BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Offerman Blames His Frustration

He has had little to say over three seasons, instead wanting to be left alone to do his job. But in the late afternoon on Monday, Jose Offerman sat at his locker in the visiting clubhouse and appeared to be comfortable talking about the criticism he has received since becoming the Dodgers’ starting shortstop at the end of the 1991 season.

Of the latest incident, when he threw a tantrum in the dugout Wednesday night after being asked to bunt with pitcher Ramon Martinez on deck, he said: “I got mad for the wrong reason. I went too high.”

Offerman said he would not have made a scene had he not been struggling at the plate all season. He has hovered around .200, and is currently batting .197. But his tantrum more than his poor hitting is what caused Manager Tom Lasorda to bench him for the third consecutive game, giving the start to Eddie Pye. It’s a choice Lasorda didn’t have before Pye was called up from Albuquerque on May 31, because there wasn’t anyone on the bench who could play shortstop well enough.

” . . . I don’t think anything that happens is going to affect me anymore,” Offerman said. “This is the first time in my career I have ever sat out (like this) and I never thought it would happen. It is tough.”

And his tantrum?

“All that (stems) from my frustrations because I am not hitting the ball good,” Offerman said.

Some critics contend that Offerman would play much better with another team.

“I like this organization, that’s for sure,” he said. “There a lot of things that are good here and it’s different than the others, there’s no question. But if someday I have to go, I’d be happy to go.”

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Host Marriott, which had operated the food and beverage concessions at Dodger Stadium since 1991, has been replaced by ARA Services, which manages concessions at five major league ballparks, including Wrigley Field.