himself against live pitching, is dispatched to minor league camp and we can all go back to watching wind sprints and bunt drills. Aren’t you the least bit curious? Those people who would deny Jordan his turn in the batter’s box ought to go work for the NFL, where novelty and fun are discouraged at every turn.

John Orton: He couldn’t hit major league pitching, either, yet the Angels invited him to training camp six times.

Buck Rodgers: His take on the Jordan tryout is that “when you’re in a two-team baseball situation like Chicago is, when you’ve got the Cubs and the White Sox, it’s a good way to capture the press for eight weeks.” Exactly. Nothing wrong with that. It beats writing and talking about the baseball owners’ Blockheaded Decision of the Week. Jordan breaks the monotony and if a media circus is the result, Rodgers suspects White Sox Manager Gene Lamont can live with it. “Sometimes, it can help you,” Rodgers says, “by diverting attention and pressure away from the young players. . . . I’m sure Bo Jackson will receive 90% of the press at our camp. That’s not why we got him, but the unusual always attracts attention.”

Baseball’s owners: Now, they want to hire a commissioner who cannot enact change in postseason play, expansion, realignment, interleague play, the sale of teams, the relocation of teams, revenue sharing, broadcast rights or act in the best interests of the game. In other words, they want a commissioner who can’t commission. Collectively, you’d find a clearer-thinking group of humans inside the jurors box at the Menendez trial.

Gregg Olson: He opted for a one-year contract with Atlanta instead of a multiyear deal with the Angels, but then the Braves were offering something the Angels couldn’t: a World Series share.

John Dopson: So who picks up the slack for Joe Magrane, whose left arm won’t be doing much except endorsing large paychecks in the weeks ahead? Rodgers calls Dopson, who was 7-11 with Boston last season, “very similar to a Magrane as far as the way he throws, a seven-inning-type pitcher at best. I had him at Montreal and he has a good hard sinker, and he’ll challenge anybody with it. He’ll come right at you and you can’t keep the ball off the ground.” Sounds promising, yes? “But we also know that we’ve got to keep somebody ready in the bullpen,” Rodgers adds, “because John can lose everything in four pitches.”

Shawn Hillegas: Another recent Angel signee, but don’t expect him in Rodgers’ starting rotation any time soon. Rodgers’ ringing endorsement: “He’s an arm. What can I say? He’s been around, he’s 30 years old and whatever he is, he’s still got a quality arm. Maybe some day, he’ll wake up and win, I don’t know. So far, everybody’s been reluctant to count him out because he’s still got a decent arm, and you don’t find that many in the big leagues. . . . I’d call him a right-handed Tim Fortugno type guy.”

Jim Abbott: Right about now, he’d look particularly good in an Angels uniform. Wonder if they could get him for J.T. Snow, Russ Springer and Jerry Nielsen.

Mighty Ducks Talk: On behalf of the sportswriters of Southern California, I would like to thank the trash-talking Ducks for their incendiary quotes of the past week. I’m a big fan of anything that makes our jobs easier. But when they go after Wayne Gretzky, they are aiming at the wrong target. Think about it: Gretzky is responsible for the Ducks’ very existence. Gretzky proved hockey could make it in El Lay and paved the way for expansion in such previously unimaginable outposts as San Jose and Anaheim. He also reportedly recommended Tony Tavares to Michael Eisner as a good man to run his hockey team. When the Ducks snipe at Gretzky, they bite the hand that created them.

“A $12-million power play:” The sole difference between the Kings and the Ducks, according to Duck right wing Todd Ewen. For curiosity’s sake, we totaled up the salaries for the power-play unit that produced the Ducks’ second goal Friday night--Bob Corkum, Garry Valk, Peter Douris, Sean Hill and Don McSween. A $1.28-million power play.

Chick Harris: The Rams’ new offensive coordinator was in training all last season as the team’s running backs coach. Handoff to Jerome Bettis. Pitchout to Jerome Bettis. What else is there to know?

Chuck Knox: He is loyal to his assistant coaches--to a fault, some might say. To make room for his old staff from Seattle, Knox cleared out 11 Ram assistants in early 1992. Eight of them made the playoffs with their new teams in 1993--Jeff Fisher (49ers), John Teerlinck (Vikings), Ronnie Jones (Oilers), Tom Bettis (Oilers), Hudson Houck (Cowboys), Gil Haskell (Packers), Nolan Cromwell (Packers), and Jimmy Raye (Chiefs).

Ernie Zampese: The one Ram assistant Knox retained in 1992--and now he’s headed to Dallas and, presumably, a Super Bowl or three.

Jim Huffman: Now that the lawsuit has been decided and the former Cal State Fullerton volleyball coach is $1.3 million richer, what’s next for the estranged parties? Here’s an accord I’m sure both sides can live with: Huffman donates $1 million to the school, the school holds a press conference to announce the christening of “Jim Huffman Stadium.” Everybody’s happy. Right?

Ducks Tickets for Guns: A noble proposition, but let’s not stop there. Let’s remove another menace from our streets--and the aisles of Anaheim Arena. Ducks Tickets for Duck Calls. Turn them in today.