Jobe Leaning Toward Surgery for Green

Although the Dodgers said Tuesday they have not determined whether right fielder Shawn Green must undergo surgery to repair his damaged right shoulder, team physician Frank Jobe indicated it appears necessary at this point.

“I wouldn’t want to say for sure right now,” Jobe said, “but I’m leaning toward it.”

Green revealed Monday he has played despite a painful shoulder injury since spring training, saying he expects to have surgery after the season.

An MRI exam Aug. 19 showed labrum damage and bursitis on the back of his right shoulder. The labrum is cartilage around the bone.

The two-time All-Star has taken anti-inflammatory medication since the spring in an effort to remain in the lineup, and followed an individual exercise routine.

The combination of medication and therapy, however, has not helped Green regain his power. After hitting 91 home runs with 239 runs batted in the previous two seasons, Green has 12 homers and 62 RBIs this season.

Said Jobe: “If it’s bothering him between now and the end of the season, we’ll probably go ahead with it.”

Green might be sidelined up to four months after surgery, which is why Green and the Dodgers decided to address the matter after the season.

“When you stick an arthroscope in a shoulder, you’re going to run about two months, and then you have at least a month of rehab,” Jobe said. “So, you’ve got about three to four months. He’d miss half the season.”

Green plans to have a more extensive MRI exam after the season.

General Manager Dan Evans believes it’s impossible to measure the effect of the shoulder damage on Green’s significant drop in production.

“I don’t think anyone can answer, specifically, that they know that his home run production has been adversely affected by only one factor, and that is a shoulder that’s had issues during the course of the season,” Evans said. “I don’t think anyone has that answer.”

Green said he wouldn’t do anything differently.

“I have no second thoughts,” he said. “I feel it’s my job to play as long as I’m capable of playing. Sometimes you’re not going to perform as well as you like, healthy or not healthy. I want to be out there.”

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Catcher Paul Lo Duca sat out Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros after suffering a sprained jaw Mon- day.

“I’m doing OK,” Lo Duca said. “I just got my bell rung for a little while, and my jaw was a little sore this morning.”

Lo Duca took a foul ball off the mask in the third inning of Monday’s 10-1 loss. Precautionary X-rays were negative. Lo Duca said he felt fine after running on the treadmill Tuesday, but the Dodgers exercised caution.

“I’ll be in the lineup tomorrow night,” Lo Duca said. “I’m not the smartest guy in the world, anyway.”