BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Lasorda, Nomo Disagree on Distractions

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda had a 20-minute meeting Saturday with Hideo Nomo to discuss curtailing his activities, but Nomo insists it hasn’t been a distraction.

“It’s been no trouble,” Nomo said. “It’s not exhausting. I’m not going to change anything, but if it becomes too much, I’ll say something.

“I don’t think the number of media people will decrease.”

Said Lasorda: “I just don’t want to put too much on him. I want him to feel like he’s part of the family. I told him, ‘Any time you feel it’s too much, you come and let me know, and I’ll take care of it.’

“I want him to be a happy player, and I want him to be here a long time.”

The Dodgers will keep Nomo in his regular turn in the rotation, and give everyone an extra day’s rest with Monday’s off-day. Nomo is scheduled Thursday against the New York Mets.

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Philadelphia Phillie All-Star catcher Darren Daulton was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right knee and will be sidelined for about nine months. It will be his eighth knee operation; the previous seven were on his left knee.

Daulton suffered the injury in the fourth inning Friday night when he was scrambling to get back to second base and his spikes caught in the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium.

“I heard a loud pop,” Dodger second baseman Delino DeShields said. “I said, ‘Was that your knee?’ He said, ‘Yep.’ I said, ‘Oh-oh.’ ”

The Phillies called up catcher Mike Lieberthal to replace Daulton on the roster. Daulton was batting .249 with nine homers and 55 RBIs.

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First baseman Gregg Jefferies, who became the first Phillie player in 32 years to hit for the cycle, missed the game Saturday to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter, Madison Chase.

Kevin Elster, who had never played first base, made his major league debut at first in Jefferies’ place.

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Dodger shortstop Jose Offerman broke a 0-for-17 slump with a third-inning single. . . . Home-plate umpire Frank Pulli apologized to Chad Fonville for missing a call at first base in the ninth inning Friday.