Lasorda Still Can Manage His Pitches

Tom Lasorda, who will serve as the emcee at tonight’s Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation dinner and auction at the Beverly Hilton, can handle just about any speaking job.

Of Lasorda’s versatility, Steve Garvey has said, “He’s the only guy who can endorse Yoplait yogurt, Rolaids, pasta sauce and Slim Fast all at the same time.”

Trivia time: What do San Diego Charger Coach Marty Schottenheimer and New York Jet running back Curtis Martin have in common?

Tiresome question: The Chargers lost to the Jets, 34-28, on Sept. 19. Asked about that game, Charger quarterback Drew Brees told reporters this week: “For the 20,000th time, that game feels like it was five seasons ago.”

A natural fit: Romeo Crennel, defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, reportedly will interview today for the San Francisco 49er coaching job.

Asks reader Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe: “What is it with people named Romeo being drawn to tragedies?”

New game plan: Oklahoma quarterback Jason White already has his name on the water tower in his hometown of Tuttle, Okla. (pop. 4,294). And before the Sooners were trounced by USC in the Orange Bowl, there was a proposal to name a highway after him, calling it Jason White Passway.

Wonder if along the route there will be an Interception Intersection?

Stage fright: “USC knew it was playing Oklahoma,” observed Channel 4’s Fred Roggin. “It didn’t expect it would be the cast from the musical.”

Good hands people: Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in advancing today’s playoff game between the Rams and Seattle Seahawks, wrote, “Are the Rams ever happy that the Seahawks don’t have receivers with USC-caliber hands.”

Obvious move: Channel 9’s Alan Massengale: “I wonder how long before Al Davis reemphasizes his claim to Southland territory by naming his team the Los Angeles Raiders of Oakland.”

Another idea: “If the City of Los Angeles wants to have its name on a professional football team,” says reader Janice Hough of Palo Alto, “I’m sure Bay Area fans would gladly, at least temporarily, agree to ‘Los Angeles 49ers.’ ”

Looking back: On this day in 1993, Michael Jordan became the 18th NBA player to reach the 20,000-point plateau when he scored 35 points for the Chicago Bulls against the Milwaukee Bucks. Jordan reached 20,000 points in 620 games, faster than anyone else except Wilt Chamberlain, who did it in 499 games.

Trivia answer: They played their college ball at Pittsburgh, where Schottenheimer was a linebacker in the early 1960s.

And finally: ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, prodding guest Matt Leinart to leave USC for NFL riches: “If you don’t have the common sense to go to the NFL, you don’t belong in college.”

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Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.