LOS ANGELES — Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier was placed on the 15-disabled list Tuesday for the first time in his five-year career, four days after a freak mishap in the indoor batting cage at San Diego’s Petco Park. He has a fracture in the top knuckle of his right pinkie after it slipped off the knob and shifted to the other side of the bat handle.
Ethier entered Tuesday leading the majors with a .392 average and 38 RBIs, and also was tied for the league lead in home runs with 11.
“I think it could be anywhere from two to three weeks,” manager Joe Torre said. “If it’s longer, it’s longer. But we have to make sure we take care of it now.”
The Dodgers recalled outfielder Xavier Paul from Triple-A Albuquerque.
Ramirez defends his play
MIAMI — Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez defended his play and took shots at his manager and teammates, a day after he was pulled from a game for not hustling.
Ramirez, a two-time all-star, wasn’t in manager Fredi Gonzalez’s starting lineup against Arizona. On Monday night, he accidentally kicked a ball and then lightly jogged after it, allowing two runs to score.
“It’s his team. He can do whatever,” Ramirez said, mixing in an expletive. “There’s nothing I can do about it. That’s OK. He doesn’t understand that. He never played in the big leagues.”
Responded Gonzalez: “He’s right, but I know how to play the game. I played six years in the minor leagues, and I know what it takes to play this game.”
Ramirez said he lost some respect for Gonzalez for the episode.
“A little bit. We got 24 more guys out there,” Ramirez said. “Hopefully, they can do the same things I can do. They’re wearing the Marlins uniform.”
Footnotes.
Having failed to fix the team’s eighth-inning relief woes or to improve his own performance during his three weeks in the bullpen, Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano is returning to the rotation, with Tom Gorzelanny the most likely starter to be sent to the bullpen.
• Nationals slugger Adam Dunn returned home to be examined by the team physician after missing two games because of flu-like symptoms.
• The Mariners demoted winless left-hander Ryan Rowland- Smith to the bullpen and replaced him in the rotation with right-hander Ian Snell.
• Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera appears headed for surgery on his broken left forearm.
• After demoting Oliver Perez to the bullpen and placing left-hander Jonahton Niese (hamstring) on the DL, the Mets are planning to start right-hander R.A. Dickey today at Atlanta, and left-hander Hisanori Takahashi also will take a spot in the team’s beleaguered rotation.
The Associated Press
