BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Starting Pitching Is Not the Problem

Dodger starting pitchers have the fourth-best earned-run average in baseball. Their 3.90 earned-run average ranked behind Atlanta (2.91), Montreal (3.56) and San Francisco (3.68), before Wednesday’s games. They lead the majors in complete games with 10.

Looking back to the spring, the Dodgers’ major question appeared to be the starting pitchers. Kevin Gross was slowed because of tendinitis, Pedro Astacio by heart tests and Ramon Martinez appeared to be struggling. But Fred Claire, executive vice president, continued to state his confidence in the starting staff.

“The staff is doing a great job,” Claire said. “The complete games have not only been complete, but they have been pitched super. Ramon Martinez is throwing as well as he was a few years ago and Pedro Astacio has better command and Orel (Hershiser) is throwing great. So is Tom Candiotti and Gross.”

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The Dodgers lead the majors with 16 of the 25 players on the roster having started their careers with the organization. Minnesota is second with 14 players and Toronto has 13. In the National League, St. Louis and Houston are next with 12 each. . . . Roberto Duran, a left-handed pitcher at Class-A Bakersfield, struck out 16 batters in eight innings last week and had an ERA of 1.04. . . . Left-fielder Billy Ashley is batting .336 with 14 home runs, 45 runs batted in and 23 walks at triple-A Albuquerque.