BASEBALL : It Was a Quick Fall From Top for Sharperson

It wasn’t quite the way infielder Mike Sharperson envisioned greeting his former team, but maybe, he said Tuesday, circumstances will be different when they meet again.

Sharperson, who visited the Dodger coaching staff before an 8-2 exhibition victory over the Montreal Expos, is spending his spring in the Atlanta Braves’ minor league camp.

Only three years ago, he was the Dodgers’ lone representative in the 1992 All-Star game.

“It’s strange, going from making the All-Star team one year, comes back and gets only (90) at-bats the following year,” Sharperson said. “I don’t know whether it was the other guys playing that well, or that I wasn’t in their plans at all.

“I just know for the money I was making, they didn’t feel it was worth it to keep me on the roster. It was a business move and I can live with that.”

Meanwhile, Dodger pitcher Darren Dreifort underwent surgery on his right elbow at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles and is expected to be sidelined at least nine months.