As Shawon Dunston nears free agency, relations between him and manager Jim Essian appear strained.
Essian benched Dunston for the second straight game Sunday. Essian said he wanted to give backup Jose Vizcaino more playing time, but when he praised his reserve infielder he made a pointed reference to Dunston.
”(Vizcaino) doesn`t wind up and take two steps before he throws,”
Essian said. ”He just releases it. The ball can outrun the runner.”
The strong-armed Dunston sometimes pumps before firing across the diamond.
Dunston, hitting .224 with 14 errors, has made it plain he`s not happy riding the bench. Told of Essian`s remarks, he shook his head.
”He`s the manager,” Dunston said. ”Let him do what he wants to do. When I get back in there, I`m not going out again.”
Judgment day: National League President Bill White could decide Monday on punishment for Andre Dawson for his ejection and bat-throwing incident Tuesday night. Dawson is almost certain to be fined, but there`s some doubt whether he`ll be suspended.
”I haven`t even thought about it,” White said. ”I don`t know what`s in the report (filed by umpire Joe West, who was bumped by Dawson). I only know what`s on the tape.”
Another chance: Monday night will present tests for disabled pitchers Danny Jackson and Rick Sutcliffe, who will pitch on rehabilitation assignments in Des Moines. Pitching coach Billy Connors will go to evaluate them.
Jackson hopes to show he`s recovered from a strained abdomen that has sidelined him for five weeks.
Sutcliffe will try to chase away doubts he`s at the end of his career. Sutcliffe discussed the possibility of retiring after three poor outings in Iowa, then changed his mind.
Girardi update: In his first four games at Triple-A Iowa, Joe Girardi went 1 for 11 and was unable to throw out either of the baserunners who tried to steal against him. Girardi, recovering from disc problems in his back, has more than two weeks left on his rehabilitation assignment.
Altobelli returns: Bench coach and hitting instructor Joe Altobelli was back in uniform Sunday but has doctor`s orders to take it easy for a while. Altobelli just spent three days in the hospital to rest a swollen lower back. Child`s play: Essian lost count of the number of children he had running around the field during the club`s family day festivities. ”I`m not sure how many there are,” he said. ”Chuck (Wasserstrom, a club spokesman) will have those numbers for you.”
Flying: Pinch-runner Cedric Landrum stole second and third in the eighth inning of Sunday`s 6-2 victory. He`s been thrown out only once in 13 steal attempts and has stolen two bases four times.
