At Least He Never Lost His Sense of Humor

It’s time for Brian Kingman to start worrying.

Kingman is the last major league pitcher to have lost 20 games in a season, going 8-20 for the Oakland Athletics in 1980.

It’s a record he doesn’t want to give up, oddly.

But with two 15-game losers in Detroit -- Mike Maroth and Jeremy Bonderman -- Kingman is feeling anxious.

“I wish I could have been the first to lose 20 games, because then they could never take it away from me,” Kingman told the San Jose Mercury News. “Being last, you’re always looking over your shoulder.”

Kingman, with his quirky sense of history, showed up in the stands to jinx 19-game losers Omar Daal in 2000 and Albie Lopez in 2001, and he has a collection of voodoo dolls designed to halt other challengers.

Maroth, for one, doesn’t get it.

“He can keep that distinction,” Maroth told reporters. “If he’s proud of it, that’s great. It’s not something I want to be included in.”

Kingman figures it’s a way to keep a five-year, 23-45 career in the limelight.

“Some people take it too serious,” he said.

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Trivia time: How many times did Cy Young lose at least 20 games in a season during his 22-year career?

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E-4: Atlanta Brave second baseman Marcus Giles was incensed when he was charged with an error for failing to handle shortstop Rafael Furcal’s slightly off-target throw in a loss to the Dodgers on Sunday.

“I want to fistfight the scorekeeper. You can quote me on that,” Giles said.

“So done, big boy,” wrote Jeff Schultz in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Giles wasn’t through.

“There’s nothing wrong with our defense,” he said. “I can’t think of one weak spot on our defense.”

The error by Giles was his 10th.

Furcal also had one, reaching 26.

“Think harder, bucky,” wrote Schultz.

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Musical news: Alex Rodriguez and the last-place Texas Rangers are scheduled to visit U.S. Cellular Field on “Elvis Presley Night” Aug. 22, Mike Downey noted in the Chicago Tribune.

“I therefore would like to dedicate these Elvis hits to A-Rod.... ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ ‘It’s Now or Never,’ and if the Texas owner refuses to let A-Rod leave, ‘Don’t Be Cruel.’ ”

Don’t forget “Jailhouse Rock.”

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House of Cards: Arizona Cardinal Coach Dave McGinnis has a reputation as a nice guy, and now he has Emmitt Smith. There’s still one thing missing.

“McGinnis has won over the fans,” wrote Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He has won over the media. He has won over the players.

“But he has yet to win.”

The Cardinals are 13-28 under McGinnis.

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Trivia answer: Three. (Young also won more than 30 five times.)

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And finally: Kingman’s manager when he lost 20 games for the A’s was Billy Martin. Someone once asked if he could have found himself in a worse situation.

“Not unless Bobby Knight was a baseball coach,” Kingman said.

-- Robyn Norwood