Between The Lines

THE MAHLERS

? Rick Mahler has gotten three Braves managers off to winning starts with shutouts in their Atlanta managerial debuts: Joe Torre (1982), Eddie Haas ('85) and now Chuck Tanner. Because Bruce Sutter worked the last two innings of the '85 shutout, Chris Short and Cy Young remain as the only pitchers with three Opening Day shutouts.

?Brother Mickey of the Rangers is with his eighth different organization. In his eight major league seasons, he has a 14-30 lifetime record. However, he is the winningest American pitcher in the history of the Dominican winter league, 41-18, with 18 more victories than any other American player. He is referred to as "el legendario Mickey Mahler."

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

?"The game sure has changed since I played."—Kansas City's John Wathan, sauntering to the batting cage minutes after being retired and made a coach.

?"Unless a player is really crippled, he has to be able to participate if we're going to win."—Houston G.M. Dick Wagner, in a memo asking the team to be gutty.

?"Some players ask for a king-size bed or a water bed when they check into a hotel. All I ask for is a room near the ice machine."—Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, who needs ice for chronic ankle and elbow injuries.

GLORY DAYS

?In the off-season, Yankee manager Lou Piniella changed the name of his Woodbridge, N.J. pub from Sweet Lou's to Winners, which after one week the Yankees (5-1) were.

?Shown a tabloid headline in which "The Boss" criticized him for a bad offensive spring, Yankee third baseman Mike Pagliarulo replied, "The only boss I know is Bruce Springsteen."