Injury Causes Missed Chance for Dickson

Now would have been an ideal time for Lance Dickson to make another leap to the big leagues.

The Chicago Cubs can’t rent a victory lately, having lost nine of their last 10. Two pitchers are on the disabled list and the team ERA is fast approaching the numbers of a straight-A student. And Dickson has once again proven his worth in the minors with a 2.86 earned run average and 92 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings for triple-A Iowa.

Dickson, however, won’t be doing much leaping for awhile, to the big leagues or otherwise.

He’s out three to five weeks with a stress fracture of his foot.

Dickson, a left-hander out of Grossmont High and Arizona, was the talk of the minor leagues in 1990.

Power Found: Former UC San Diego catcher Bob Natal hit only seven home runs in 1990, but hit nearly half that number in one game this year.

His three home runs on April 11 also produced eight runs batted in and sent Natal on his way to a midseason promotion.

Last week, after batting .276 with seven homers and 32 RBIs for the Montreal Expos’ double-A affiliate in Harrisburg, Pa., Natal was called up to triple-A Indianapolis. He hit .350 in his first seven games while driving in six runs.

Another San Diegan receiving a recent promotion to triple-A was Keith Mitchell, a Lincoln High graduate playing in the Atlanta Braves’ organization. Mitchell, after hitting .333 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs for double-A Greenville, S.C., was moved up to Richmond.

Should’ve Been A Royal: In a scorebook, “kc” stands for a called strikeout. To former San Diego State standout Nikco Riesgo, they represent a family trademark. Nikco and wife Dawna have two children--son Rikco, 2, and daughter Dawnikca, 1.

Nikco Moves: In less than 10 months, Riesgo has been involved in three organizational switches and played in single-A, double-A and the major leagues.

His itinerary: traded by the New York Met organization to the Philadelphia organization in August, selected by Montreal in the Rule V draft in December, on 40-man spring training roster with the Expos in February, on disabled list in March, rehabilitation assignment in single-A West Palm Beach, Fla., in early April, recalled by the Expos in late April, optioned to triple-A Indianapolis in May, claimed off waivers by the Phillies and sent to double-A Reading, Pa.

Single-A Stars: Pitcher Wally Trice (U.S. International) was impressive in his one inning during Monday’s Midwest League all-star game in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Trice struck out two of the three batters he faced.

A reliever, Trice is 3-2 with 16 saves and a 1.16 earned run for the Burlington, Iowa, Astros. In 38 2/3 innings, he has 41 strikeouts and nine walks.

Eric Christopherson (San Diego State) was one of the starting catchers and went 0 for 1. Christopherson is batting .258 with 26 RBIs for the Clinton, Iowa, Giants.

Corey Powell (Grossmont College/Patrick Henry) was selected but did not pitch. Powell, who pitched on Saturday, is 6-4 with a 2.27 ERA.

Padre prospect Tim Worrell (Biola) yielded two hits in two innings. He is 8-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 14 starts for Waterloo.

San Diego County Players Selected in June Amateur Draft HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

Player Pos High School Tony Banks OF Hoover High Mike Bovee P Mira Mesa High Todd Cady C Grossmont High Joel Franklin P Coronado High Marlon Gardinera OF Mission Bay High Benji Gil IF Castle Park High Christopher Gorr IF Rancho Buena Vista High Antoine “Rabbit” Henry OF Clairemont High Donny Jones OF Poway High Beto Martinez IF Marian Catholic Cesar Martinez P Chula Vista High Lee McAfee OF Mira Mesa High Rob Plarski C Poway High Jason Reed P El Capitan High Jose Silva P Hilltop High Federico Warner OF Oceanside High

Player Drafted by Tony Banks Minnesota Twins Mike Bovee Kansas City Royals Todd Cady Seattle Mariners Joel Franklin Baltimore Orioles Marlon Gardinera Houston Astros Benji Gil Texas Rangers Christopher Gorr Seattle Mariners Antoine “Rabbit” Henry St. Louis Cardinals Donny Jones Boston Red Sox Beto Martinez New York Yankees Cesar Martinez Boston Red Sox Lee McAfee Oakland Athletics Rob Plarski California Angels Jason Reed Houston Astros Jose Silva Toronto Blue Jays Federico Warner Seattle Mariners

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

Player Status Tony Banks Signed; assigned to rookie team in Ft. Myers, Fla. Mike Bovee Signed; assigned to rookie team in Davenport, Fla. Todd Cady Unsigned; will attend Arizona State on scholarship Joel Franklin Unsigned; may attend Southwestern College Marlon Gardinera Unsigned; may attend community college Benji Gil Unsigned; first-round pick may attend Miami Christopher Gorr Unsigned Antoine “Rabbit” Henry Signed; assigned to rookie team in Peoria, Ariz. Donny Jones Signed; assigned to rookie team in Winterhaven, Fla. Beto Martinez Unsigned Cesar Martinez Signed; assigned to rookie team in Winterhaven, Fla. Lee McAfee Unsigned; may attend community college Rob Plarski Unsigned; will attend USC on scholarship Jason Reed Unsigned; may attend community college Jose Silva Unsigned; may attend SDSU or a juco Federico Warner Unsigned; may attend Palomar College

COLLEGE PLAYERS

Player Pos College Steven Afenir C Palomar College Joe Carrillo P Southwestern College James Davis IF San Diego City College Scott Dennison IF San Diego State James Ferguson P University of San Diego Steve Firisch P Grossmont College Brian Holliday P San Diego State Mike Murphy C U.S. International Charles O’Laughlin P Southwestern College Mark Ratekin P Point Loma Nazarene College Kyle Sebach P U.S. International Mike Whisonant P U.S. International

Player Drafted by Steven Afenir Philadelphia Phillies Joe Carrillo Kansas City Royals James Davis Houston Astros Scott Dennison Montreal Expos James Ferguson Montreal Expos Steve Firisch Baltimore Orioles Brian Holliday Houston Astros Mike Murphy Houston Astros Charles O’Laughlin Milwaukee Brewers Mark Ratekin California Angels Kyle Sebach California Angels Mike Whisonant Philadelphia Phillies

COLLEGE PLAYERS

Player Status Steven Afenir Unsigned Joe Carrillo Unsigned James Davis Unsigned Scott Dennison Signed; assigned to Class A team in Jamestown, N.Y. James Ferguson Signed; assigned to Class A team in Jamestown, N.Y. Steve Firisch Signed; assigned to rookie team in Bluefield, W.Va. Brian Holliday Signed; assigned to Class A team in Auburn,N.Y. Mike Murphy Signed; assigned to Class A team in Auburn,N.Y. Charles O’Laughlin Signed; assigned to rookie team in Peoria, Ariz. Mark Ratekin Signed; assigned to Class A team in Boise, Idaho Kyle Sebach Signed; assigned to rookie team in Mesa,Ariz. Mike Whisonant Signed; assigned to Class A team in Batavia, N.Y.

FORMER AREA PLAYERS

Player Pos College/High School Drafted by Rigo Beltran P Wyoming/Point Loma St. Louis Cardinals Joe Brownholtz P Pacific/Mt. Carmel Texas Rangers Essex Burton IF San Francisco St./Mira Mesa Chicago White Sox Mike Eicher OF Wyoming/Mira Mesa St. Louis Cardinals Alan Ford P San Francisco State/Kearny Toronto Blue Jays Dan Nerat P William Penn/Granite Hills Oakland Athletics Sean Rees P Arizona State/Mission Bay Seattle Mariners Mark Ringkamp P San Jose State/Fallbrook Texas Rangers

FORMER AREA PLAYERS

Player Status Rigo Beltran Signed; assigned to Class A team in Hamilton, Ontario Joe Brownholtz Unsigned Essex Burton Signed; assigned to rookie team in Sarasota, Fla. Mike Eicher Signed; assigned to rookie team in Johnson City, Tenn. Alan Ford Signed; assigned to Class A team in St. Catherines, N.Y. Dan Nerat Signed; assigned to Class A team in Medford, Ore. Sean Rees Signed; assigned to Class A team in San Bernardino Mark Ringkamp Signed; assigned to Class A team in Gastonia, N.C.