European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes saturday apr in 1987 baseball 87 How Odd dodgers see Green again by  Walker a baseball nil Ltd the los Angeles dodgers arc like a Small pwn traffic Light Stop go Slop Yeo. No yellow in Between. They were set logo i\l9g. 1983 and 1985, and won the National league a. Each Lime the Dodg cars slopped winning the Cit Casott. Injuries and inconsistency Flag cd los Angeles in 1986 and in won Only 73 game and finished fifth its or Oral since  play started in 1969, the lost Lime the dodgers won fewer games was in 1958 in 1959, they rebounded Lowin inc Vic we series. Now. Pedro Guerrero Mike Mart full Mike Scios Cia. Bob Welch Bill Madlock and Ripe others Are no West preview t go an healed. Thai should mean the dodgers will a collect in inc no West. I can t see us winning less than 90 or 92 j Marshall predicts. The dodgers could win even More and that so hold off the others. Defending Champion Houston probably won t get another repeat performance from its pitching while san Francisco has improved but not enough. Cincinnati second in 1986 under manager and part time player Pete Rose won t finish there again. San Diego which added new manager Larry Bowa bul lost Kevin Mcreynolds and Terry Kennedy and Atlanta without Bob Horner can t stay close. This season make it los Angeles Houston san Francisco Cincinnati san Diego and Atlanta. Los Angeles dodgers Fernando Valc Nucla and Steve sax were the Only Bright spots during a season marked by shaky pitching and hitting plus a major league leading 181 errors. Injuries Hurt More than anything with Guerrero s absence the most damaging. He batted .320 with 33 Home runs and 87 Bis in 1985, but ripped up a knee last Spring and spent More than half the season on the disabled list doing Little .246, five homers 10 Bis when he returned. Valc Nucla 21-11, 3,14 earned run average led the pitchers. Bui Orel Hershiser a mind from 19-3 and a 2.03 Era to 14-14 and 3.85, although seven losses were by shutout. Welch 7-13 had a Bone Spur re moved from his right Elbow and Tom  6-6, 11 saves 3.71 needed Relief so the dodgers obtained Telly Matt Young 13 saves from Seattle. They also got starter Tim scary 14-14 from Milwaukee for Greg Brock. Sax .332, 40 stolen bases sets up the pow Franklin Lubbs 23 or and Marshall 19 or. Houston astros Mike Scott Glenn Davis Kevin Bass and the Jet of inc fired up stros sneaked up on the division Jan 986, winning 96 games and finishing 10 lengths Fead of Cincinnati. But Houston made no big to is in the off season often a bad move. Scott whose split fingered fastballs Brdej it the by Young award and allegations of Scuffi Nafis not Likely to duplicate a dominant year 8-Io, i major to ague bests of a 2.22 Era and 306 strik coup. Nolan Ryan now 40, will throw Only 100 pitches it game while he recovers from an ankle fracture. If dish pics 12-5 will gel More attention. Relievers Dave Smith 33 Savart and Charlie scr Feld 11-2, seven saves helped a Sion to a team Era of 3.15. Second to the acts. By Good pitching is expected Al the Astrodome  hitters Park in baseball. Davis 31 or. 101 rub rats and Bill Doran Young nucleus and no i ice instilled a winning Ai Bass .311, 20 or 7942 so form a Strong image of the year Hal Lan Fude that had been missing. San Frrancisco giants nig brought Victor and Cicileo. Along with split fingered fast ire immediate the Tii aim went ers to contenders who finished manager Roger Mem 10 san franc balls. The results j from i do game third. Mike Kruko 20-9. 3.05 led the third Best pitching staff in the Ica Juc and Craig converted Scoski Garrells from a reliever into a starter with Good results 13-9, 3.11. Craig has worked closely with Young Roger Mason and Randy Bockus. The giants have the potential to score runs they just need Odo it. Chris Brown .317, seven homers. 49 Bis and Jeffrey Leonard .279, is homers 42 Bis dodgem pm photo a healthy Pedro Guerrero need to stay healthy and work hard. First Bas will Clark .287.11 or 41 rib and second bases Robby Thompson .271, seven Home runs 47 re were Good in their first full seasons. Eddie Milnor .259. 15 or 18 so acquired from 1 Cincinnati could end the giants search for a consist ent Lead off Man. Cincinnati reds Pete Rose 46 next month is planning to play less and watch More this season. Hell see a team with plenty of enthusiasm and emotion with pitching to determine How Well in does. Center fielder Eric Davis .277, 27 or 71 Bis 80 so at age 24 May he the game s next superstar and is year old Dave Parker .273, 31 or 116 Bis is still productive. Third baseman buddy Bell .278, 20 or. 75 rib joins with Rote. Ron of scr and Rookie Barry Larkin As reds infielders raised in Cincinnati. Tom Browning tumbled from a Rookie 2q-game win Ner to 14-13, Mario Solo had More Arm trouble and Avni 5-10, and John Denny was released after a poor year. But Ted Power became an effective starter Afler struggling As a reliever Bill Gullickson went 15-12 and John Franco continued As a stopper 21 save Frank Williams 4-3 in 64 games was obtained in the Milner Trade for Middle Relief. Rose butted just .219 last season his Nusl Ever. The All Lime nil Leader is ineligible to play until May 15 and probably won t activate himself until later wailing to end his career with a hit. San Diego padres the padres have tried a Loi of things since winning the world series in 1984. None of them have worked and san Diego has steadily gone downhill. Fernando Valenzuela was a rare Bright spot in 1986. Dick Williams the tempestuous manager was fired after the 1985 season. Easy going Sieve Boros was hired last year As a calming influence but was also t fired. Now the padres Are going Back to the fiery Type Laving hired Bowa. Aqwa led the padres class aaa team to a Chat Dpi hip last year in his first season of managing. He pot have much to work with in san Diego. Eynolds and Kennedy who combined for 38 Homet hns and 153 Bis have been traded. In return san Dulko got some Young prospects All purpose Kevin Mtchell and Pitcher storm Davis. Tony a in is Fine .329, 14 or 59 Bis 37 so bul Steve pfc yes Rich Gossage and Garry tempt Lon Are getting 0% Rookie Catcher Benito Santiago May help. M Tanto braves manager Chuck Tanner and general manager Bobby Cox hired As tandem prior the 1986 season did not Promise i Slak improvement and there was none. The braves finish Al last for the first Lime in six years. There s no Assurance Tylli 1987 will be much better tic cause pitching is  Mahler 14-ts, 4.88 Era was the Best starter an Paul Assenmacher 7-3, seven saves. 2.50 did Well in lick. Bruce Suiter the $10 million for agent will i Chi entire season with continued Arm problems. Rookh Steve Zim 15-7 in the minors May help. Dale Murphy remains of Bast bks most Coni intent Power hitters 2t or h3 Kuis Iida a Homer Haven Atlanta Fulton county stadium. Atlanta did nol re sin free in vols Homer 27 or 87 this and Doyle Alexander ii-1u Overall during the Winter