Steve Garvey

It's about time that we heard Steve Garveys side of the story. We've all had enough of Cyndy's side. Hey, maybe Steve can write a book "Life Without Cyndy and the Kids." K. REED, Pomona

This post has been corrected. Former Dodgers first base great Steve Garvey, a 10-time All-Star and 1974 National League MVP, is battling prostate cancer. Garvey said that his prostate was removed at UCLA Medical Center in October after his cancer was diagnosed the previous month and that he now hopes to devote a considerable amount of his time to prostate cancer awareness. Garvey, 64, made the announcement in a press release describing several personal baseball items - including his MVP trophy - that he is putting up for auction.

Watching Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper take batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Steve Garvey said he always knew the kid would make it here. “If you like Josh Hamilton, you'll really like Bryce Harper, in terms on athletic ability and power,” Garvey said. Garvey, the former Dodgers first baseman, is a longtime friend of the 19-year-old Harper. Garvey coached Harper when he was 15 on a Palm Desert-based travel ball team. Garvey's son, Ryan Garvey, was also on the team.

The last time former Los Angeles Dodgers great Steve Garvey made big news, he was leading a group he had put together to buy the team when it was up for sale last year. We all know how that turned out. A group led by Magic Johnson bought the Dodgers. Meanwhile, Garvey continues his career juggling several activities, including serving as a motivational speaker and as head of Garvey Productions, which produces shows and informercials. And on Feb. 22, Garvey will go to the dogs.

The last time former Los Angeles Dodgers great Steve Garvey made big news, he was leading a group he had put together to buy the team when it was up for sale last year. We all know how that turned out. A group led by Magic Johnson bought the Dodgers. Meanwhile, Garvey continues his career juggling several activities, including serving as a motivational speaker and as head of Garvey Productions, which produces shows and informercials. And on Feb. 22, Garvey will go to the dogs.

Steve Garvey, one of the most popular players in Dodgers history, said Friday that he has teamed with billionaire business magnate Ron Burkle in an investment group that would like to buy the team. Commissioner Bud Selig seized control of the Dodgers this week, dramatically increasing the chances the team eventually would be sold. In that event, Garvey said, he believes his baseball background and Burkle's business acumen could help the Dodgers reclaim their place among baseball's elite franchises.

As a Dodger for 14 years before joining the San Diego Padres in 1983, Garvey helped Los Angeles win four National League pennants and one World Series. A fine fielding first baseman, he holds franchise records for doubles and runs batted in. He also played in 1,207 consecutive games, an NL record. Garvey, 45, became executive publisher of Sport magazine earlier this year. He also produces TV shows and is a fund-raiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

A. Bartlett Giamatti, president of the National League, has asked San Diego Padre first baseman Steve Garvey to keep quiet about the potential sale of the Seattle Mariners. Garvey had said last Sunday that the group he put together last winter to buy the Padres is now interested in buying the Mariners, adding that he had removed himself from the group. Even so, Giamatti is apparently concerned about a potential conflict of interest. So he telephoned Garvey on Tuesday.

Watching Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper take batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Steve Garvey said he always knew the kid would make it here. “If you like Josh Hamilton, you'll really like Bryce Harper, in terms on athletic ability and power,” Garvey said. Garvey, the former Dodgers first baseman, is a longtime friend of the 19-year-old Harper. Garvey coached Harper when he was 15 on a Palm Desert-based travel ball team. Garvey's son, Ryan Garvey, was also on the team.

Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser have attracted more than enough financial backing to bid competitively on the Dodgers, the banker representing the former Dodgers stars said Wednesday. "It's a matter of picking the partners we want," said Darren Lowe of RBC Capital Markets, the investment banking arm of the Royal Bank of Canada. For the first time, one of those partners has identified himself. Joey Herrick, president of Pacoima-based Natural Balance Pet Foods, said Wednesday that he has agreed to become a minority investor in the Garvey-Hershiser venture.

The absurdity of the Dodgers' situation came into particularly sharp focus Friday. On the field, the last-place Dodgers edged the San Diego Padres, 1-0, to move to within one game of their offensively inept visitors. On the phone from Arizona, a popular former player with his own well-documented history of financial troubles was saying that his public interest in purchasing the Dodgers had resulted in his dismissal from their front office. "It doesn't take away from my love for the team," said Steve Garvey, a 10-time All-Star who won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1981 and played on the Padres' 1984 World Series team.

Reporting from Cincinnati Juan Uribe is supposed to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Monday for the Dodgers' opening game of a three-game series in Philadelphia. So are Marcus Thames and Blake Hawksworth . But Manager Don Mattingly was measured when speaking about their anticipated returns. "I'm not going to get excited yet," he said. The last time the Dodgers were expecting a player to be activated, the player in question didn't make it back.

It has been 24 years since a Garvey last appeared in the lineup at Dodger Stadium, which means if Ryan Garvey of Palm Desert is able to make it to Dodger Stadium on June 3 for the Southern Section Division 4 championship game, not only will his father, 10-time All-Star Steve Garvey, be smiling, but "Uncle Tommy," as he affectionately calls Tom Lasorda, might have to show up and offer a pep talk. "It would mean a lot for me and my dad," Garvey said. April 26, 1987 was the last time Steve Garvey played at Dodger Stadium as a member of the San Diego Padres.

Reporting from Chicago In all of the Aprils in which the Dodgers have played baseball, no one in the franchise's history has hit in as many consecutive games as Andre Ethier . With an infield hit off the glove of Chicago Cubs first baseman Carlos Pena , Ethier extended his hitting streak to 21 games — one game longer than Steve Garvey's streak in April of 1978. Ethier also singled to left in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 7-3 victory. Dodgers-Cubs box score Ethier said cleanup hitter Matt Kemp deserved some of the credit for his recent form.

Steve Garvey, one of the most popular players in Dodgers history, said Friday that he has teamed with billionaire business magnate Ron Burkle in an investment group that would like to buy the team. Commissioner Bud Selig seized control of the Dodgers this week, dramatically increasing the chances the team eventually would be sold. In that event, Garvey said, he believes his baseball background and Burkle's business acumen could help the Dodgers reclaim their place among baseball's elite franchises.

More often than not, whether it's in Southern California or the Bronx, teams that are managed by Joe Torre fall short against teams managed by Mike Scioscia . … Torre's Dodgers and New York Yankees teams have won less than 45% of their games against Scioscia's Angels. … Against everyone else, they've won about 60%. … Vin Scully , on the abrupt ending to Wednesday night's game: " Russell Martin has just gotten thrown out of the game, but there's no game for him to be thrown out of."