BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Hansen Dealing With Sore Back

Dave Hansen acknowledged Wednesday that his biggest battle this season has not been on the field, but in the training room.

Hansen said that a magnetic resonance imaging exam in May revealed three stress fractures in his back.

Hansen traces the fractures to an auto accident in 1988, when his car was demolished at an intersection by a automobile whose driver ran a red light.

Hansen was diagnosed with a strained back, but the injury has bothered him since.

“Ever since then, the back has always been a battle,” said Hansen, who is working particularly hard because he is starting every night. “I figure it must be the accident, because nothing else has happened to me since then.”

Hansen says he feels fine after he finishes his exercises, but he is considering intensive therapy this winter in hopes of ridding himself of the problem for good.

Since being inserted into the starting lineup July 24 for a late-season tryout, Hansen was batting .229 with one homer and five runs batted in in 35 at-bats before Wednesday night.

For the second time this season, Eric Davis will miss a chance to play in Cincinnati after being put on the 15-day disabled list with an aggravation of a fracture in his left wrist.

The injury occurred Saturday when Davis was hit on the wrist by Jose Melendez of the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers travel to Cincinnati next week as part of a seven-game trip. “I guess somebody must not want me to play in Cincinnati this year,” Davis said. “I guess somebody was afraid I would do some serious damage.” . . . Davis was replaced by Tom Goodwin, who was recalled from triple-A Albuquerque for the third time this season.

Darryl Strawberry, who claims recent therapy has made him feel better than ever, has spent the last couple of days actually wondering whether he should cancel his back surgery. “He feels better, yes, but we are proceeding toward surgery to be performed toward the end of August,” therapist Pat Screnar said. “He feels good as a result of the therapy that will hopefully make it easier for him to recover after the surgery.” . . . Raul Mondesi, the Dodgers’ top outfield prospect, has apparently recovered from his wrist injury and could be playing for double-A San Antonio within the week.