Lasorda Needs to Tread Carefully in Touchy Area

In his 47 years with the Dodgers, Tom Lasorda has been known to utter countless four-letter words. So now I have one for him: Golf.

Maybe it’s time for him to take up the game, give him something to do in his semi-retirement.

I know he has a job as a Dodger vice president, scouting and teaching in the minor leagues while serving as a goodwill ambassador for the team and baseball.

I also know it’s not enough of a challenge for him and that, at an energetic 69, he should have more responsibility in the team’s daily operation. The Dodgers are remiss for not giving him that.

At the same time, Lasorda should tread very carefully when discussing his possible role with the team after the anticipated sale to Rupert Murdoch.

Lasorda is not coming right out and saying he wants Fred Claire’s job of executive vice president. In fact, Lasorda is saying the opposite. But the old junk-ball pitcher has been nibbling around the corners.

At least, that’s the perception of the Dodgers and Murdoch’s senior lieutenants at Fox.

They don’t like it.

All the principals involved in the sale have made it clear they want a smooth transition. They recognize that isn’t likely to occur if media speculation persists that Murdoch will turn the team over to his friend, felon Michael Milken, who will then let his friend, Lasorda, run it.

Murdoch’s preference for the immediate future is that Peter O’Malley remain as president and, beyond, that they combine efforts to get an NFL team back in Los Angeles.

But even if O’Malley declines, Murdoch doesn’t want tumultuous changes in the Dodger operation. It’s smart business, baseball and public relations that the status remain quo. That’s the reason he asked O’Malley to extend contracts for key front-office personnel, including Claire.

It’s possible there will be a larger role for Lasorda. I hope so. I’d hate to see him seek employment with another team because he doesn’t feel appreciated here.

Meantime, there’s only one thing he should be doing to help the Dodgers on the field and off. His job.

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Bill Russell has been close to Lasorda long enough to know of his affinity for Bobby Valentine. So when Lasorda told reporters at Cooperstown on Sunday that his first choice for manager if he controlled a team would be Valentine, Russell probably didn’t take exception.

But the New York Mets? That could be a different matter.

In separate interviews Monday with Times baseball writer Ross Newhan, O’Malley and Claire expressed concern that Lasorda might have violated baseball rules when he spoke so highly of a manager the Mets have under contract.

“Baseball tampering rules are very clear,” O’Malley said. “It’s unacceptable for any member of an organization to talk about an executive, manager or coach of another organization.”

O’Malley offered an excuse, saying Lasorda is excited about the Hall of Fame and has been talking “from sunup to sundown.”

If baseball officials investigate, I’m sure they’ll discover Lasorda was merely responding to a hypothetical question. But he’ll have to be more careful in the future, when Milken names him to run the team.

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Let’s see if I’ve got this straight. . . .

Florida State is incensed because Mike Garrett hires Chris Gobrecht as women’s basketball coach after she has completed only one year of her five-year contract with the Seminoles, incensed enough to sue USC. . . .

Then Florida State hires Steve Robinson as men’s basketball coach, even though he has a seven-year contract with Tulsa. . . .

The judge should throw this one out of court. . . .

Better yet, he could let the schools settle it on the football field when Florida State and USC meet in the Coliseum on Sept. 6. . . .

That game starts at 5 p.m., about 4 1/2 hours after UCLA kicks off against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl. . . .

The Dodgers also play at home that afternoon, at 1:05 p.m. against Florida. . . .

Baseball’s Hall of Fame was the subject last week on the Internet’s FASTBALL chat room, specifically whether Pete Rose belongs in it. . . .

“It might be possible, but I am against it,” Bob Feller said. . . .

But if Rose wants to pursue it, he should hire a lawyer. . . .

Maybe John Huang’s will be available when he finishes those Senate fund-raising hearings. . . .

His name is Ty Cobb.

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While wondering who we’ll hear next is going to run the Dodgers, I was thinking: Bruce McNall maybe, let’s see one of the Cowboys try to make Dirty Barry’s day, I agree with Feller.