Names & Numbers

The Atlanta Braves, with relief pitchers Juan Berenguer and Marvin Freeman on the disabled list, traded Tony Castillo to the New York Mets for relief pitcher Alejandro Pena, even though Pena is eligible for free agency when the season ends. Pena, a former Dodger, was 6-1 but had blown five of nine save opportunities.

“Nothing could be better,” he said of the trade. “You’ve got to like going from fifth place to first place.”

--Bret Saberhagen of the Kansas City Royals joined Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson as the only pitchers to have won a Cy Young Award, been most valuable player of a World Series and pitched a no-hitter.

Saberhagen, in the wake of his no-hitter against the White Sox, asked the nine Chicago starters to autograph a ball, and they all did except for Lance Johnson, prompting Saberhagen to say: “It’s not my fault that he made three outs.” Shortstop Ozzie Guillen wrote: “You’re the best” and sent Saberhagen a bottle of champagne.

--The Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitching staff is last in the National League in strikeouts, but pitching coach Ray Miller, referring to outfielders Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke, said: “It’s like we have two Willie Mayses out there. They make the plays, so why strike somebody out?”

--Jose Guzman, with a 9-5 record, is tied for the Texas Rangers’ lead in victories, which says a lot about a staff that is 10th in the American League in earned-run average and 12th in complete games. Guzman was released by Manager Bobby Valentine during spring training, re-signed to a triple-A contract and recalled on May 23.

Oil Can Boyd, acquired in trade by the Rangers in the hope that he could provide a boost down the stretch, has been held out of his last two scheduled turns after compiling an 0-4 record with an 8.53 ERA, having given up 47 hits and 30 earned runs in 31 2/3 innings.

--The 1991 season is winding down, and Dante Bichette is growling about his lack of playing time with the Milwaukee Brewers, as he did when Doug Rader managed the Angels. Rader advocated the trade that sent Bichette to the Brewers for Dave Parker, whose poor performance contributed to Rader’s firing. But Rader seems to have been right about Bichette.

Bichette went into a weekend series against the Angels batting .227. He had one hit in his last 26 at-bats and three in his last 30. After going two for five with a home run and five runs batted in against Cleveland on July 7, Bichette has only one homer and five RBIs in 113 at-bats since.

--Mark Portugal, who ended the Philadelphia Phillies’ 16-game home winning streak with a 5-1 victory Thursday night, has shown a split personality in his three seasons with the Houston Astros. Portugal, 10-6, has a career mark of 11-13 with a 4.18 ERA before the All-Star break and 17-4 with a 2.96 ERA after the break.

--Dave Stewart’s eight-inning stint in the Oakland Athletics’ 9-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox Wednesday was one of his strongest of a struggling season in which he is 10-8. He walked none, struck out six, ending his five-game losing streak.

The A’s believe that Stewart has been tipping his forkball while in a stretch position, and they had him working from a stretch in the first inning Wednesday to practice some new adjustments.

--A streak of seven strikeouts in a row this week, including four at the hands of Roger Clemens, convinced the A’s Jose Canseco that he is taking a beating from the umpires and that he has to be even more of a free swinger.

“I just can’t afford to take pitches anymore,” he said. “I don’t have the luxury of taking pitches anymore. It’s frustrating, and it has been going on all year.”