BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Leyland Chooses Jackson for Game 2

Jim Leyland, manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, completed his pitching rotation for the National League playoffs by selecting left-hander Danny Jackson to pitch Game 2 against the Braves in Atlanta.

The matchups for the first three games of the playoffs are: Game 1, Tuesday, Doug Drabek vs. John Smoltz; Game 2, Wednesday, Jackson vs. Steve Avery; and Game 3, Friday in Pittsburgh, Tom Glavine vs. rookie Tim Wakefield.

Leyland said on his daily radio show that he picked Jackson over 14-game winner Randy Tomlin because of Jackson’s postseason experience. Jackson has pitched in two World Series, in 1985 with Kansas City and 1990 with Cincinnati, and has a 2-1 postseason record.

Leyland said that batting coach Milt May, a former catcher, urged him to switch Wakefield to Game 3 because Wakefield’s knuckleball might be difficult to catch during a day game. Game 2 will be played in the late afternoon.

“Also, he’s got a real good record at home (5-0),” Leyland said of Wakefield, who didn’t join the Pirates’ rotation until late July.

The Pirates must decide by noon Monday whether to activate left-hander Zane Smith for the playoffs. Smith has pitched only three times since mid-July because of stiffness in his left shoulder. He pitched three shutout innings Tuesday in Chicago and is expected to pitch again today in New York.

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Right fielder Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday. His season ended because of a September injury for the third year in a row.

The surgery will be to clean out the knee, an operation similar to one Gwynn had in September of 1991. Gwynn batted .317 with six home runs and 41 RBIs in 128 games.

Meanwhile, pitcher Bruce Hurst’s left shoulder was examined and the team said the diagnosis remained that Hurst has an inflammation of the rotator cuff.

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Four New York Mets, pitchers Jeff Innis, Wally Whitehurst and Anthony Young and catcher Mackey Sasser will undergo surgery.

On Monday, Young’s left shoulder will be stabilized and torn cartilage will be removed from his left knee. Sasser will have loose bodies removed from his left ankle.

On Tuesday, Innis will have damaged tissue removed from his left knee and Whitehurst will have loose bodies removed from the right elbow.

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Center fielder Mike Devereaux of the Baltimore Orioles suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb Thursday night and will sit out the Orioles’ final games.

Devereaux finishes with 24 home runs, 107 RBIs and a .276 average, all personal bests.