Cubs’ Biggest Question: Dawson

The Chicago Cubs have several question marks, but none is bigger than the one involving the troublesome right knee of outfielder Andre Dawson.

Dawson, the National League’s MVP in 1987 when he hit 49 home runs and knocked in 149 runs, had a cyst removed and arthroscopic surgery on the knee last October. The same knee that was scoped last May when he missed 33 games.

He is 35, and the healing process has been slow.

“I’m noticing improvement but not as quickly as I anticipated or hoped,” said the slugger, who is taking his time recovering this spring. “I don’t want to have another setback. I want to evaluate the condition day by day, week by week.

“I want to do what is in the best interest of myself and the club,” Dawson said. “I’ve had to come back from injuries before, but this is the longest and toughest. It’s taking longer to heal because of the wear and tear through the years.”

Neither Dawson nor the Cubs have set any target date for him to be ready to play.

“It’s too uncertain, and I don’t want to build up my hopes,” Dawson said. “Then there’s the matter of the weather when we go North.”

Cold weather could pose still another problem. Dawson’s left knee is arthritic, and he has to have fluid removed from it when it becomes stiff.

Dawson had another good year in 1988 when he batted .303 with 24 home runs and 79 RBIs, but he slipped to .252 last year with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs.

The numbers began slipping as he continued to play on the aching knee. Then came his embarrassing performance in the pennant playoff when the Cubs lost to the San Francisco Giants in five games.

Dawson batted a feeble .105 with only two hits in the series.

“I’ve worked hard with weights, trying to build the other muscles around the knee to keep it from buckling,” he said. “The stronger the other muscles get, the less problem I’ll have with the knee.”

Cubs Manager Don Zimmer had a long talk with Dawson about the problem and told him not to force the issue and to take his time.

“We don’t want any setbacks once he gets back into the lineup,” said Zimmer. “We don’t want to do anything too quick and then have him miss another month.”

Zimmer is also concerned about the mental aspects of the matter.

“He had a tough playoff series, and I don’t want to rush him and have him go 1-for-25,” said Zimmer. “So what if he doesn’t play the opener April 9?

“I am not worrying about the 9th of April, although I haven’t written it off. What good is it if he hits a double and then blows out the knee? When he’s ready, I want him to get off to a good start. He has to use his own judgment.”

Dawson has set no goals other than “to be physically able to play 150 games.”

He has no hopes of duplicating his 1987 season.

“That,” Dawson said, “was a dream year. I put up the numbers because everything fell into place. I was healthy and in the lineup every day. This is a tough game to play when you are healthy and very tough to play when you have injuries.”

Dawson is antsy and pessimistic about his situation, but team trainer John Fiero is optimistic, as is spring coach Jim Piersall, who is working with Dawson.

“We’re pleased and feel things are better than expected,” Fiero said. “His (Dawson’s) reaction is natural because he has had five months of rehab.”

Piersall said: “From what I’ve seen, I think he’ll be ready soon. He is not in pain when he is working. He has no real speed yet, but I hit him ground balls and fungos, and he gets to everything I hit. He doesn’t seem to be favoring anything.”