DODGERS DAILY REPORT : Negative Thoughts Not for Johnson

Cincinnati Red Manager Davey Johnson, dressing in his office Wednesday afternoon, realizes that no matter what happens during these playoffs and the rest of October, his tenure as the Reds’ manager is over.

He will be fired.

Ray Knight will take over.

Nothing can change his fate.

“I don’t think about that,” Johnson said, “because it’s a negative. And I don’t like to think about negatives.

“Me being fired, I didn’t understand that 10 years ago, and I don’t understand that now. I gave the Mets 11 good years, and boom, I’m fired. Same thing here.

“I’ll make it as good as I can for the next guy. It’s important for me to know I was a positive influence, but right now, I can’t afford to be sentimental. This is a great time in my life. It’s time to kick back and enjoy this.”

Although Johnson has a front-office consulting job available to him if he wants, Johnson says he still wants to manage. He is considered the leading candidate to manage the St. Louis Cardinals if they fire Mike Jorgensen.

“It’s almost like a family watching your big brother go off to college,” Red General Manager Jim Bowden said. “You hate to see him leave, but it’s not like your brother is leaving the family.”

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Dodger Vice President Fred Claire applauded the decision to televise each playoff game in the future.

“I don’t like it,” Claire said of the current format.

“We’re missing something when people here can’t see a game in the East. The best thing for baseball is exposure.

“Instead of figuring out a way to get them all on TV at the same time, we should be figuring out how to get them on TV at different times.”

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Dodger right fielder Raul Mondesi, who signed an autograph during Tuesday’s playoff game, says it will be his last one.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have done it,” Mondesi said, “but I was afraid what he’d do if I didn’t sign. I know he was just a kid, but he had that crazy look in his eyes. But that’s it for me. If I sign again, there’ll be a couple more, and a couple more after that.”

Said Claire: “I think in that case he handled it well. You try to do everything you can to get [the fan] off the field as quickly as possible.”

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Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, perhaps trying a bit of psychological warfare, shook hands with Red starter David Wells at a news conference and then whispered to him:

“You know we’re going to try to hit you.”

Wells, who’s scheduled to face Hideo Nomo on Friday, didn’t bat an eye: “Hey, everybody tries.”

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Nomo, when asked at his news conference if his English has improved: “No.”

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The only time Wells has seen Nomo in person was at the All-Star game, and he came away with his autograph.

“I am no fool,” Wells said. “It’s exciting. I’ll look back and say I faced that guy. It’s like when I went against Nolan Ryan. He was a legend. Hopefully, he’ll be one.”

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Red shortstop Barry Larkin raised a few eyebrows in the Dodger clubhouse after Tuesday’s game when he stole second base and third base in the ninth inning with a 7-2 lead. The Dodgers realize they’re capable of coming back against anyone, but still, it was a little peculiar.

“It wasn’t necessary for him to go,” second baseman Delino DeShields said. “That didn’t mean anything right there. I guess Barry felt the need to go.”

Said Larkin: “It’s not running the score up, it’s just being aggressive. I don’t feel safe with a 7-2 lead in this ballpark.

“No lead is safe.”

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Red catcher Benito Santiago wants to let everyone know that there’s more than one All-Star catcher playing in this game.

“[Mike] Piazza is a great catcher,” Santiago said, “but I can do some things too. He’s a better hitter than me, but I think I catch better than him. I’m ready, man.”