Notes on a Scorecard - July 6, 1994

Darren Dreifort and Chan Ho Park got all the attention, but now Ismael Valdes is getting all the outs. . . .

While Dreifort, 22, and Park, 21, are pitching for San Antonio of the Texas League after starting the season in the National League, Valdes, 20, has become the surprise of the Dodger bullpen. . . .

He celebrated his first major league victory Tuesday with a raised fist after retiring six consecutive batters, lowering his earned-run average to 1.93 in seven appearances, and watching Raul Mondesi hit a home run to beat Montreal, 2-1, in the 10th inning. . . .

So little was known about him before the season that his name was misspelled “Valdez” in the Dodger media guide. . . .

Valdes is 6 feet 3, 183 pounds, right-handed, a native of Victoria, Mexico, and very poised for someone who has spent only three years in the minors and started this season in double-A. . . .

“The players are calling me ‘Rocket,’ ” the Mike Brito signee said in easily understood English. “I think it’s because of the football player named Ismail, not because I throw the ball fast.” . . .

The Dodgers lost Monday night, 5-1, but virtually the entire crowd of 54,859 stayed for all nine innings. . . .

Think it might have had something to do with the fireworks show after the game? . . .

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It looks as though Buck Rodgers was right about J.T. Snow, who is struggling again in the American League. . . .

Of course, Rodgers was right about a lot of things. . . .

Only Ernie Banks could have appreciated that 10-hour, 10-minute doubleheader Monday at Wrigley Field. . . .

No New York Met, San Diego Padre, Colorado Rocky or Florida Marlin has pitched a no-hitter, but more surprising is that a no-hitter never was pitched at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. . . . Meanwhile, I’m still waiting for the L.A. Dodgers to pull off their first triple play. . . . National League All-Star Danny Jackson (11-2) was 8-13 two years ago. The difference is control. . . .

Darryl Strawberry might return to Dodger Stadium with the San Francisco Giants for games Sept. 30-Oct. 2, depending on the progress of his comeback and labor contract talks. . . .

Who would have thought that the Toronto Blue Jays would be in the thick of the race for the worst record in baseball instead of the best? . . .

Jim Fregosi stays cool for a manager who wears a jacket on 100-degree days. . . .

The soccer game in the Bay Area on Monday, Brazil-United States, attracted more than four times as many spectators as the baseball game, San Francisco-New York. . . .

Now that the Giants are wearing the name of their city on their road uniforms again, the Dodgers should follow suit. . . .

The National Best Seven won’t attract much interest until there is a big payoff. . . .

James Toney is training at Mickey Rourke’s gym in West Hollywood for his bout July 29 against Prince Charles Williams in Las Vegas. Rourke, who has fought professionally, is expected to participate in some sparring sessions with Toney. . . .

Zachary Padilla will defend his World Boxing Organization junior welterweight title against former featherweight champion Juan La Porte on July 24 in the main event of the Grand Olympic’s next show. . . .

Doing the commentary for CBS will be Gil Clancy, who used to manage La Porte. But don’t expect Clancy to be partial. He’s the best TV boxing analyst around. . . .

Give a slight edge to the St. Louis Blues in the deal that brought them Al MacInnis and a draft choice from the Calgary Flames for Phil Housley and two draft choices. The Blues can strengthen themselves further and bring back a popular player if New Jersey doesn’t match their $16-million, four-year offer sheet for Scott Stevens. . . .

What do you think about the way the Roller Hockey International playoff race is shaping up? . . .

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I could use more commentary on soccer strategy from the World Cup TV analysts. . . .

It’s a shame the Bulgaria-Mexico result was determined by penalty kicks, a ridiculous way to decide a World Cup game. . . .

Clearly, sudden-death overtime is the way to go. . . .

Soccer has one thing over hockey--no icing calls. . . .

Two-minute drills wouldn’t work in soccer because nobody except the referee knows when there are two minutes left. . . .

U.S. Coach Bora Milutinovic was as classy in defeat as he was in victory or in tie. . . .

Funny that Charlie Ward is tall enough for the NBA, but not the NFL.