Dodgers Taking Lumps From Coast to Coast

Davey Johnson has sworn off criticizing the Dodgers. “That’s the press’ job,” he says.

Well, I’m tired of criticizing them, too.

Today, I’ll let Murray Chass, the respected baseball writer from the New York Times, do it.

“Baseball and fraud squad officials could warn consumers about the counterfeit product that has been manufactured and sold at Dodger Stadium all season,” he wrote. “The Dodgers, in fact, are the biggest fakes since, well, the 1998 Baltimore Orioles.”

He added: “As a non-contender, the Dodgers, who were in first place only in the first week of the season, will get no sympathy from anyone.”

I do, however, feel a little sorry for Todd Hundley.

He has been ripped by the press, which--as noted by Johnson--is our job, benched by the manager, which is his job, and booed by the fans.

Hundley has responded by working hard to rehabilitate himself, even reporting for two weeks of basic training known as Camp Dempsey.

Results have been, at best, mixed.

On a dropped third strike Saturday at Dodger Stadium against San Francisco, he virtually dribbled the ball down the first base line, enabling the pitcher, Mark Gardner, to reach base.

Many fans booed. Many others laughed.

“He threw it like a girl,” a fan sitting behind me yelled for everyone to hear.

No, well into the third decade of Title IX, he didn’t throw it as well as a girl.

As moments go, that one had to be almost as humiliating for Hundley as when Johnson removed him in extra innings from a game last week at San Diego after a runner reached first base.

Hundley has taken it like a professional. He should, considering the money he’s making. But too many other of today’s players would have complained instead.

Such as Raul Mondesi?

Although he has been saying the right things to the press, he reportedly told teammates he believes Johnson is picking on him. Why? Because the manager continues to move Mondesi around in the batting order, hoping he’ll again discover his bat’s sweet spot.

Thanks, Murray Chass. I’ll take over from here.

You know life isn’t fair when we have 162 Dodger games to watch this summer and only six involving the U.S. women’s soccer team.

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No. 1 on baseball’s whine list is Texas’ Juan Gonzalez, who doesn’t want to play in the All-Star game unless voted in by fans because the American League manager, Joe Torre, failed to select him as a reserve two years ago. . . .

Juan, get over it. . . .

Players chosen for the All-Star game by whatever means should go unless they’re on the disabled list. If they don’t, baseball should extend their breaks with suspensions. . . .

No. 2 are the Seattle Mariner owners who threaten that they might trade Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez unless an additional $60 million in public funds is forthcoming for the team’s new Safeco Field. . . .

That sounds like extortion. . . .

I’d ask Bob Arum, a lawyer, for his opinion, but the boxing promoter is too busy warning Johnny Tapia that he won’t get a rematch with Paulie Ayala unless Tapia re-signs with Arum’s Top Rank. . . .

If Arum is sincere when he says he wants to help clean up boxing, he should do whatever he can to facilitate a rematch of a fight that might be remembered as the best of the year no matter who promotes Tapia. . . .

I’m dreaming, just as I probably am when I think government could solve boxing’s problems through such bills as the Muhammad Ali Reform Act. . . .

That’s how bad off boxing is. Government intervention might actually be a blessing. . . .

Dan vs. Dvorak? . . .

Don’t look for it to happen at the World Track & Field Championships next month in Seville, Spain. With Czech Republic’s Tomas Dvorak breaking the world decathlon record Sunday, Dan O’Brien’s appeal for automatic entry into the meet as the existing world-record holder becomes moot. . . .

Anyway, it didn’t have the same ring as Dan vs. Dave. . . .

Let’s see if I’ve got this straight. Pete Sampras breezes against Andre Agassi in straight sets at Wimbledon and then Agassi becomes No. 1 in the world? . . .

The Assn. of Tennis Professionals’ computer that determines the rankings is so confounding, I’m surprised college football’s bowl championship series isn’t using it. . . .

If you want to call Sampras the best player ever, I won’t argue. I definitely won’t check it out on the ATP computer.

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While wondering if tennis’ U.S. Open shouldn’t be moved to Southern California, I was thinking: Michelle Akers is finally getting the attention she has deserved, people in Cleveland apparently have nothing better to do than punch All-Star ballots, I would have voted for you, Juan.

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.