REPUBLICANS:...Now Batting, Number 6, Steve Garvey...Calif. Senate Run...

By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ

McALLEN, Texas | He was a half-decent player, but never the Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. As a steady first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Steve Garvey was popular enough to make several All-Star Game appearances.

Now, he wants in on the U.S. Senate game.

The 74-year-old Garvey, shown in photo above, will announce this coming week that he will challenge whatever Democrat candidate surfaces to fill the California seat held until recently by deceased Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Garvey has yet to be endorsed by anyone.

This about his playing days from Wikipedia: [ Garvey played in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1987. He was the National League Most Valuable Player in 1974 and National League Championship Series MVP in 1978 and 1984. Garvey also played for the San Diego Padres. ]

It's hard to gauge his candidacy at this point, mainly because Garvey has zero experience as a politician and is going simply on name-recognition.

Democrats are strong in California, but, well, the state did elect Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger as is governor a few years back, so...

Several high-powered Democrats are seeking the seat, including Congressman Adam Schiff and congresswomen Barbara Lee and Katie Porter.

Lee and Schiff seem to be the favorites for Democrats.

And Garvey may yet see another Republican rise to challenge him in the GOP primary...

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