BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Course of Action Leads to Degree

When Eric Karros was signed in 1988, he left UCLA nine classes shy of earning a bachelor’s degree in economics. But even as the seasons went by and Karros began making a lot of money, he never stopped trying to earn a degree. This winter, he finally completed the required classes, and it happened to coincide with a new contract from the Dodgers, $6.15 million for three years. Last season he earned $435,000.

“I graduated from UCLA and got the biggest raise of my life,” Karros said Monday at Vero Beach, Fla. “Really, I got the raise from graduating from Lasorda University. But I wanted to finish school, it was important to me.”

Karros, 26, returned to UCLA after his 1989 minor league season and took four classes, then went back after the 1992 season to finish--but it didn’t work out. As the National League’s rookie of the year, Karros traveled to Japan, and only two of his instructors were willing to let him miss two weeks.

“I understand how they felt, so this winter I went back to finish,” Karros said. “Then, when the Dodgers went to Taiwan after the season, I went to my instructors and just told them that I was going out of the country and would miss four classes, and they all said that was OK,” Karros said. “Last winter, I told them I was a baseball player, and I think in certain instances it can work against you, not help you. You can be singled out because of it.”

And what about a master’s degree?

“Any more degrees are going to come from right here, Lasorda University,” Karros said.

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Park Chan Ho of South Korea was formally initiated by his teammates while doing a television interview for Channel 5. Kevin Gross greeted him with a whipped-cream pie in the face. Park said later that the prank made him feel accepted.

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Cory Snyder, who struck out 147 times in 143 games last season, is changing his swing to the way it was when he played for the Cleveland Indians.

“I gave (hitting instructor) Reggie Smith some tapes and he is helping me get back to my swing,” Snyder said. The swing requires that Snyder throw his hips out more, and that has caused a sore back.

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Executive Vice President Fred Claire was in the clubhouse early talking with Mike Milchin, one of four left-handed pitchers who have been invited to camp. Milchin, who turned 26 Monday, impressed the Dodgers on Friday when he threw. He suffered pain in his elbow afterward, however, and his condition is regarded as day-to-day.

Claire’s message to Milchin: Don’t throw again before you’re ready. Of the free-lance left-handers, Milchin appeared to create the most interest.