Baseball

For those who thought that Pete Rose wouldn't be able to phase himself out of regular action: He hasn't batted since Aug. 17 or started since Aug. 16. He can watch the legend of Eric Davis grow. Last week Giants manager Roger Craig compared Davis with Henry Aaron....

The Rangers, who have used an estimated 200 dozen more baseballs for batting practice this year than last, hit 7 home runs against the Twins on Sept. 13, giving them a club record 161 for the season. Five of the homers came off Bert Blyleven, who has now given up 44 this year, breaking the AL gopher-ball mark of 43 set by Washington's Pedro Ramos in 1957. Still ahead for Blyleven is the major league record of 46 held by Robin Roberts.

THE GHOST BUSTERS

Boston's storming finish has taken the ghosts of 1978 off the backs of veterans Jim Rice and Dwight Evans. Rice, who has a career average of .329 in September and 257 RBIs in 1,247 September at bats, moved himself into the MVP picture and added to the legend of his strength. On Sept. 8, he hit a home run in Baltimore on a broken bat. With Eddie Murray unlikely to reach the plateau, Evans and Mike Schmidt will be the only players with 20 homers in each of the last six years....

Rice had his cap stolen in Yankee Stadium last Saturday as he and shortstop Spike Owen lay sprawled on the ground following a collision. When Rice confronted the thief, the fan used a racial invective, and Rice took off after him into the stands. He was followed by several valuable teammates, including Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Oil Can Boyd and manager John McNamara. The incident said something about Boston's team spirit, but it said more about the frightening atmosphere in Yankee Stadium. A knife was thrown at Wally Joyner last month, and now this. The Yankees have beefed up security, but the real answer is a stronger restriction on beer sales. If the ugliness continues, George Steinbrenner will have the excuse he needs to move the team to New Jersey....

In August, Fernando Valenzuela picked up a bunt and threw out a runner with a 60-foot backhand toss. Last week he fielded another bunt and hiked it through his legs to first base. "He reminds you of Magic Johnson," says Steve Sax. "Fernando just plays around, the way Magic does. When he's on, it's like he plays with people."

...Ranger pitching coach Tom House is comparing Bobby Witt with both Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan now that Witt has begun to throw strikes more consistently—Texas has won his last eight starts. "He will be one of the most dominant pitchers of his time," says House....

A prospective owner of the California League's Ventura franchise is a former UCLA quarterback named Mark Harmon....

It is ironic that in the week that Earl Weaver announced he wasn't returning, former Baltimore pitching coach Ray Miller—one of the finalists for Weaver's job when Earl originally retired—was fired in Minnesota. Billy Martin is lobbying hard to become both manager and G.M., but Minnesota owner Carl Pohlad must know Martin's administrative history in Oakland. Martin hired so many friends that at one point he had five scouts within a 15-mile radius.