Can’t Blame Division Foes for Quick Start by Padres

The San Diego Padres have opened a sizable lead, but it would be easier to get a handle on the National League West race if the four teams played one another once in a while. . . .

Only four of the Dodgers’ first 57 games have been against division rivals. . . .

They haven’t played the Padres yet. . . .

Crazy schedule. . . .

The Dodgers finally will get reacquainted with Colorado, San Diego and San Francisco when they play 22 in a row against them starting June 27. . . .

If the race goes down to the wire between the Southern California rivals, it might be decided head-to-head the last three games of the season, Sept. 27-30, at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Those concerned that Mike Piazza, 27, will wear down quickly unless he is moved to another position might not be aware that former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella batted .318, hit 32 home runs and had 107 RBIs in 1955 when he was 33. . . .

Maybe a stint in the bullpen would do Jim Abbott some good. . . .

At the start of the week, Greg Maddux ranked seventh in the National League in earned-run average--and fourth on the Atlanta Braves’ staff. . . .

Parity in the National League Central means mediocrity. . . .

I agree with the Detroit Red Wings who believe that the two-game, Stanley Cup finals suspension handed Colorado Avalanche forward Claude Lemieux for the cheap shot that turned Kris Draper’s face into a mess wasn’t severe enough. . . .

The NHL office could have made a powerful statement by throwing Lemieux out of the entire Avalanche-Florida Panther series. . . .

Montreal never would have traded Patrick Roy to the Avalanche if the franchise were still a bitter Canadiens’ intra-province rival in Quebec City. . . .

I envision Wayne Gretzky in a New York Ranger uniform next season. . . .

Among the reasons the Chicago Bulls are such big favorites to win the NBA title is that they lead the playoffs in scoring, at 99.6 points a game, and defense, at 85.7 a game. . . .

Seattle ranks fifth in offense and sixth in defense. . . .

Whoever would have thought that Shawn Kemp’s free-throw shooting would be the difference in Game 7 between the SuperSonics and the Utah Jazz? . . .

This probably was the best chance Karl Malone and John Stockton, who have been Jazz teammates for 11 seasons, will get to reach the finals. . . .

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Outspoken John McEnroe would win polls for most popular and least popular tennis commentator. . . .

Malika Edmonson, who won both sprints in the state meet, is the daughter of USC women’s track and field coach Barbara Ferrell, a gold medalist on the U.S. 400-meter relay team and silver medalist in the 100 meters in the 1968 Olympics, and Warren Edmonson, a former NCAA 100-meter champion for UCLA. . . .

Jim Ryun is running again in Kansas, this time for a seat in the House of Representatives. . . .

Rafer Johnson, Bob Seagren, Bill Sharman, Vince Ferragamo and Kermit Alexander are among those who will participate in Pat McCormick’s sixth annual celebrity golf tournament Monday at Los Coyotes. . . .

Proceeds will go to the four-time Olympic diving champion’s educational foundation in Seal Beach. . . .

A celebrity vs. media basketball game benefiting Escuela de Montessori & Assn. for Better Living and Education International will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion. . . .

The question about Long Beach heavyweight Jeremy Williams, who headlines a USA network card at Arizona Charlie’s in Las Vegas tonight, is not so much his punching or boxing ability but, rather, the texture of his jaw. . . .

After Joy Scott rode Vaudvillian to a $113.20 win payoff Saturday at Hollywood Park, she said, “What’s so surprising? That’s a little below my average win mutuel.” . . .

Dick Butkus’ nephew Luke, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound senior center at Bloom High in Chicago Heights, is one of the top football prospects in Illinois. . . .

Major League Soccer attendance reached the 1 million mark in the 47th game, about 30 games ahead of the league forecast. . . .

Now that Tom Watson has won a golf tournament, it shouldn’t be long before Mats Wilander wins a tennis tournament. . . .

I’ve never known a sportswriter who loved his job or the games he covered more than Dan Hafner, who died Monday at 74.