Baylor Supports Ryan In Spat With McDowell

The fallout from the free-for-all between the White Sox and NolanRyan continues.

It seems a line has been drawn between those who think theRangers' 46-year-old Ryan is something special and those who believehe is just an aging pitcher who has always been a cheater and bully.

It all started when the Sox' Robin Ventura charged Ryan in Texasafter being hit by a pitch. Then came comments from Jack McDowellhinting that Ryan would be on the disabled list when the divisionrace was decided. Then came comments from Yankees coaches that Ryanhas thrown scuffed baseball for years, etc., etc., etc.

Now comes Don Baylor, outspoken manager of the Colorado Rockies,defending his former California teammate against "younger guys likeJack McDowell and their 4-something ERAs. (McDowell) wishes he was asgood as Nolan Ryan. He's had a couple of good years, Nolan's had 25.Ryan's ERA is lower than his career best."

As for the other criticism, Baylor says:

"He's meant too much to this game. He's an icon. I'm notsaying I wouldn't have charged him. But now guys are saying allthese things when they know they don't have to face him again.

"His credibility has never been questioned. Why now? Whydidn't all these guys speak up when they knew he was going to be inthe game? The guy's done more for the game than all of those peoplecombined. The guy's just not a quality pitcher, he's a qualityperson.

"Year after year he sits there and signs stacks of stuff forother teams. They get everything they want signed by him, then theytake their shots."

RYAN II: Meanwhile, Ryan thinks he will start pitching againTuesday, although some doubt that his strained rib cage will havehealed by then.

There are also some who doubt he should still be pitchingbecause he is over the hill.

"I don't believe that's happened," he said. "It's been adisappointing year for health reasons. I don't think it's from alack of ability.

"I also know, and I'll be the first to tell you, I don't havethe velocity I used to. My curve has not been very good this year, either in my command or its shaprness. When youlook at my strikeout totals, it's a direct reflection on my curvemore than anything else."

Ryan has struck out 38 batters in only 53 2/3 innings this year,but says he will overcome this third injury of the season. "It'sannoying to deal with discomfort and the work to come back, but thatdoesn't bother me," he said. "That's part of the job."

GIANT WOES: The beat-up Giants took a beating from the Braveslast week and go into Atlanta for a three-game series starting tomorrow.

Directly on the spot is Barry Bonds, who was 3-for-11 with oneRBI in last week's series.

It brings back memories of the last two playoff failuresagainst the Braves for Bonds.

"I think he might have been pressing," Atlanta pitcher SteveAvery said. "He knows first-hand what we can do when our backs areagainst the wall."

Bonds knows first-hand what the Atlanta pitchers can do.

"We don't have the depth they do," Bonds said. "Our offense anddefense can play with them but their starters are dominating now.

"We've been fighting the odds all year. It was bound to catchup with us. I'm just glad we had a 7 1/2-game lead when they did."

BIG MAC: For the second time this season, Royals manager HalMcRae went into a clubhouse tirade, the one last Monday aimed atreliever Jeff Montgomery. Montgomery reportedly complained about nothaving enough time to warm up before entering the game, an eventualloss.

No one talked directly about what happened but McRae later didaddress the subject of players making 10 times the salaries ofmanagers.

"But that doesn't mean you can disregard authority," McRae said."A cop may make only $28,000 a year, but it doesn't mean some richguy can go around driving drunk."

McRae was calm the rest of the week, prompting questions aboutwhen to get mad and when not to.

"Every night can't be the end of the world. You'll die," hesaid.

"Some nights you're outraged, some nights you just take it."

David Cone's reaction to McRae's outburst? "I like it. It makes me feel at home," the former Met said.

NOTES: The Marlins have started contract negotiations with thirdbaseman Gary Sheffield, hoping to keep him away from the arbitrationtable with a long-term contract. Bobby Bonilla made eight errors in his first 36 games back at thirdbase for the Mets. It probably doesn't matter. He is expected to bethe first baseman in place of Eddie Murray next season. How much have the Padres changed? Of the 25 players on theirroster, 10 do not appear in the press guide. Mike Moore and John Doherty pitched the first back-to-back completegames for the Tigers since July 30-31, 1988. The Angels have used 22 pitchers this season, including positionplayers Rene Gonzalez and Chili Davis. The Rockies have used 25 pitchers, tying the 1969 Seattle Pilots formost ever by an expansion team.