BASEBALL / SPRING TRAINING : Molitor on Disabled List With a Broken Thumb

Third baseman Paul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers went on the disabled list for the 11th time in his 12-year career Monday, when X-rays revealed a broken bone in his right thumb.

Molitor was placed on the 15-day disabled list and may not return for up to four weeks. He was injured Sunday while sliding into second base during an exhibition game.

“It’s never OK without Molitor,” Manager Tom Trebelhorn said. “But we can’t change it.”

This is the second consecutive season that Molitor, 33, will begin on the disabled list. In 1989, Molitor dislocated a finger during the last week of training camp while horsing around during running drills.

The loss of Molitor is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Brewers. Earlier, they placed second baseman Jim Gantner on the 15-day disabled list as he recovers from knee surgery.

Shortstop Gary Sheffield has a sprained ligament in his right wrist and shortstop Billy Spiers is bothered by a tender shoulder.

Manager Dave Johnson of the New York Mets made two big decisions, sending Bob Ojeda to the bullpen and deciding that Mike Marshall will start at first base over Dave Magadan.

In the rotation are Dwight Gooden, Frank Viola, Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez and David Cone.

Ojeda was 13-11 last season with a 3.47 earned-run average.

Marshall, 30, was acquired by the Mets from Los Angeles on Dec. 20 along with reliever Alejandro Pena for Juan Samuel. Marshall has been bothered by back problems during his career, going on the disabled list five times.

He hit .260 in 1989 with 11 homers and 42 runs batted.

The 27-year-old Magadan played first base while Keith Hernandez was injured last season, batting .286 last season with four homers and 41 RBIs in 127 games.

George Steinbrenner, New York Yankee owner, said that he will meet with Don Mattingly’s agent this week to discuss a new contract.

Mattingly, who can become a free agent after this season, said he won’t negotiate during the season.

Non-roster catcher Ed Hearn was released by the Kansas City Royals, verifying what Royal fans already knew--that the 1987 trade sending pitcher David Cone to the New York Mets was the worst deal the franchise ever made.

Hearn, who underwent rotator cuff surgery in 1987, appeared in only 13 games for the Royals. Cone won 20 games for the Mets in 1988 and was 14-8 last season.