Yet Another Pitch to Make Hollandsworth Full-Time

The suggestion was made in this space Monday that Dodger outfielder Todd Hollandsworth should start every game, no matter if the opposing pitcher is right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous. . . .

Sure enough, Hollandsworth was out of the lineup the very next game. . . .

He had 11 hits in his last 21 at-bats, was batting .407 in his previous 24 games and had lifted his average to .301. . . .

But a left-hander, Al Leiter, started for the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. . . .

Left-handed batters, you know, aren’t supposed to be able to hit left-handed pitchers. . . .

So Billy Ashley got the start in left field instead of Hollandsworth. . . .

Ashley was batting .143. . . .

He went 0 for 2. . . .

In the seventh inning, with a right-handed reliever pitching for the Marlins, Hollandsworth was summoned to pinch-hit for Ashley. . . .

Hollandsworth also wound up the evening 0 for 2, but his average, .298, remained second best on the club. . . .

He is mentioned as a candidate to stretch the Dodgers’ rookie-of-the-year award streak to five, but being a platoon player will harm his chances. . . .

Hollandsworth has batted only 10 times against left-handers all season. . . .

His average against them is .200. That’s better than Ashley’s, but not nearly as high as it might be if he was given more opportunities. . . .

The Colorado Rockies have the best home record in the major leagues and the third-worst road record. . . .

John Smoltz’s 17 victories are two more than his previous single-season high for the Atlanta Braves. . . .

It’s too bad that Magic Johnson couldn’t have looked into his crystal ball, seen the Lakers signing Shaquille O’Neal, and decided to try his comeback at the start of training camp instead of the middle of last season. . . .

Give a wide edge to the Toronto Raptors in the deal that brought them Popeye Jones and a first-round draft pick from the Dallas Mavericks for Jimmy King and two second-round picks. . . .

The addition of Craig Ehlo, who can still deliver the long ball, makes the Seattle Supersonics deeper in the backcourt. . . .

Warren Rychel, the free agent who signed with the Mighty Ducks, spent 636 minutes in the penalty box while an King during the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. . . .

After watching the rerun of Hector Camacho’s win over Roberto Duran, I agree with those who say Duran was robbed. . . .

Buster Douglas was matched against a tomato can, but had his jab going great guns in his comeback fight on the same card. . . .

Thumbs up to Madison Square Garden officials for promising to beef up security at future boxing shows rather than buckling under pressure to drop the sport. . . .

Sugar Ray Leonard, Pipino Cuevas, Carlos Zarate and Lloyd Marshall will be inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame on Oct. 19 at the L.A. Marriott. . . .

Olympic gymnastics heroine Kerri Strug signed a letter of intent to attend UCLA a year ago but decided to delay her entrance in order to prepare for Atlanta. . . .

She is one of 48 current, future, or past Bruins competing in the Games, tops of any school. . . .

With Strug on their roster, the UCLA woman gymnasts might be tough next season. They finished second in the NCAA championships last season. . . .

NBC should show some Olympic table tennis. It bears little resemblance to the pingpong that we play. The performance level is incredible. . . .

I guess it’s only natural that shootouts break ties in rifle events. . . .

Jim Lampley and Hannah Storm are earning high marks as late-night hosts. . . .

Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands headlines a field of competitors from 15 nations in the Infiniti Open next Monday through Aug. 4 at the L.A. Tennis Center at UCLA. . . .

Those who select future Breeders’ Cup sites will be impressed if things go smoothly at Del Mar on Aug. 10 when Cigar tries to surpass Citation’s 16-race streak in the $1-million Pacific Classic . A crowd of about 40,000 is expected. . . .

A Senior PGA Tour member, Hale Irwin, has earned more prize money, $1,191,194, than anybody on the PGA Tour this year. . . .

Getting Isaiah Rider was a real crapshoot for the Portland Trail Blazers.