Randy Ready

She woke up. Randy Ready heard the news 10 days ago. His wife, Dorene, 23, had been in a coma for a month, but then--almost as suddenly as she'd collapsed--she opened her eyes. Randy Ready, a Padre infielder, was happy. Then sad. "There was a lot of (brain) damage," he said Friday. "It'll be a long haul. It'll take a long while." He has gone home to be with her, with their babies. They have three boys under the age of 3 (including twins), and one of them had been waking up a lot with nightmares.

It was early July, and Randy Ready was late for one of his life's highlights. Accompanied by the three children whom he serves as both father and mother, the utility player for the Philadelphia Phillies was hurrying to Veterans Stadium and the Phillies' annual father-son game. Andrew, 7, and twins Colin and Jared, 5, were dressed in tiny Phillies uniforms. They chattered excitedly about playing on a big field, with real equipment, alongside their hero.

Randy Ready, a utility player with the Milwaukee Brewers, was traded Thursday to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named. Ready, 5-feet 11-inches, 180 pounds, was hitting .190 with four RBIs and one home run in 23 games for the Brewers. He is expected to join the Padres in time for today's game against the Dodgers. Ready divided the 1985 season between Vancouver in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and Milwaukee. He hit .326 at Vancouver with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 52 games.

A jury Friday awarded Philadelphia Phillie infielder Randy Ready and his family $24.7 million, finding that a physician prescribed diet pills that caused the player's wife to have a disabling heart attack. The ruling in the eight-week trial is believed to be the largest personal-injury award in Wisconsin history. The lawsuit against Vincenta Yap of Milwaukee alleged that, in 1986, Dorene Ready, now 27, sought help in losing weight from the doctor, who prescribed Ionamin, an appetite suppressant.

It was early July, and Randy Ready was late for one of his life's highlights. Accompanied by the three children whom he serves as both father and mother, the utility player for the Philadelphia Phillies was hurrying to Veterans Stadium and the Phillies' annual father-son game. Andrew, 7, and twins Colin and Jared, 5, were dressed in tiny Phillies uniforms. They chattered excitedly about playing on a big field, with real equipment, alongside their hero.

A jury Friday awarded Philadelphia Phillie infielder Randy Ready and his family $24.7 million, finding that a physician prescribed diet pills that caused the player's wife to have a disabling heart attack. The ruling in the eight-week trial is believed to be the largest personal-injury award in Wisconsin history. The lawsuit against Vincenta Yap of Milwaukee alleged that, in 1986, Dorene Ready, now 27, sought help in losing weight from the doctor, who prescribed Ionamin, an appetite suppressant.

They were married that summer on the only day Randy Ready didn't have a baseball game. It was El Paso, 1982. Ready was a 22-year-old infielder with a passion, and his girl Dorene was someone who understood. The church was tiny, the congregation numbered two: a buddy and his girlfriend. They doubled as the best man and maid of honor. They kissed the bride. They threw the rice. And then they pulled up in Ready's beige 1968 Chevy Nova.

Late Saturday night, when the arguing had stopped and the uniform was on its way to the laundry room, Padre third baseman Randy Ready was asked about his speed. "Average," he said. He paused. "Make that, aggressive average." The Padres will take it, just as they took their second straight victory over the Houston Astros Saturday night, 4-0, on one Randy Ready wonderfully dirt-stained, sore-handed, controversial trip around the bases.

The Padres sent Triple-A first baseman Tim Pyznarski to the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, completing a deal that was made last summer. The Padres acquired infielder Randy Ready from the Brewers on June 12 for a player to be named, and that player has now turned out to be Pyznarski, who was the Pacific Coast League MVP in 1986. Pyznarski, 26, batted .326 for the Las Vegas Stars last year, with 23 homers and 119 RBIs. Called up to the Padres in September, he went 10 for 42 (.

The article about Randy Ready of the Padres in The Times (Sept. 25) compelled me to write to you concerning what I know about this fine young man. My son, a quadriplegic because of a head injury, is a patient in the same facility as Randy's wife. Learning of this, Randy, even with all of his burdens, took the time to have a ball autographed by the Cincinnati Reds and presented it to my son. My son's smile lit up his whole face. I pray that Dorene Ready will continue to improve and wish Randy great success in his baseball career.

They were married that summer on the only day Randy Ready didn't have a baseball game. It was El Paso, 1982. Ready was a 22-year-old infielder with a passion, and his girl Dorene was someone who understood. The church was tiny, the congregation numbered two: a buddy and his girlfriend. They doubled as the best man and maid of honor. They kissed the bride. They threw the rice. And then they pulled up in Ready's beige 1968 Chevy Nova.

Late Saturday night, when the arguing had stopped and the uniform was on its way to the laundry room, Padre third baseman Randy Ready was asked about his speed. "Average," he said. He paused. "Make that, aggressive average." The Padres will take it, just as they took their second straight victory over the Houston Astros Saturday night, 4-0, on one Randy Ready wonderfully dirt-stained, sore-handed, controversial trip around the bases.

The Padres sent Triple-A first baseman Tim Pyznarski to the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, completing a deal that was made last summer. The Padres acquired infielder Randy Ready from the Brewers on June 12 for a player to be named, and that player has now turned out to be Pyznarski, who was the Pacific Coast League MVP in 1986. Pyznarski, 26, batted .326 for the Las Vegas Stars last year, with 23 homers and 119 RBIs. Called up to the Padres in September, he went 10 for 42 (.

She woke up. Randy Ready heard the news 10 days ago. His wife, Dorene, 23, had been in a coma for a month, but then--almost as suddenly as she'd collapsed--she opened her eyes. Randy Ready, a Padre infielder, was happy. Then sad. "There was a lot of (brain) damage," he said Friday. "It'll be a long haul. It'll take a long while." He has gone home to be with her, with their babies. They have three boys under the age of 3 (including twins), and one of them had been waking up a lot with nightmares.

Randy Ready, a utility player with the Milwaukee Brewers, was traded Thursday to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named. Ready, 5-feet 11-inches, 180 pounds, was hitting .190 with four RBIs and one home run in 23 games for the Brewers. He is expected to join the Padres in time for today's game against the Dodgers. Ready divided the 1985 season between Vancouver in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and Milwaukee. He hit .326 at Vancouver with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 52 games.

Outfielder John Kruk underwent arthroscopic surgery today on his right knee and will be out of the Philadelphia Phillies lineup for up to four weeks. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list and replaced on the roster by outfielder-first baseman Jim Adduci from the club's Triple-A affiliate in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Phillies team physician Dr. Phillip Marone said Kruk had an inflamed right knee cap, which was repaired at Methodist Hospital. He said Kruk would be out for two to four weeks.

Cecil Fielder, Barry Bonds and Ruben Sierra were among 149 players who filed for salary arbitration and are expected to request record increases when they exchange figures with their clubs Friday. Meanwhile, the Oakland Athletics replaced Mike Gallego on their roster by signing free-agent infielder Randy Ready to a $500,000, one-year contract. Four players eligible for arbitration agreed to one-year contracts rather than file.