Did Scott Make His Record From Scratch?

The war of words has commenced. MVP candidate Gary Carter of the New York Mets is accusing Cy Young candidate Mike Scott of the Houston Astros of doctoring the baseball.

“All of a sudden, he’s developed into a 300-strikeout pitcher,” Carter told Rich Cimini of Newsday. “There has to be some reason. Sure, he’s talented and he developed a split-fingered fastball. All in all, though, I think he’s had a little help from his friends.”

Earlier in the season, it was reported that Chicago’s Leon Durham found a piece of sandpaper on the mound after Scott had pitched.

Carter: “I don’t think the groundskeeper left it there.”

Carter said he will be ready to protest to the umpires during the playoffs but said: “There’s not much they can do. If they take it away from him, he’ll come out with another piece of sandpaper.”

Note: In his seven previous seasons, Scott averaged five strikeouts a game. This season, he averaged 10 a game.

Two views of the American League championship series:

Jose Canseco (Oakland): “I like Boston because they’ve got Roger Clemens.”

Pete O’Brien (Texas): “I like California. The pitching is so good on both sides, but John Candelaria neutralizes Boston’s left-handed bats to a big extent.”

They call him Mr. October, but Reggie Jackson has been rather quiet in league championship series. He has made most of his noise in the World Series.

In 39 playoff games, he has batted .234 with 6 homers and 18 RBIs. In 27 World Series games, he has batted .357 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs.

In 1982 against Milwaukee, he batted .111 with 1 homer and 1 RBI. In 1980, he drew the scorn of George Steinbrenner, who called him overpaid, after he failed to hit a homer or knock in a run as the New York Yankees were swept by Kansas City.

Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs didn’t blink when he was told that owner Jack Kent Cooke had predicted the team would win the Super Bowl.

Gibbs: “Mr. Cooke picks us every year to win the Super Bowl.”

What effect has Coach Mike Gottfried’s edict against profanity had at the University of Pittsburgh?

Said sports information director Jim O’Brien: “It’s made for some quiet practices.”

Getting-your-kicks dept.: Said CBS announcer Verne Lundquist when UCLA took a 9-6 lead over Arizona State Saturday: “If you’re a field goal freak, you’ve got to be in ecstasy.”

Ignoring a recent plea in this space to do away with contrived statistics, United Press International came up with this beauty Saturday: “Oakland’s Jose Canseco failed to record either a strikeout or an RBI, virtually losing any chance to become the first major leaguer ever to produce RBI and strikeout figures totaling 300 in one season. He owns 174 strikeouts and 117 RBI.”

Desist!

Quotebook

George Bamberger, asked what he’ll miss most about the job after resigning as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers: “The money.”