BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : Despite Distractions, Nomo Presses On

Dodger starter Hideo Nomo, still waiting for an apology from Japanese photographers, said Friday that he will resume talking to the press.

“I decided not to talk [Wednesday] because they didn’t apologize,” Nomo said. “There is no problem as long as they know what the players are doing and are considerate. It happened many times last year, too much.

“I understand all of the media attention for my first start, but I did not want them to interrupt my practice.”

Nomo, who became upset with photographers when they refused to stop taking pictures of him Tuesday while warming up in the bullpen, changed tactics Friday. He pitched on the side at 10 in the morning, nearly 4 1/2 hours before game time and well before any photographers arrived at Wrigley Field.

It was a particularly early arrival for Nomo, who spent the previous night at the Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat game and met his idol, Michael Jordan.

“I was very excited to meet him,” Nomo said. “I’m a big fan of Michael Jordan’s. I’m not sure if he’s a fan of mine.”

*

The Cubs never seriously considered postponing Thursday’s game, said the team’s general manager, Ed Lynch, for simple reasons.

“Hey, the weather isn’t going to get much better this weekend,” he said, “and we didn’t want to be playing a doubleheader in this stuff. Can you imagine sitting eight hours in this cold?”

Lynch also said it would be silly for baseball to open its season in all warm-weather cities or dome stadiums for the simple reason it would punish those cities.

“Nobody wants to play too many home games in April just because of attendance,” he said. “School’s still going on, and you just don’t get the crowds until summer.”

*

The game was played with a minor league umpiring crew to allow the regular crew to attend National League umpire John McSherry’s funeral in New York. The crew of Rich Reiker, Mark Barron, Brian Gibbons and Bruce Dreckman drew only one complaint. Home-plate Reiker called Ryne Sandberg out on a third strike when he appeared to foul it off.

*

The Dodgers were prepared for the 36-degree weather Friday, wearing ski caps when they went onto the field and hand-warmers wrapped around their waist when they sat on the bench.

They didn’t resort to the ingenuity employed Thursday by Cub players Scott Bullett and Jaime Navarro who handed the clubhouse attendant $200 to buy Cub ski masks for the entire team.

*

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, has been bed-ridden in his Chicago hotel the last two days because of severe back pain. . . . Ismael Valdes, who’s scheduled to start Sunday, said it could be quite an experience pitching in what’s supposed to be sub-freezing weather with snow flurries. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for this,” he said. “I’ve never seen snow in my entire life, so I sure don’t want to see it on the pitcher’s mound.” . . . Dodger reliever Scott Radinsky pitched a hitless inning in his first rehabilitative start for Class-A San Bernardino and still is scheduled to rejoin the team Friday.