Not Everyone Loves Their Chances

The Dodgers have been anything but shy about how good they will be this season, and most prognosticators are predicting a Dodger runaway. But Cub Manager Jim Riggleman has a sobering thought.

“I don’t think anybody will run away with anything,” he said. “I think that division will be very competitive, especially with those three teams [the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies].”

The Cubs, who saw the Padres all spring, say San Diego will give the Dodgers everything they can handle.

“The Dodgers have been talking a lot about how there’s no way they can lose,” Cub center fielder Brian McRae said. “But [the Padres] are a good team. They have some of the better young arms in the league.”

*

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said that umpire John McSherry’s death will inspire him to start losing weight, but he said, as McSherry had, that when his time comes, he would like to die on the baseball field.

“Why not?” Lasorda said. “If you want to pick a place where you want to go, you might as well pick a place where you’re happy.”

*

Pitcher Ramon Martinez raised a few eyebrows when he walked outside wearing a short-sleeved shirt and no socks.

“I’m tough,” Martinez said, not wanting to confess that he had forgotten his jacket.

*

Pitcher Hideo Nomo, who told reporters that he will break his recent silence today in a mini-news conference, was planning to go to Thursday night’s Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat game to watch his idol, Michael Jordan. Lasorda and his coaching staff also were going, to see Pat Riley, the former Laker coach now coaching the Heat.