Piazza Is Still Hurting, and He’s a Bit Sore Too

Catcher Mike Piazza was still sore Monday, both at the Philadelphia Phillies and because of them.

Piazza was hit in the thigh above the left knee in the first inning of Sunday’s game at Veterans Stadium by left-hander Matt Beech, thus making good on Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling’s open threat before the game that somebody was going to pay for the pitch thrown by the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo on Saturday that injured Philly third baseman Scott Rolen.

“It’s still sore,” Piazza said. “I felt it [Sunday] when I got down to squat and that made me mad.”

Piazza didn’t charge out to the mound to respond to Beech, but figures there are ways to get even.

“I won’t sign anymore baseballs for their [Philly] golf tournament,” he said. “Here they asked me to sign and then they hit me. That’s not too cordial.”

Before Sunday’s game, with Rolen sitting out because of a bruise on the left arm caused by Nomo’s pitch, Schilling warned, “They have to expect to have somebody hurt like we have somebody.”

Responded Piazza on Monday, “Thank God nobody was hurt.”

Dodger Executive Vice President Fred Claire was appalled by Schilling’s remarks.

“Those types of comments should never be made publicly,” he said. “It’s not good for the game and it’s not good for the teams.”

Claire met with Manager Bill Russell before Sunday’s game to make sure Russell and the players were aware of the Phillies’ feelings.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t lose anybody,” Claire said. “We did not want to get a pitcher thrown out in the middle of a pennant race.”

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Pittsburgh first baseman Eddie Williams, who went to the Pirates from the Dodgers’ triple-A team at Albuquerque several weeks ago in a trade, is a big fan of Duke third baseman-first baseman Paul Konerko, who is batting .322 with 34 home runs and 122 RBIs.

“He is the best 21-year-old hitter I’ve ever seen,” Williams said. “I wish I could hit like that when I was 21.”

What most impressed Williams was Konerko’s performance against Colorado Springs in several games. After hitting a home run, Konerko was hit in the face by a pitch that nearly broke his nose. Konerko came back the next day and hit two home runs, and later in the season had a game in which he drove in eight runs against Colorado Springs.

“That right there told me a lot about him,” Williams said.

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Outfielder Roger Cedeno had to leave in the fourth inning of the second game after spraining the big toe on his left foot. He will undergo further tests today.

TODAY’S GAME

DODGERS’ CHAN HO PARK (13-6, 3.19 ERA) vs. PIRATES’ JOSE SILVA (0-0, 8.76 ERA)

Three Rivers Stadium, 4:30 p.m.

Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update--When the season began, Park was the team’s No. 5 starter, and he had to beat out Tom Candiotti for that position. Park has done more than hold onto that spot. Considering that ace right-hander Ramon Martinez is still working himself back into shape, a reasonable argument could be made that Park is the team’s top pitcher. He leads the club with 13 wins and his 3.19 earned-run average is second only to that of Ismael Valdes among the starters. Park has won his last three decisions and eight of his previous nine. He has held opposing hitters to a .213 batting average, second-lowest among National League pitchers. And there is no disputing that Park has become’s the team’s top attraction among its pitchers. Large groups of Koreans buy tickets in cities around the league to root for their favorite son when he comes to town. Silva, who has never faced the Dodgers, will be making his second big-league start.