BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Strawberry in After-Care Program

Darryl Strawberry, who spent 28 days in a drug treatment center, was released Wednesday, and will not be with the Dodgers while participating in an aftercare program, said Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president.

“He is in an outpatient program that is still under the jurisdiction of Major League Baseball, and, though we have some details, there is confidentiality under the program he is under,” Claire said.

Claire said he does not know how long Strawberry will be in the program, and said the club does not have to make a decision now on Strawberry’s position with the team.

“The program will dictate when he should be playing and what is best for him,” Claire said. “Until then there isn’t a lot we can do.”

Strawberry, who lives in Woodland Hills with his wife, Charisse and newborn son, Jordan Shea, will continue to report to the center in Rancho Mirage as part of the outpatient program.

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The final game of the 1993 season between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants was filled with tension, and no one felt it more than Giant third baseman Matt Williams, who took a verbal beating from the Dodger dugout through much of the 12-1 rout that eliminated the Giants from the National League West title chase.

Of all the insults, Williams thought Orel Hershiser’s were the most obnoxious, and after returning to San Francisco, he vowed Hershiser would pay when the Dodgers played at Candlestick Park this season. A four-game series begins there tonight and Hershiser, who said he didn’t yell at Williams, will pitch Sunday.

Pitcher Dave Burba offered this comment Monday: “They (the Dodgers) got me and I want revenge. I want to stick it up their . . . one time.”

Giant closer Rod Beck, who had called Hershiser a “punk,” on Tuesday said: “What I meant was that anybody who goes out on the mound, doesn’t get the calls and whines about it constantly from the mound, doesn’t show me anything. To me, that’s a punk. He’s a great talent and handles himself well, but the more he talks, he gets on peoples’ nerves.”

Hershiser shrugged when he heard Beck’s comments. “That’s not even worth responding to,” he said. “I have no problem with Rod Beck and I don’t know why he has a problem with me. I have never even met the guy. I think I’m going to go meet him so he can get to know me.”