He’s Taking a Ride, Not Getting Far

The day before the New York Yankees’ pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., free agent Ron Guidry was home in Lafayette, La.

Guidry owns a 50-acre tract of property outside town and spent the day on a tractor, cutting grass and waiting for some contract word from his agent, Reggie Ringuet.

The grass got cut, but no deals were.

“He’s a little confused about what is going on,” Ringuet said. “He’s a quality pitcher who wants to pitch, but it’s tough to get a job. If he doesn’t get one, it’s beyond his control. There’s just nothing out there. We haven’t had a single offer. We’ve talked to some clubs in general terms, but there has not been one real offer.”

So what are Guidry’s options?

“He may have to stay on that tractor a long time,” Ringuet said.

Add Yankees: Said pitcher Rod Scurry, who reported at 188 pounds after checking in last year at 208: “That’s what happens when your contract is non-guaranteed.”

Clip and Save: George Steinbrenner, on Don Mattingly: “If he doesn’t come through, you’re not going to hear me blast him. Mark that down. You won’t hear a peep out of me.”

From Bill Conlin of The Sporting News: “Does Al Campanis have a tough reputation as a negotiator? Consider this: At the winter meetings, the Dodger general manager made a pitch for Philadelphia outfielder Gary Redus. The bait was Jack Fimple and Ed Vande Berg.

“Fimple and Vande Berge have since departed, but Campanis continues to talk to the Phillies about Redus. What’s Al offering this week, Pee Wee Reese and Don Drysdale?”

Trivia Time: Who led the Lakers in rebounding last season? (Answer below.)

Do basketball players keep track of their own statistics during a game? If they do, they don’t admit it. Unless they’re Jerome Lane.

Lane, 6-6 Pitt forward who leads the nation in rebounding, had this to say after collecting a career-high 21 rebounds in Saturday’s 76-66 win over Connecticut: “I keep track of every rebound I get because I want to win the title. I counted 18 and I got 21, which was even better than I calculated.”

Said Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun: “You have to have admiration for him. Dave Cowens and Paul Silas come to mind as undersized players who could rebound that well.”

Ouch: Missouri Coach Norm Stewart, on 26-year-old Kansas State star Norris Coleman, who spent six years in the Army and missed part of the current season because of grade deficiencies: “If Coleman goes for his master’s degree, does that mean he can qualify for Social Security without ever having to work?”

Dept. of Bad Timing: On Friday, the Denver Nuggets filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission an application to sell stock in the franchise. That night, they lost to the Clippers.

From Eagle defensive tackle Reggie White, the MVP of the Pro Bowl: “I owe a great deal to Buddy Ryan. He is a great teacher. I know Phil Simms won the award last year and took his team to the Super Bowl championship. So I’ll just pray that history will repeat. Buddy is going to build a winner in Philadelphia.”

Trivia Answer: Maurice Lucas.

Quotebook

Comedian Jay Leno, on the benefits of the America’s Cup: “All those kids raised in the slums of Beverly Hills and Newport Beach now see sailing as a way out of the ghetto.”