As expected, the Cubs announced Sunday that center-fielder Bobby Dernier has been placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Center-fielder Darrin Jackson has been called up from Double A Pittsfield. The placing of Dernier on the DL is retroactive to Saturday.
Dernier will be operated on by Dr. Michael Schafer Monday to remove ganglion tissue from the top of his inflamed left foot and could miss more than two weeks.
Dernier, who has been unavailable for duty for more than a week, was fitted for a soft cast Friday. He was examined again Saturday morning and told about the need for an operation
”They are going to have to cut on Dernier,” said Cubs` manager Jim Frey. ”When they get all that swelling and inflammation down, they can operate. Hopefully, they can do that by Monday. It could be two weeks, it could be longer. We were in hopes a couple of weeks ago when it first started bothering him that it would get better after treatment. But the second or third day it got worse, and it has progressively gotten more sore.”
Jackson, in 31 games at Pittsfield this season, was hitting .252 (30 for 119) with five doubles, one homer and 16 RBIs. He is more renowned for his speed and defensive prowess. Jackson will report to the Cubs on Monday in New York and probably start in center.
— Super sub Davey Lopes was rested Sunday after experiencing tightness in one of his hamstring muscles. Lopes said he initially injured the leg several games ago but aggravated it Saturday running the bases on the watered- down infield at Wrigley Field.
— Frey is encouraged by the apparent rapid rehabilitation of left-fielder Gary Matthews. He is hoping he will be able to return to the lineup in a week or two following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on May 29. He has been taking batting practice since Friday and jogged Saturday and Sunday. Matthews will accompany the team to New York and St. Louis. ”I plan to start working on running the bases in New York,” said Matthews.
”You have to get on base first,” chided coach Ruben Amaro.
”Well, when I come back, I do plan to trot around the bases a few times,” said the Sarge.
”When the Sarge comes back, we`ll be able to put him in left and Davey Lopes in center. I`d be happy with that,” said Frey. ”We`ve got to try to get through the next couple of weeks. When we get the Sarge and Bobby back, all of a sudden we`ll have the strong bench we once had. We`ve got to tough it out.”
— Scott Sanderson (3-1), who missed his last two scheduled starts because of lower back spasms, is slated to start Thursday`s game in New York against Sid Fernandez (1-3). Rick Sutcliffe (6-5) opposes Ron Darling (5-1)
Monday, Steve Trout (6-2) meets Ed Lynch (3-3) Tuesday and Dick Ruthven (3-5) starts against Dwight Gooden (9-3) Wednesday.
— Leon Durham has a nine-game hitting streak.
— Ryne Sandberg stole his 19th base Saturday. At this pace, Sandberg would steal 53 bases this season. The Cubs` modern-day record by a second baseman is 49, set by Johnny Evers in 1906.
