Brown Will Be Out a While

In another jolt to the ailing Dodgers, they learned Wednesday that starter Kevin Brown might be sidelined until after the All-Star break because the irritated nerve in his neck has not healed as hoped.

Concerned about Brown’s slow recovery, team physician Frank Jobe consulted with spinal specialist Robert Watkins to determine whether the right-hander might need neck surgery.

Brown underwent a test Wednesday at USC Medical Center that ruled out surgery, Jobe said, but he has not regained full strength in his pitching hand.

Jobe revealed that Brown, eligible to be activated today from the disabled list, would still be out at least several weeks, ending hope of the club’s No. 1 pitcher missing only three or four starts.

The Dodgers shook off the bad news on the field though, as Alex Cora hit a score-tying three-run homer in the sixth inning and Marquis Grissom hit an RBI single in the seventh in a 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.

It was the Dodgers’ second win in a row and kept them 3 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West. But most of the Dodger frustration lately has been off the field.

The Brown situation only added to that frustration.

Brown, who said he suffered the irritated nerve while sleeping, initially had an MRI exam when the injury was diagnosed June 1.

It did not provide much information, so Jobe and Watkins ordered a CT myelogram, a test in which dye is injected into the spinal-cord area to show nerve damage.

“We did an MRI, that didn’t show us anything, so we had to wait,” Jobe said. “When he didn’t get any better, the next step is to see if there’s a little hang up on any of the nerves, or sleeve covering [of the nerves] that is connected to the spinal cord.

“There’s no pressure on any of the nerves in the neck, which rules out neck surgery. But he still has the symptoms [in his arm and hand], which is what made us do the test today.

“We’ll treat him with massage, ice, heat, observation and time and see if he gets better.”

And the timetable for Brown’s return?

“The answer is I don’t know,” Jobe said. “[Watkins] doesn’t know how long it’s going to take and neither do I, but it’s a matter of weeks.”

Jobe said he is optimistic that Brown could return sooner than expected because he is doing hand-strengthening exercises and his hands are “strong, but he isn’t as strong as he used to be.”

However, Jobe also could not rule out Brown being sidelined another month.

The way things have gone for the Dodgers, they were not surprised be the latest news.

“It’s been tough, especially when you think guys are coming back and then you find out they’re not,” left fielder Gary Sheffield said. “You get in the mind-set that you only have to get through a certain stretch, and then you find out it’s going to be longer.

“It definitely changes your thinking and it makes you have to adjust. We’ve had to adjust several times already, and it’s probably going to happen more.

“You never want to be without a great pitcher like Brownie at any time, but you just have to keep battling.

“We don’t feel sorry for other teams [when their players are injured], and we don’t expect anyone to feel sorry for us.”

Manager Jim Tracy said Brown did not report to Dodger Stadium because he needed to rest after taking the test, which can cause severe headaches.

Brown has repeatedly expressed frustration about the nerve problem that put him on the disabled list for the second time this season.

“It’s not exactly a sprinter’s progress,” Brown said recently. “I don’t know anything to do but take it day by day. I can’t make any projections.

“Believe me, I wish I could for my own sanity.”

Tracy’s outlook also would be brighter if Brown felt better.

“Let’s face it, it’s a gradual process that we’re going through, but little by little, we’re getting some of the pieces back that we lost,” Tracy said, alluding to the club’s rash of injuries.

“To me, obviously, the next major piece is the big fella.

“As far as when that is . . . I don’t know.

“We’re not even to the point where we’re back to baseball activity with him. Once we get beyond what he had done [Wednesday], hopefully he’ll get the OK to do some baseball-activity stuff and see where we’re at.

“As far as the manager is concerned, until we can get him out here and physically involved again, I don’t know how much further I can take it.

“Medically, I don’t have those answers.”