Word on Butler Is Encouraging

Dodger center fielder Brett Butler said he has been told that the lymph nodes removed during his second surgery were not malignant, an indication the cancer has not spread.

Butler had one cancerous thumb-sized lymph-node tumor removed during surgery May 3, and 49 other lymph nodes were taken May 21 and tested. Butler called the Dodgers from his Atlanta home to inform the team that biopsy results showed that the 49 lymph nodes were all benign.

“I have great news,” Butler said when he called Dodger public relations director Jay Lucas with the medical report. “I’m feeling a lot better. I’m getting better every day.”

Butler will meet today with Dr. William Grist, who performed the surgery, and radiation treatments are tentatively scheduled to begin June 10, a week later than first scheduled. The delay will give Butler more time to regain his strength. He has lost 11 pounds.

If all goes well, and Butler feels up to it, he could even realize his goal of playing again this season for the Dodgers. If he begins them June 10, Butler’s radiation treatments will be over on July 19, leaving 10 weeks before the end of the season.

“That’s great news,” third baseman Mike Blowers said. “It would be something if he felt good enough to see us when we’re in Atlanta [June 13-16]. I think that would make all of us feel a lot better.”

Eighteen of the 36 surgical staples in his neck and shoulder have been removed. Butler takes walks around the house and has started to eat solid food. Former teammates Jay Howell and Steve Bedrosian visited him Tuesday.

“It looks like our prayers were answered,” Dodger infielder Chad Fonville said.

The Dodgers have been counting on Butler’s return since he told Manager Tom Lasorda that he would be back. They carry his uniform on the road and have a locker for him.

“We really miss the guy and we’d love to see him back,” Lasorda said. “Believe me, when he’s ready to return, we’re ready to have him.”

When Butler was told May 6 that he had cancer of the tonsils, he thought his career was over. Several days later, he modified his view and said that he would like to return to the Dodgers, saying, “I don’t want my career to end this way.”

Maybe it won’t.

“I think it’s great news,” said first baseman Eric Karros, who wept when he talked with Butler the day Butler was told he had cancer. “We know he’s not out of the woods yet. He still has to go through radiation treatments, but this is great news.”

Said second baseman Delino DeShields: “Can you imagine Buggsy coming back? That would be something. Whatever he wants to do is fine by us. I’d be surprised if he still wanted to come back, but hey, if he did, we’ll be there with open arms.”

Butler’s original surgery May 3 was for what was believed to be a routine tonsillectomy.

“I think it was a very providential break that he went in when he did,” Gadlage said at the time. “This thing had grown so rapidly that I don’t think he could have made it to the end of the season.”