Crimeds Agree on Bums; Samuelson Picks Birds

The U.S.A.'s premier sporting event hits the tube at 4 p.m. this afternoon, and all voices are crying, "Don't bet against the Dodgers."

If Jose the fabled foreigner, sitting there on the flagpole as the Los Angeles crowd sings the National Anthem, was to ask some fan what the name of the game was, all he'd hear would be "pitching," so unanimous has been the acclaim for Sandy Koufax, Vulture Regan, et al.

Backers of Baltimore, which survived Sports Illustrated's curse to mop up the weak American League, point to the Orioles' fantastic hitting as a counter to the Dodgers' pitching.

But this a faintly hollow claim: the Orioles' team batting average is less than three percentage points above Los Angeles'; the Birds have individual batting edges at only five of the nine positions.

And to win the pennant, the Dodgers beat out San Francisco and Pittsburgh, teams whose hitting prowess make the Orioles look like Brian London.

Brooks Robinson is, next to Willie Mays, probably the greatest clutch player in the game today, and Frank Robinson killed the Dodgers when the Reds won the pennant in '61; but before and after those two there ain't much. Unless you think Big Boog Poweel will be able to hit Sandy Koufax, which he won't.

The most important intangible of all however, is the Dodgers' great performance under pressure. They triumphed in a brutal pennant fight (though they only played .500 ball over the final two weeks, the Orioles played at a .400 clip and have less momentum), and have won three of three World Series since leaving Brookiyn.

So we see the Dodgers in six, winning the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth games. But rather than go on the limb alone, we've solicited the betting stances of some of the other byliners whose knowledge and expertise spreads even to these remote pages.

Linda G. McVeigh: Dodgers in 5--what a romantic team!

Richard Blumenthal: Dodgers in six--numerous varied complex things....

John F. Seegal: (picker of Detroit here last spring): It'll either be the Dodgers in six or the Orioles in five, maybe four.

Robert A. Rafsky: I would probably put money on the Dodgers in five, but I don't know the first goddam thing about the Orioles.

Robert J. Samuelson: Orioles-- I don't like the Dodgers and have a personal gut reaction against Sandy Koufax--in four.