BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Sore Shoulder Shortens Dreifort’s Stint

Darren Dreifort, making his third start for the double-A San Antonio Missions, came out of the game after three innings Wednesday night for precautionary reasons because of stiffness in his right shoulder.

He will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s very much unknown as to what the degree of seriousness is there, but we may know in as soon as one day,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president.

Last September in the instructional league, Dreifort’s surgically-repaired knee, which was still rehabilitating, started acting up. To accommodate it, he changed his delivery, and soon after developed tendinitis in his elbow. At the time, his father, John, said Darren had not had tendinitis in his pitching arm before.

Dreifort was pitching well, having given up only two earned runs in 12 innings of three starts. Dreifort, who is slated to be the future closer for the Dodgers, was starting for the Missions in order to get more innings pitched.

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Raul Mondesi, who left the clubhouse Tuesday without talking to reporters after hitting the game-winning home run in the 10th inning, had a good reason. His wife, Ada, was ill, and Mondesi said he was concerned about her. Mondesi said Wednesday that Ada is fine.

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Dodger players met after batting practice and voted unanimously to grant power to the player’s union in the upcoming negotiations involving a new basic agreement. The vote authorized the union to determine a strike date and to call a strike, if needed.

“It’s been a beautiful year,” said Brett Butler, referring to the Dodgers’ first-place season. “But if it’s the process that goes to the 11th hour or not, we will go with what it takes to get (an agreement) done.”

Butler said the players will in no way approve a salary cap, which is the point of contention. “Look at basketball, they are trying to get rid of it,’ he said.

Mike Piazza, who is the Dodgers’ lone representative at the All-Star game, will be the team’s player rep at a meeting Monday in Pittsburgh, where the game will be played on Tuesday. Most clubs have one player representative, but the Dodgers have done it by committee. While Butler and Orel Hershiser, among other veterans, have taken an active part, they have encouraged the participation of the younger players.

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Jim Gott pitched in a simulated game Thursday, throwing about 15 minutes. If he recovers well, he will start a rehabilitation assignment on Friday with the Bakersfield Dodgers that will probably include at least two outings before he will be evaluated. Gott underwent an appendectomy on June 9 that was complicated because his appendix burst. . . . Albuquerque’s Greg Hansell was 3-0 and a 2.30 ERA in June.