Daily News from New York, New York • 437

54 rl3 JlSn Yankee Stadium left-center. But as Don Baylor (who has lost more than few certain home runs to Death Valley in years past) will surely attest, any change in the dimensions will be welcomed by the righthanded hitters in the Yankee lineup. "It's refreshing to know we might be able to reach the fence out there now Baylor said yesterday. "It's hurt me somewhat in the past I've lost my share to Death Valley but mostly, I try to pull my shots down the line and that isn't gonna change. "It's the pitchers who know that they can make a mistake and Death Valley will save them.

Now they'll have to concentrate more on pitching the way they pitch on the road." But as manager Yogi Berra observed: "It's still the toughest park in baseball for righthanded hitters. center field fence is being brought in from 417 feet to 410, while the left field foul line remains at 312. According to a Yankee source, the purpose of bringing in the fences is not so much to restore some justice for righthanded power hitters as it is to enable the Yankees to install a walk ramp to the monument area behind the fence. Ever since the Stadium renovations in 1974-75, there has been no fan access to the monument area in left-center and that has been a source of many complaints to the Yankees. With the new rampway, fans will be able to visit the monument area before the games without going on the field.

EVEN WITH the new dimensions, Yankee Stadium still remains the most spacious ballpark in the American League and still the longest home run poke to By BILL MADDEN FIRST thing Rick- ey Henderson is 2 going to discover when he trots out to center in Yankee Stadium next April is that they've taken Death Valley away. Yep fans, after much de-' bate and considerable thought, the Yankees are bringing in the fences. Not dramatically, but enough to probably prompt Henderson to say: "Hey, this isn't quite as much ground to cover out here as I thought it would be." The Daily News, upon visiting the Stadium yesterday, discovered that work Is already underway to reduce the distance from the farthest reaches in left center some 19 feet The old Death Valley dimensions were 430 feet With the new fence, it will be 411. In addition, the ED QALLAOHERfDMLV NEWS New dimensions (in white) and IwMm 4 r-v jr walkway. tion two.

If the Giants still aren't in the playoffs after their game on Saturday, they must depend on the Redskins and Dolphins for victories. That's when the finger nails get bitten away. It's simple. Or is it? There are some very remote exceptions. In one, if the Redskins lost by at least 43 points, the Giants 'would still get in if they win and the Rams lose.

How likely is that? "I don't understated any of iC. said the Giants coach. i i 4 ijpfc i See PLAYOFFS P'aga V) 1 mi By BILL VERIGAN The good news was that corherback Mark Haynes and guard Bill Ard won't require surgery on their injured knees. But it was tempered by coach Bill Parcells' admission that he doesn't know when the two starters will be able to play for the Giants again. The Giants, who got this far by being free of injuries, will be forced to improvise with the playoffs looming around the corner.

Their 31-21 loss to St. Louis took a terrible toll. It eliminated the Giants from contention for the NFC East title and it left them battered for their regular-season finale against the New Orleans Saints at Giants Stadium Saturday. Haynes and Ard are the biggest losses, but there are others. Another cornerback, reserve Elvis Patterson, has a sprained foot, and reserve running back and special teamer Frank Cephous has a bruised sternum.

"I'm not deciding anything today," said Parcells. "I don't know what I'll do." If Haynes and Patterson are both out, the Giants must with Perry Williams and Kenny- Daniel at the corners, fe There is no backup on the roster and Parcells said he 8 was taking a look at the avail- able prospects. The most likely choice would be for him to bring back LeCharls Mc Daniel, who was released earlier this year. PARCELLS SAID he has no plans to bring in another offensive lineman in case Ard can't play. He might re turn William Roberts to left tackle and move Brad Benson back to right guard.

Thpse. are the positions they played for the first half of We "sesCfl'UWtir Roberts-got hurt Then Chris Godfrey could be moved from right guard to left guard. Or he might just have rookie David Jordan fill in at Ard's spot, the way he did on Sunday. Jordan made no obvious mistakes and effectively pulled out as the lead blocker for Joe Morris on one 23-yard gain. "I can't say I wasn't nervous," said Jordan, who had been in on only eight or 10 offensive plays this season.

"I thought I played fairly well, but I'm not sure. If I don't start, I'm not going to be upset because I understand." It's complicated. It's not the kind of change a coach wants at this critical time of the year. But the loss to the Cardinals made a mess of matters. The defense was disgusted with the way it played, and Parcells was displeased with the special teams.

Even if this team does get to the playoffs, it must get better performances from those units if it expects to go anywhere. "WE MADE SOME mistakes on special teams," said Parcells. "That's happened pretty consistently. Our kick-off coverage has been either spectacular or completely inefficient I haven't been happy with the special teams all year. It hurt us yesterday." Kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh missed two field goals from 33 and 47 yards.

One prevented the Giants from taking a lead in the third quarter, the other killed the Giants' last chance." "If we'd ever gotten ahead in the third quarter, I felt good enough that we could have made it difficult for St Louis the way we were running the ball," said Parcells. "I thought we were in it until 'GIANTS Page HARRY HAMBUROOMLY NEWS tackle on Cardinals' Stump Mitchell, one of many defensive by Giants during Sunday's 31-21 loss. play, pray for playoffs Giants' Larry Rowers misses lapses Giants mast By BILL VERIGAN Forget the NFC title. The Giants must now play, and pray just to become a wildcard in the playoffs. The Giants eliminated themselves as a contender for the NFC East tide with their loss at St Louis last Sunday, and here are the ways they can make the playoffs as a wildcard: 1.

Rams beat Forty Niners Friday night. Giants beat Saints nn Sotnrflov Redskins beat Cardinals on Sunday, Dolphins beat Cowboys on Monday night. Option one is obvioulsy the quickest way for the Giants to make the playoffs. The- games involving the other three contenders from the NFC East become irrelevant If the Rams upset the Forty Niners, the Giants could decide their fate on Saturday. If they beat the Saints, they make the playoffs.

Of course, if the Rams lose, the Giants' game en Saturday is being for exercise and ex- iL means uomiug. However, there is still op.