BASEBALL MISCELLANY

NAMES AND NUMBERS

* Kansas City’s George Brett had to hit .405 after the All-Star break to get to .300. He was at .299 through Thursday.

* Left-hander John Tudor has won five consecutive decisions, improving his record to 10-3, but is still mulling retirement. “I’m just going from start to start, trying to get people out and keep the team in the game,” the former Dodger said.

* New York Met Manager Bud Harrelson didn’t hide his displeasure over his club’s sloppy performance in a 7-4 loss to the Montreal Expos Tuesday, calling it “another poo-poo performance.” Outfielder Darryl Strawberry, a catalyst in the club’s climb to the top of the National League East, had a string of poo-poo performances until Thursday, when he ended a 0-for-18 slump with a single and a home run.

* After criticizing left-hander David West for not being aggressive enough last Sunday, Manager Tom Kelly of the Twins took West out of the starting rotation. West, who was acquired from the Mets in the Frank Viola trade, is the only left-hander in Minnesota’s bullpen. “I’m not going to ask my players to stand out there, and the pitchers shouldn’t expect the players to stand out there through something like that,” Kelly said. “I guess what I should say is we’re taking the skirts off a little when it comes to our pitchers.”