Notes on a Scorecard - May 11, 1994

It is no coincidence that the Dodgers are at or near the top of the National League in most offensive categories and Reggie Smith is in his first season as their hitting instructor. . . . “Reggie has played a huge role in what I’ve been able to do,” said Tim Wallach after hitting his 10th home run Monday night, a two-run blast with two out in the ninth inning that brought the most exciting Dodger team in years a 9-8 victory over the Houston Astros. . . .

“He’s helped me not only physically, but mentally,” Wallach said. “He constantly challenges you to get things done. He’s a great motivator who has been able to make me concentrate better.” . . .

How does a hitting coach help resurrect the career of a 36-year-old third baseman who seemed washed up after three consecutive sub-par seasons? . . .

“This is a partnership,” Smith said. “Tim has shown a lot of trust and dedication and a willingness to admit he needed to make adjustments. As for technique, I won’t go into details, but he’s no longer a lunger and he doesn’t have an up swing or a down swing.” . . . .

Smith, 49, had been a minor league hitting instructor in the Dodger organization since 1989 and is credited with speeding the progress of such younger players as Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, Raul Mondesi, Henry Rodriguez, and Jose Offerman. . . .

“Reggie works very hard,” Tom Lasorda said. . . .

He is able to gain immediate respect from pupils who realize he was one of the best hitters in the major leagues during a 17-year career, batting more than .300 seven times and ranking third behind Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray as a switch-hitting home run hitter with 314. . . .

When Smith signed after graduating from Centennial High in 1963, he had a pretty fair batting tutor named Ted Williams in the Boston Red Sox minor league camp. . . .

“Ted taught me the importance of looking for the proper pitch to hit and how to use my hips to generate bat speed and power,” he said. . . . Now Smith is passing on those tips and a lot more and it is showing in the box scores. . . . *

Delino DeShields is off to a slow start with the Dodgers after arriving from Montreal for Pedro Martinez, but the second baseman from Villanova remains a class act. . . .

“Great move, skipper,” DeShields told Lasorda after being lifted for pinch-hitter Piazza with two out in the ninth Monday and watching him respond with a two-run single that brought the Dodgers to within a run of the Astros. . . . The night opened on a positive note when Davis Gaines sang the national anthem the way it is supposed to be sung. . . .

Don’t be surprised if the Texas Rangers move in the left-field fence next season at The Ballpark, where the power of right-handed hitters Juan Gonzalez and Jose Canseco is being wasted. . . .

There are more pitchers than ever before, but fewer good ones. Remember when most teams carried nine or 10 pitchers? Now there are only four teams in the major leagues that have fewer than 11. . . .

Among the most underappreciated players is Astro first baseman Jeff Bagwell. . . .

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The NBA draft lottery will be held May 22 and the draft June 29. . . .

Thumbs up to Mike Krzyzewski for canceling a series of Duke basketball games in Australia because his players didn’t perform as well in the classroom as on the court. . . .

Former welterweight contender Armando Muniz is a candidate for supervisor in Riverside County. . . .

The Wicked North is such a dominant force in the handicap division that only three or four horses are expected to challenge him in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on Sunday at Hollywood Park. However, Del Mar Dennis could give him a race if he continues to show the improvement he displayed in winning the San Bernardino Handicap at Santa Anita. . . .

The worst thing the Rams might have done on draft day was trade with the San Francisco 49ers and allow that NFC West rival to pick Notre Dame defensive lineman Bryant Young, who could become an impact player. . . .

The Kings didn’t make the playoffs, but TV announcer Bob Miller and radio analyst Brian Engblom did. They are working for ESPN2. . . .

Now that the last NHL game has been played at Chicago Stadium, the loudest building in hockey is the San Jose Arena. . . .

It is mind-boggling that no member of the New York Rangers, who appear to be the class of the NHL, is a finalist for any of the league’s awards. . . .

Nobody can tell me there are three better defensemen than Brian Leetch. . . .

I felt a little older Tuesday when I found out that Cey hit a home run for California against USC--freshman second baseman Dan Cey, son of Ron.