Bet They Can’t Hit, Field and Do Somersaults

Not only are today’s baseball players better than those of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, they’re better than those of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Don’t believe it? Ask Mike Schmidt, who played in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

“I just like to turn on ESPN and watch the highlights because there are plays that are made with regularity nowadays that we never made when I was playing, let alone the generation before me,” Schmidt told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Bob Smizik.

“They make plays that guys never dreamed of making when I played. Nothing against Ozzie Smith, but there are probably six shortstops in the big leagues who are making plays that he brought into the game.

“The same at third base. And the throws that you see from those guys--when I played there’d be one guy who people would say, ‘You have to see this guy throw the ball.’ Now everyone throws a rocket that the camera can’t keep up with. It’s amazing, the talent in the sport.”

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Trivia time: Willie Mays, Bob Horner, Mark Whiten and Schmidt have all hit four home runs in one game for National league teams since the last American Leaguer did it. Who was he?

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No, really? The Oakland Raiders are in another battle with local politicians over their stadium deal. Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris said he hasn’t “seen anything from the Raiders other than anger and hostility.”

Amy Trask, Al Davis’ right-hand person, responds, “We are not the entity that chose the courtroom to discuss this matter. We’re the defendants in this. . . . The public feels it was misled by the politicians. Isn’t it fair to assume we were also misled?”

Kinda makes you long for the days when the Raiders were here, doesn’t it? Well, maybe not.

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Emperor’s new closer: Mark Wohlers has totally lost it, but he and the Atlanta Braves seem to be trying to look the other way.

Said Wohlers, after compiling a 0-2 record with a 21.13 earned-run average on a rehab stint in Richmond, Va.: “I feel like I’m ready to go up and start to be able to contribute.”

Said Brave General Manager John Schuerholz: “It was not as bad as it sounded.”

In his first game back in Atlanta, Wohlers faced two batters, walked one, gave up one hit and bounced three pitches to the screen. The next night, he walked one, gave up two run-scoring doubles and said, “I’m moving in the right direction.” Said Manager Bobby Cox: “As far as getting people out, it looks like he’s closer to doing it.”

Whatever you guys say.

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Trivia answer: Cleveland’s Rocky Colavito, June 10, 1959.

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And finally: C.W. Nevius of the San Francisco Chronicle, on Marv Albert’s unsuccessful bid to replace Miami Heat broadcaster Eric Reid: “They said, “You know, old Eric, whom we hardly ever see in a garter belt and panties . . . is a pretty darned good play-by-play announcer, so let’s just stick with him.”