These Guys Didn’t Even Earn Their 3 Days Off

At the All-Star break, Miami Herald columnist Mike Phillips put together his 2001 “All-Bust” team.

Highlights:

“3B: Tony Batista, Orioles--No one was close to matching Batista’s first half. He was so bad, the Blue Jays released him. He’s a butcher in the field who can only hit the long ball, but his 14 homers don’t make up for a .207 average.”

“OF: Johnny Damon, A’s--When Damon went to Oakland last winter, everyone thought he would give the A’s just what they needed--speed, defense and a leadoff hitter. Instead, Damon is hitting .233 with a .297 [on-base percentage] and has stolen 14 bases while being caught seven times. He won’t be in Oakland long.”

“OF: Ray Lankford, Cardinals--Lankford is one of the worst hitters in baseball after the sixth inning, when he hits .188. But he’s not much better early. Based on swings, Lankford puts the ball in play less than anyone in the game as his 90 strikeouts versus 51 hits indicate.”

“P: Dave Mlicki, Houston--How horrible is Mlicki? He’s so bad the Tigers traded him to Houston for Jose Lima (2-2, 6.72). Mlicki’s numbers are staggering--7.42 ERA and a 5-8 record. He has given up 120 hits--including 20 homers--in 105 innings.”

Trivia time: In what baseball category is the San Diego Padres’ Rickey Henderson close to becoming No. 1?

Dangerous trade: According to Bob Lamonte, agent for NFL coaches Andy Reid, Mike Holmgren and Mike Sherman, on average, seven NFL coaches get fired each year.

“The only job that might have a more deleterious effect on your life might be a kamikaze pilot,” he said.

Sure, go ahead: Sumo grand champion Masaru Hanada’s interpreter, as they watched a workout of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League:

“He wants to know if it’s legal to grab an opponent’s throat.”

Santa Clara A’s? Calling the odds 50-50 that the Oakland A’s will wind up in a new Santa Clara stadium near the city’s Great America theme park, the San Jose Mercury News’ Mark Purdy calls it simple economics.

“Even with the Silicon Valley starting rotation struggling and the bullpen having some shaky outings, the South Bay remains Northern California’s economic engine,” Purdy wrote.

“There are more corporate headquarters in San Jose than in either San Francisco or Oakland. There are more corporate headquarters in Santa Clara County than in San Francisco and Alameda County combined.

“That is why the A’s are so hot to move south. This is why they are supporting the construction of a new ballpark in Santa Clara.”

Trivia answer: Runs. Henderson had scored 2,218 before Monday night’s game against the Angels. He’s second on the all-time list behind Ty Cobb, who had 2,245.

And finally: Triathlete magazine featured Steve Scott on its cover, with the headline: “World’s Greatest Miler Steve Scott Tells You How to Run.”

Fact: Scott never won a world championship or Olympic gold medal and never set a world record in the mile or 1,500 meters.