BASEBALL / ROSS NEWHAN : If Colorado Is Armed, It Could Be Dangerous

Isn’t it swell? Isn’t it grand?

In September of a season in which the replacement controversy should not have been an issue because the replacement concept no longer was a potential reality, the Dodgers have swept aside their own pettiness to accept Mike Busch and concentrate on the National League West race.

Now, we assume, because they are the best team--which they claim to be--they will have no excuses if they are unable to shake a team with real problems.

Perhaps character is involved here.

At any rate, the third-year Colorado Rockies are hanging on tenaciously, despite a rotation so shattered that 23-year-old rookie Bryan Rekar, who started the year in double A, has emerged as the ace, primarily because he’s not injured.

The Rockies have one complete game, a staff earned-run average of 4.98 and a manager so frustrated with the fragility of his starters, primarily the sidelined Bill Swift, that he has begun to question their heart.

Swift, who received a three-year, $13.1-million contract as a free agent, despite a history of shoulder problems, hasn’t pitched since July 26.

The Rockies are hopeful of nursing him back by mid-September, but it’s week to week. He went down with a 6-2 record and 5.83 ERA. Swift will have surgery when the season is complete, but there’s still a race to be won. He said he is free of pain, except when he throws his best pitch, the sinker.

“It’s just not right,� he said. “There’s a real bad ache after I throw. I don’t want to go out there and embarrass myself and hurt the team.�

Manager Don Baylor suggested that Swift could help the team if he went out and tried to get by on his other pitches.

“He might have to scrap it,� Baylor said of the sinker. “Guys have done it before. I saw Phil Niekro win his 300th game without throwing his knuckleball.

“The everyday players go out there with hamstring and wrist injuries. How many times are they 100% and at their best? What’s your definition of a player at his best? If he has an injury, maybe it’s whatever he can get by with.�

Swift’s absence has been compounded by Bret Saberhagen’s recurring shoulder problems. He is 1-1 with a 5.83 ERA in five starts since his acquisition from the New York Mets.

Colorado fans were mile high, thinking he was the savior. Some in the organization now fear that the Rockies may have traded for damaged goods at a high price. In addition to taking on a long-term contract commitment, the Rockies gave up highly regarded Juan Acevedo, who may break into the Mets’ rotation next year.

Saberhagen missed a start for the second time Friday night in St. Louis and is day to day. That’s a category fitting most other Colorado starters, aside from Rekar and rookie Roger Bailey, who defeated the Cardinals on Saturday night. Armando Reynoso and Kevin Ritz are struggling to regain rhythm and arm strength after reconstructive elbow surgery. Marvin Freeman, a surprising 10-2 last year, and former Angel Joe Grahe, effective in spot starts during the first half, are on the disabled list.

Maybe it’s an epidemic of altitude sickness, a reaction to the launching pad that is Coors Field. Opponents are batting .286 against the Rockies. The young Rekar is trying to deal with it. He is 4-2 with a 4.19 ERA and came within three outs of pitching the second complete game shutout in Colorado history Wednesday night, beating the Pirates, 6-0, in Pittsburgh. He had thrown 122 pitches when Baylor took him out after the eighth inning.

“I have to take care of him,� Baylor said. “He’s the only healthy starter I have.�

The Rockies still have that thunderous attack (and a clubhouse devoid of backbiting), but they face a tough schedule that includes six more games against the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.

DODGERS WITHOUT A ‘D’

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, has it wrong. The Dodger defense could cost his team a playoff berth. It is worse than simply bad. Consider this yardstick: Eric Karros has emerged as the best defensive player in an infield that has problems at second, short, third and behind the plate.

Once again, Jose Offerman is the killer. Just when you think the shortstop has buried the issue of his defense, he has another 35 errors en route to a possible L.A. record of 43. Offerman’s defense has disintegrated in the last week--the absolute worst time for another collapse.

Claire’s ongoing support of Offerman is admirable, perhaps, but his stance needs to be reexamined. The Dodgers have no options at the position--September being a bad time for change under any circumstances--but Offerman is a controversy and distraction waiting to happen on an annual basis. Can Claire continue to tolerate it beyond ‘95?

BATTING RACE

There’s Mike Piazza, now with enough at-bats, showing up at the top of the National League batting race, bumping Tony Gwynn to second.

There’s Gwynn saying he’s happy about it because there are fewer questions and less pressure.

“Let him deal with trying to win the division and trying to become the first catcher to win the batting title since God knows what,� the San Diego Padre star said. “I couldn’t care less.

“If Piazza could have that and I could have the division title, I’d take it in a minute. People want to turn it into a rivalry, but that’s not the way I am.�

Since breaking a toe, taping it inside the shoe to stop movement and wrapping the shoe in protective covering, Gwynn had hit .342 before the weekend. He hit a career-high .394 last year, the highest average since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, and is pursuing his sixth batting title.

Piazza? Let him make his run.

“I’ve got five silver bats already--up on the wall, my name on them,� Gwynn said. “That ain’t going to change.�

HOSPITAL REPORT

The Pittsburgh franchise remains in intensive care. Still without new ownership, the Pirates are averaging 13,478 through 57 dates.

Now the Pirates are laughing at themselves in an advertising campaign. One newspaper ad read: “Our marketing department’s exhaustive research has concluded that our low attendance figures may be due in large part to uncomfortable seating. Please remember to fold the seat down. Thank you.�

Said marketing vice president Steve Greenberg: “Baseball in Pittsburgh is not dead, but it is very sick. It’s on the critical list. This season is a wash. We will poke fun at ourselves, even if people don’t come to the games.�

SNIPER FIRE

Jose Canseco, now with the Boston Red Sox, passed through Oakland and took his usual shots at the Athletics and Manager Tony La Russa, saying he is having a lot more fun now and gets more respect than he ever did from LaRussa and the A’s.

“Jose has a selective memory,� La Russa said. “We respected him--at first, at least. As for the Red Sox, wait until he doesn’t show up when they need him. As soon as he doesn’t care when they need him to care, they’ll stop respecting him too.�

LaRussa paused, then added: “As soon as he wants to leave Oakland alone, I’ll be hoping I never have to mention his name again.�

NAMES AND NUMBERS

--Tim Wakefield has faltered in his dream comeback with the Boston Red Sox. He faces the Angels today having gone 0-2 with a 9.56 earned-run average in his last three starts, including a 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.

Asked if batters were becoming more patient with his knuckleball, he said, “They can do whatever they want. They can stand on their hands if they want.�

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--Dave Burba is merely 5-0 as the throw-in in the deal in which the Cincinnati Reds also acquired Mark Portugal and Darren Lewis from the San Francisco Giants for Deion Sanders. Burba has a 1.75 ERA and has not allowed a run in 36 2/3 innings at Riverfront Stadium, where he faces the Pittsburgh Pirates today, but his success has not generated much recognition. Fans still mistake him for teammate Hal Morris.

“Recognized around here?� Burba said. “No. Every time I sign autographs a whole bunch of people say, ‘Thanks, Hal.’ �

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--Donovan Osborne, on his way to becoming the St. Louis Cardinals’ pitching ace two years ago, is 0-6 in 13 starts this year and winless in the majors since Aug. 18, 1993. Osborne was sidelined by elbow surgery last year.

“I’m so far out of it that I’ve just got to try and keep myself sane,� he said.

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--The Atlanta Braves reacquired 36-year-old Alejandro Pena from the Florida Marlins on Thursday to bolster their middle relief. Why would the Braves, who seem to have everything, need to strengthen middle relief?

Two reasons: Steve Avery and Kent Mercker. The Nos. 4 and 5 starters have a combined record of 13-19 and have gone past the sixth inning only once in their last seven starts. The Braves were 23-23 in Avery-Mercker starts and 50-21 when others started.

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--Randy Johnson’s ailing shoulder isn’t the Seattle Mariners’ only concern. Bobby Ayala, with seven blown saves this season and a 5.55 ERA in August, has been moved out of the primary closer role and replaced by Norm Charlton, who converted three of four save opportunities in August and had an 0.99 ERA.

The problem is that Charlton, still in long-term recovery from elbow surgery, can’t go every day, and Manager Lou Piniella is reluctant to give a struggling Ayala the steady work he needs to regain his form. Said Ayala: “I have not pitched well recently, but how can I get sharp if I don’t get work?�