Baseball

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
In our last look inside the 1987 season, we note that as the final week began, three of the '86 division champions, the Red Sox, Angels and Astros, had losing records. Only the Mets were above .500.

THE HENNY YOUNGMAN AWARD
To Toronto pitcher Mike Flanagan, who, after his trade from Baltimore, said of the car the Blue Jays gave him, "I know it was Phil Niekro's. I found his teeth in the glove compartment."

THE GEORGE STEINBRENNER AWARD

To Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, who, according to some of the club's scouts:

1) Forced Larry Doughty, the Reds' highly respected scouting director, to quit by holding back expense checks from scouts, refusing to reimburse them for laundry, for car-washing on road trips and for sending Christmas cards to prospects and instructing them to make telehone calls from pay phones rather than hotel rooms to avoid surcharges;

2) Vetoed a Ted Power-for- Dennis Rasmussen trade with the Yankees because Power is active in off-season community work, substituting Bill Gullickson, who is also active in off-season community work and was tied with Power as the club's biggest winner;

3) Excluded manager Pete Rose and his coaches from team physicals, thereby saving $680.

THE MARGE SCHOTT AWARD
To George Steinbrenner, whose meddling was largely responsible for the Yankees' having the third-worst record in the American League after July 31. By the way, the price of stock in Steinbrenner's American Shipbuilding Company has dropped from 15? to 8� in the last two years. Must be Lou Piniella's fault.

THE LARRY PASHNICK AWARD
Named for the former Tiger hurler who struck out 19 batters and allowed 17 homers in 1982, the '87 award goes to Baltimore rookie Jeff Ballard, who has whiffed 24 and has given up 15 dingers.

MISCELLANEOUS