Cheap Seats

Should have pumped his arm

Retired outfielder Kirk Gibson, now a Detroit Tigers broadcaster, on Wade Boggs’ method of celebrating his 3,000th career hit:

“When he kissed home plate, I rolled my eyes. That was vintage Wade. That’s the reason he doesn’t get respect. He’s me-me, I-I. I don’t take away his 3,000 hits, that’s a great accomplishment. But it takes 25 guys to win a championship.”

Roseboro wanted to get his mitts on him

Thirty-four years ago this month, on a Sunday afternoon at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro was hit by Giants pitcher Juan Marichal.

Not by Marichal’s fastball or curve, but by his bat. On the head.

The incident touched off a wild fracas. Roseboro suffered a 2-inch gash that Marichal’s bat had opened.

In the aftermath, Marichal needed police escorts everywhere. He got threatening calls and mail. Roseboro sued him for $110,000.

It happened when Marichal was batting against Sandy Koufax and looked at an inside pitch. Later, Marichal claimed that when Roseboro returned the ball to Koufax, the throw nicked his ear.

Suddenly, Marichal, in front of 42,807 fans, was swinging his bat at Roseboro’s head.

One writer asked Roseboro what kind of penalty he would like to see meted out to Marichal.

“He and I alone in a locked room, for about 10 minutes,” he said.

Marichal was suspended for eight days and fined. As for the lawsuit, Roseboro later settled for $7,500.

Hey, I did my job

Ryan Leaf recently told the San Diego media, “I just don’t feel like anybody wants me here.”

A year ago, the Chargers gave Leaf a five-year, $31.25 million contract. Asks the Boston Globe’s Ron Borges: “How much convincing does a guy need?

“Believe it or not, despite throwing 15 interceptions and just two touchdown passes last season, Leaf met the criteria to have his contract voided after next season despite the fact that he’s out this year with a shoulder injury. That’s because he was in for 35 percent of the Chargers’ offensive plays last season and San Diego won one more game than it had in 1997 (five instead of four).

“Obviously there was no requirement the offense actually move forward while he was in.”

The last word …

“When you hear some shredding noise in there, you know right away it’s not good.”

- Arizona first baseman Travis Lee, who will be out six weeks after straining ligaments in his left ankle while shagging fly balls in the outfield before a recent game.