Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 15, 1995

Marcel Lachemann may be doing only the second-best managerial job in his family these days, or haven’t you noticed the way younger brother Rene Lachemann’s Florida Marlins have been playing? . . .

Since the All-Star break, the Angels are 24-8 and the less talented Marlins 21-10. . . .

Pittsburgh and ABC analyst Steve Blass got it right when he said, “The best way to speed up the game would be to make sure that when rookie pitchers come up, they have enough confidence to throw strikes.” . . .

Probably the greatest of Eric (Clutch) Karros’ many great at-bats this season was in the ninth inning Saturday night at Dodger Stadium against Pirate right-hander Dan Miceli. . . .

With Jose Offerman on second base, one out and the Dodgers trailing, 7-6, Karros fouled off seven pitches. . . .

“Miceli kept throwing fastballs,” Karros said. “I knew I would eventually get one I could drive.” . . .

Sure enough, he drove the ball against the fence in left-center field for a double. Offerman scored and the Dodgers eventually won, 11-10, in 11 innings. . . .

“It was a lot like an at-bat I had against Stan Belinda of the Pirates early my rookie year,” Karros said. “I fouled off six or seven and then hit a home run. I got the starting job because of that.” . . .

He has been the Dodgers’ regular first baseman ever since that game in 1992, but never has he produced quite like now. . . .

“The important thing is that I’m getting a lot of opportunities to hit with men on base,” Karros said. “Last year, maybe I’d get one chance every couple of games. I felt I had to do something because I wouldn’t get another opportunity for a while. I pressed. . . .

“This year, I know if I don’t come through, I’ll get another chance right away,” he said. “It also helps that I’m batting in the No. 4 or 5 spot every game instead of anywhere from No. 4 to 7.” . . .

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The rebuilt greens and low-scoring pros at Riviera Country Club last week turned Hogan’s Alley into Hogan’s Muni. . . .

Thumbs up to all the volunteers, who actually had to pay to work, for helping to make the PGA Championship such a smooth-functioning event. . . .

Chuck Giampa, Duane Ford and Bill Graham have been assigned as judges for the Mike Tyson-Peter McNeeley fight, which doesn’t figure to need judges. The referee for the main event at the MGM Grand on Saturday night will be Mills Lane. . . .

What would boxing be these days without resort hotels? Friday’s Top Rank card on ESPN, featuring unbeaten lightweight Stevie Johnson against Paquito Openo, will be at the Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage. . . .

In case you didn’t notice, USC is ranked seventh, UCLA 16th and Washington 24th in the Associated Press preseason college football poll. Florida State is No. 1. . . .

UCLA will conduct a scrimmage that is open to the public free of charge Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Gates open at 4 p.m., practice starts at 5 and an autograph session will follow. . . .

The Rams and Raiders are wearing the same uniforms they wore last season. Of course, there never has been anything on either uniform to indicate what town they represent. . . .

Track and field remains one sport in which the medium-sized or even small person can excel. Noureddine Morceli, who won the 1,500-meter run in the World Championships, is 5 feet 8, 135 pounds; and Jonathan Edwards, who broke the world triple jump record, is 5-11, 155. . . .

Hassiba Boulmerka won the women’s 1,500 meters in 4 minutes 2.42 seconds. In the first World Championships in 1983, Mary Decker Slaney won in 4:00.90. . . .

Jim Harrick was going to compete in the walk portion of the PruCare 5K run and walk Saturday in Westwood until wife Sally reminded him that it was their wedding anniversary. . . .

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Bill Walton says he has attended more Grateful Dead concerts--more than 600--than he played games in the NBA--517, including the regular season and playoffs. . . .

How can you blame NBA players if they don’t ratify the new collective bargaining agreement? After all, it would provide them with an average salary of only $3 million for the 2000-2001 season. . . .

“When we were in San Francisco the last time, Al Michaels told me that I had managed in 1,000 one-run games,” Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said. “No wonder my hair is gray.”