Don’t Blink or You Could Miss Tracy’s Excellence

Here’s my concern about the Dodgers. Jim Tracy has the manager of the year award won, 42 games to play in which to lose it, and I like his chances.

There is no question Tracy has proven himself masterful in coaxing the most out of an ever-changing roster, and I expect him to be named “Nice Guy of the Year” by every Rotary Club in the greater Los Angeles area.

If he was 20 years younger, made more money and wasn’t already married, I’d introduce him to my oldest daughter.

He’s so nice, he has yet to be thrown out of a game, and last week in Philadelphia he was trying to get tossed in an obvious attempt to inspire his troops. But no matter how loudly he yelled, “Aw shucks!” at home plate umpire Brian Runge, it wasn’t enough.

However, we know where nice guys finish.

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RIGHT NOW I picture him walking up to Eric Karros and saying, “Excuse me, Mr. Karros, but if it wouldn’t be asking too much, big guy, do you think there’s any way you could get a hit in one of these games?”

Now me, I’d say, bench the slug, but Tracy’s trademark has been to serve warm milk and cookies after a loss, and if necessary, throw away postseason hopes if the alternative would be upsetting his millionaires.

You and I would hide Marquis Grissom’s bats, but he plays him.

Tracy would make a great grandfather--if you were a baby bouncing on his knee or a spoiled Chan Ho Park, who can’t go anywhere without his blankie-blank-catcher.

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THERE ARE some tough decisions that need to be made here, and I can’t picture Tracy making them. When I mentioned this to him before Wednesday’s game, he cocked his head forward for emphasis, stared directly into my eyes, and I’ll have to admit--I blinked first.

I’d like to see him try that with Gary Shefffield.

“I’m not going to throw away what we’ve done this season,” he said, and if I didn’t know better, I’d swear I was talking to Clint Eastwood. “We had a team meeting before Tuesday’s game, and I told the players we’re at the point now where I may have to start making adjustments for the betterment of the team. And that’s what I told a few players that I called into my office. I told them I’m going to have to make some decisions if it gets to the point where they aren’t producing.”

That’s what nice guys have to do, of course. You’ve seen it happen in the movies. They have to have something really bad happen to push them over the edge--like a five-game losing streak, Jeff Shaw blowing a save and Grissom failing to lay down a bunt and hitting into a double play--and then after that they’re not to be trifled with. That’s why it’s probably a good time for Karros to get a few hits, because I think Tracy’s made up his mind that Paul Lo Duca is going to be in the lineup from now on.

“It’s time for people to step up,” he said, and while I thought he should have stepped up and kept McKay Christensen in center field, I get the feeling he’s cocked his head forward and stared directly into the eyes of Grissom, who earns $5 million a season and Tom Goodwin, who earns $3.25 million, and let them know the hungrier players will be recalled Sept. 1.

We’ll see if he really does make the tough decisions, stepping on the egos--if necessary--to win games, and pull off the managing job of the year. I have my doubts, but I have to admit, I did blink first.

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CORRECTION: James Garner, speaking through a third party, wanted it known the Internet and I had spelled his real name incorrectly, and it’s Bum Garner. Excuse me, my mistake again, Bumgarner.

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LEE HAMILTON, the humorless sports talk show host in San Diego, resigned as the voice of the Minnesota Vikings under pressure from the NAACP because of his racially insensitive remarks in the past. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported he questioned the ability of any black host to do a sports radio talk show--like only a white host can tape interviews and run them back days later under the guise of being live.

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DAVE SMITH is white, and a sports talk show host on AM 1150 in L.A., and if I heard him correctly Wednesday, he was extolling the excitement of present-day baseball players and the influx of foreign-born stars, making note things would really be complete, “If somebody would assassinate Fidel Castro.”

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THIS TIME when Kevin Brown offered his snide remarks in the clubhouse, he said them loud enough so I could hear them. I thanked him for that.

Funny thing. He told all the other reporters he wouldn’t talk to them, but I couldn’t get the blabbermouth to shut up. He kept telling me everyone on the team knew what I was all about--and I thought I was too subtle for them.

“Go ahead and write anything you want,” he said, and I guess that means my hands are no longer tied. WHAT DOES it say about Cade McNown when a team (Dallas) with Anthony Wright and Quincy Carter at quarterback says it isn’t interested in him?

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THE REDSKINS will start Sage Rosenfels against the Falcons in Friday night’s game. I’m telling you, there’s still a place for Pat Haden in the NFL.

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WHAT’S THE big deal about who plays quarterback for Dallas? The ball is going to be snapped to Emmitt Smith.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in an e-mail from Eddie:

“Although I find you obnoxious, offending, albeit amusing at times, I understand--because you’re a Trojan. Go Bruins! Now I’d like to ask you a favor. Could you ask your grocery store bagger--future son-in-law why they always put the slowest checker in the express lane?”

He says: Where else are you going to put the UCLA grads?

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com