Dreifort’s Season on the Brink

In a move that might have signaled the end of Darren Dreifort’s season, the Dodgers put the struggling starter on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a torn ligament in his reconstructed pitching elbow.

The right-hander left Friday’s game with the San Diego Padres after he suffered a tear in his medial collateral ligament--the same injury that forced him to undergo surgery and sit out the 1995 season.

Dreifort is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Tuesday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood to determine the extent of the latest tear, and club officials are reluctant to comment on his status until tests are completed.

But many in the organization privately expressed concern about Dreifort’s injury, wondering if the fourth-year starter will pitch again in 2001.

On the field, the news was decidedly better. The Dodgers scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the San Diego Padres, 7-3, before 60,830 at Qualcomm Stadium and extend their winning streak to five games.

Dreifort, who remained with the team and sat on the bench in uniform after receiving treatment, acknowledged that his elbow had bothered him recently.

However, Dreifort did not use the injury as an excuse for a 4-7 record and 5.13 earned-run average in the first season of a five-year, $55-million contract.

The seven-year veteran dismissed the notion he probably should have stopped pitching when the pain occurred, saying he would not have done anything differently in hindsight.

“There’s been some stiffness in there, and [Friday] was worse than any other day,” said Dreifort, who has a history of arm and shoulder problems. “I couldn’t keep continuing on the path that I was during the game. You go out there and you’ve got nothing, you’ve pretty much got no choice [but to leave].

“But we won’t even really know what’s going on until we get a better look at it on Tuesday. There’s no hard evidence that . . . if I thought I couldn’t go out and help this team win ballgames, sure, I would have shut it down, but I didn’t feel that way.”

Dreifort’s teammates are not surprised by his commitment.

“There will never be any question about Dreif’s character or toughness,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “He never makes an excuse for anything, never talks about pitching in pain, he just goes out and does his job.

“He has pitched with a lot of pain before. If he’s taking himself out, something is wrong.”

Left fielder Gary Sheffield praised Dreifort for putting the team first despite his difficulties.

“You are [disappointed] any time something like that happens, especially to good people,” Sheffield said. “Dreif is a great person, and he’s one of the hardest-working pitchers I’ve ever seen.

“He’s had such a tough time this year, but he kept battling and never made excuses. It shows what type of character this guy has. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Although he’s trying to remain optimistic, Dreifort conceded he is uneasy about the upcoming MRI.

“I’m not in any hurry to get in an MRI machine, I’ll tell you that right now,” said the 1993 Dodger No. 1 draft pick. “I’ve been in it a lot of times, but I would like to know what’s going on.

“If they get in there and find out that it’s nothing, then all the better. There’s no reason to get all hung up about it right now when you don’t know.”

Of course, the Dodgers have to be prepared for the worst.

They activated infielder Tim Bogar from the disabled list to take Dreifort’s spot on the 25-man roster, and are expected to recall right-hander Eric Gagne from triple-A Las Vegas to start Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

Gagne has pitched well since being demoted to the minors, going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three starts.

The right-hander is 1-4 with a 5.88 ERA in 16 appearances for the Dodgers, including 12 starts.

Versatile reliever Giovanni Carrara was effective in two starts, but the Dodgers believe moving Carrara to the rotation would weaken the bullpen.

“That [recalling Gagne] is obviously the natural thing to do,” said Manager Jim Tracy, who has shuffled the rotation repeatedly because of injuries.

“We’ll continue to look at that situation. But unless something were to change, more than likely, that’s the move at this time.”

The Dodgers might need to make a bigger move to remain in the National League West race.

Dreifort’s status is uncertain and starter Andy Ashby--in the first year of a three-year, $22.5-million contract--had season-ending elbow surgery in June.

Kevin Brown and Chan Ho Park are the club’s only proven starters, joining Gagne, converted reliever Terry Adams and rookie Luke Prokopec in the new-look rotation.

Is that enough to help the Dodgers win the West or earn the wild-card berth?

“I believe there is a window available,” Tracy said, “for us to find out some of the answers to those questions.”

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By the Numbers

Comparing Dodger right-hander Darren Dreifort’s statistics for this season to those for his career:

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2001 Career Record 4-7 43-52 ERA 5.13 4.38 Runs 62 411 Earned runs 54 371 Games 16 204 Games started 16 103 Innings 94.2 761.2 Home runs 11 79 Hits 89 725 Walks 47 328 Strikeouts 91 672

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