Hershiser Puts NL Cy Young Into His Pocket

By unanimous vote, Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser was named winner of the National League’s Cy Young Award Thursday, which means, in order of importance, that:

--Hershiser was judged to be the best pitcher in the league, ahead of the Cincinnati Reds’ Danny Jackson and the New York Mets’ David Cone, the only pitchers to receive runner-up votes.

--Jim Palmer no longer will be the only Cy Young winner appearing in underwear ads.

--Japanese hitters apparently know something their American counterparts don’t.

Unlike Palmer, though, there will be no beefcake posters of Hershiser, the pitcher promised at a press conference in Dodger Stadium, where he appeared fully clothed.

“Anything I do will be in clothes--I put it in the contract,” said a smiling Hershiser, whose deal with BVD is just one of numerous endorsement contracts coming his way this winter. “No brief shots. With my body, it would be very brief.

“My body looks like I work in a flour factory.”

Hershiser’s right arm, however, was good for one more shutout Thursday, as he received all 24 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America. Two members in each league city selected Hershiser, who was 23-8 with a 2.26 earned-run average, pitched a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings, threw 8 shutouts, then won 3 more games and saved another in the league playoffs and World Series. He did not lose a game after Aug. 14.

Jackson, who also finished 23-8, was second, and Cone, 20-3 for the Mets, was third. Hershiser is the 12th unanimous winner, and he is the eighth Dodger to win the award. The last was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

“My career will go downhill from here, I’m sure--sorry, Fred,” cracked Hershiser, directing his comment to Fred Claire, the Dodgers’ executive vice president, who faces the possibility of Hershiser’s taking the team to arbitration this winter for a contract in the $2-million-plus range.

Contract discussions haven’t even begun, said Hershiser, who only Wednesday returned from Japan, where he was touring with a team of major league all-stars.

Hershiser said he was overwhelmed by the attention he received there.

“I couldn’t believe how many people knew me there,” he said. “It was almost a rock star thing. It was really weird. They had to have (security) people around me wherever I was going.”

But he was hardly the dominant pitcher he had been stateside. In his last start Tuesday, Hershiser yielded 5 runs, including a home run, in 3 innings.

“The Japanese don’t think I’m that good,” Hershiser said with a smile.

“It was hard to explain to the Japanese media that I wasn’t really trying. I just wanted to throw the ball down the middle and not get hurt.”

Hershiser said he has hardly had time to do his laundry since the season ended, never mind sit back and try to comprehend what he and the Dodgers accomplished.

“I haven’t even gotten to see a highlight film,” Hershiser said.

“(But) the things I accomplished this season will be hard to repeat. To put it all together the way it happened this year will be very hard . . . it just all flowed.”

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, who was in Boston for a speaking engagement, telephoned his congratulations.

“He told me that the hardest part is trying to do it again,” Hershiser said. “See--he’s already trying to motivate me again. He said, ‘You’d better stay in shape this winter.’ ”

At age 30, and after five full seasons with the Dodgers, Hershiser is aware that it will never be the way it was before this past season. In 1985, when he went 19-3 and finished third in the Cy Young balloting, he was recognized as one of the top right-handers in the league.

Now, he is in company even more elite.

“I know people will be gunning for me, like we were gunning for Mike Scott and (Dwight) Gooden,” Hershiser said. “I know I’m in that class now.”

He isn’t shy about reaping the awards of his climb in status. In addition to the underwear ads, Hershiser has signed to endorse a line of watches and is in the process of negotiating deals with soft drink companies, automobile manufacturers and computer firms.

“Cigarettes and beer are always out there, too,” Hershiser said, laughing. “But I don’t think I’m their image.”

Hershiser, who already has gone to the White House with the rest of the team after winning the World Series, has a return engagement. He and his wife, Jamie, have been invited to attend a state dinner honoring British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Who invited them?

“Nancy and Ron,” Hershiser said. “At least, I hope they’re still making out the guest lists.”

In a way, Hershiser’s presence there should be fitting: Bulldog Meets the Iron Lady.

Hershiser will have the chance to extend his scoreless-inning streak next season, since postseason play is in a separate category.

“I’d love to throw a shutout on opening day,” Hershiser said. “I don’t know where I’ll be.”

Stop the presses. Was Hershiser suggesting he might bolt the Dodgers for (could it be) Japan?

“I’m just kidding,” he said. “That was a joke.”

Someday, however, that may not be a laughing matter.

“I love L.A., I love this place,” Hershiser said. “But I’m a businessman also. I think everyone realizes that I’ll do whatever’s best for my family.”

The Cy Young Award is only the latest to be bestowed on a Dodger. Lasorda was named manager of the year, Tim Leary was comeback player of the year, and Hershiser already had been named most valuable player of the playoffs and World Series.

The National League MVP winner will be announced next week. If Hershiser had to pick a Dodger, it would be Kirk Gibson.

“What else can I win?” Hershiser said. “Maybe a Gold Glove. Or a Silver Stick.”

Silver Stick?

“That sounds like a hockey award,” Hershiser said, laughing at how he had renamed the Silver Bat award given to the league’s leading hitter.

There’s always the flour factory--although he can count on making a lot more dough in baseball.