BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : For Wallach, No. 13 Is Unlucky Indeed

He’s no Cal Ripken Jr. when it comes to durability, but Dodger third baseman Tim Wallach had hoped to end his career without ever having gone on the disabled list.

But midway through his 13th season, Wallach was put on the disabled list for the first time July 18 because of a broken rib suffered the night before when he was hit by a pitch.

“That’s what upset me about it, that I had to go on the DL,” Wallach said.

Over the years, Wallach has had his share of strains and breaks, but nothing serious enough to keep him out for long.

In an era of the two-month hangnail, Wallach took pride in his work ethic.

“You look at the number of guys who have been on the disabled list in the last 10 years,” he said. “It’s definitely way up from where it used to be.”

Wallach, 35, believes enormous salary increases in the last decade are partly to blame for the increase in disabled list appearances as some players have tried to protect themselves for future contracts.

“Me, I like to play,” Wallach said. “I enjoy playing. I never wanted to do this. I knew I wouldn’t like it. It’s something I tried to avoid at all cost.”

Wallach, scheduled to start riding an exercise bike Saturday, said he hopes to return to the lineup within two weeks.

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The Mets put outfielder Darrin Jackson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 19, because of Graves’ disease, a thyroid condition. Ryan Thompson was recalled from the team’s triple-A affiliate and played Saturday. . . . The run Pedro Martinez gave up in the eighth inning Saturday ended a streak of 14 1/3 scoreless innings. . . . Met outfielder Joe Orsulak was ejected in the third inning after arguing a strike call with home plate umpire Bill Hohn.