Jordan’s Situation Appears Worse

The diagnosis of a second doctor Tuesday left St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Brian Jordan, who has a bulging disc in his back, a step closer toward sitting out the rest of the season.

Jordan, 30, is on the 15-day disabled list for the second time and has played in only 37 games. He sat out six weeks earlier in the year after rest and rehabilitation was prescribed, but lasted only two weeks after returning to the lineup.

“In the six weeks off I worked really hard to get back and in a matter of two weeks playing I’m back to the same,” Jordan said. “I don’t want to do that again.

“I didn’t help the team and I didn’t help myself.”

Jordan led the Cardinals with 104 RBIs last year, batting .310 with 17 home runs. This year he’s hitting .254 with no homers and nine RBIs.

Dr. Keith Bridwell, a spine specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, performed an MRI and agreed with an earlier diagnosis by Dr. Robert Watkins of Atlanta. The MRI showed a tear in the disc.

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Florida Marlin outfielder Gary Sheffield apologized to umpires whom he had accused of treating him unfairly. In a one paragraph statement issued before the Marlins’ game at Boston, Sheffield said he would donate $7,500 to purchase baseball equipment for children in the Miami area.

Sheffield was quoted last week as saying that umpires gave him a bigger strike zone, forcing him to swing at bad pitches.

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The San Diego Padres’ finances are worse than previously reported, and that a new ballpark would boost revenues, according to minority owner and president Larry Lucchino.

During a meeting of the Mayor’s Padres Task force, Lucchino said the team’s owners had to cover $31 million in losses during the 1995 and ’96 seasons by paying out $8 million in 1995 and $11 million in ’96.

The greatest portion was paid by principal owner John Moores, who owns 80% of the team, Lucchino said, citing figures from annual audits of the team’s books.