Hundley Is Latest Dodger to Join the Disabled List

Losing another everyday player, the Dodgers put Todd Hundley on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday after X-rays revealed the switch-hitting catcher has a strained right oblique muscle.

Hundley suffered the abdominal injury during Tuesday night’s 10-5 loss to the New York Mets and is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks. Middle infielder Alex Cora was recalled from triple-A Albuquerque to take Hundley’s place on the 25-man roster.

Chad Kreuter takes over for Hundley at catcher.

The Dodgers recalled Paul LoDuca from Albuquerque to help Kreuter with the catching duties. The team also sent utility player Adam Melhuse to Albuquerque. Catcher Angel Pena was expected to be recalled, but recently suffered a hip injury.

After struggling last season, Hundley has become one of the Dodgers’ most productive players and a team leader. Now, he’s among their many injured.

“It feels like there is a knife sticking me in the back right now,” Hundley said after receiving therapy. “It’s 15 days [on the disabled list] and we’ll go from there.”

Hundley is the second Dodger in four days to suffer a serious injury. Third baseman Adrian Beltre went on the 15-day disabled list Monday after straining his right hamstring in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Moreover, center fielder Devon White has been sidelined since May 5 because of a partial tear of his left rotator cuff. Reliever Gregg Olson has been on the disabled list since April 11 because of a right forearm strain.

The growing list of injured players has made shuffling the lineup difficult for Manager Davey Johnson, who now must do without the player the Dodgers chiefly credit for the team’s strong start.

“He has been a big part of our success, no question about it,” Johnson said of Hundley, who is batting .290 with 13 home runs and 33 runs batted in. “He has been swinging the bat great from both sides and doing a great job with the pitching staff. It’s tough.”

Left fielder Gary Sheffield said Hundley’s injury is a major setback for a team trying to contend for the National League West title. The Dodgers are four games behind first-place Arizona.

“Obviously it’s going to hurt,” Sheffield said. “We’re losing a power-hitting switch-hitter who has been swinging great from the right side of the plate too.

“Chad Kreuter is a quality backup and he has been doing a great job, but it’s going to be hard to replace his power. When you’re getting home runs from down in the [batting] order, it just makes it easier on the guys up top. We’re going to miss him.”

Hundley was injured while running from second base to third in the sixth inning Tuesday night. After leading off with a double, Hundley grimaced in pain and grabbed his right side while going to third on Kevin Elster’s bloop single to center.

Hundley turned his head over his right shoulder to see if Met center fielder Melvin Mora made the catch. He said he suffered the strain in that quick motion.

“I felt like someone punched me and stabbed me all at the same time,” said Hundley, who was helped from the field. “I couldn’t breathe. I’ve never had something like that.”

Hundley, the eighth Dodger to be placed on the disabled list, is considered among the club’s toughest players, so the Dodgers feared the worst after watching him struggle to move in the clubhouse.

“You knew it was a serious thing,” team trainer Stan Johnston said, “just because of his reaction.”

An examination by team physician Ralph Gambardella confirmed the Dodgers’ fears. X-rays revealed a second-degree strain.

Hundley will receive several forms of therapy, but the Dodgers acknowledge he might not be ready to be activated when he’s eligible to come off the disabled list June 15.

“The only good thing is that it’s not cartilage between the ribs--that would be six weeks to six months,” Hundley said. “They say that, on the average, it’s three to six weeks until I feel 100%.

“But there’s no guarantee of the exact date. It’s just real delicate right now. The trick is not to aggravate it.”

While Hundley watches, Kreuter--with two homers, seven RBIs and a .291 average in 55 at-bats before Wednesday’s game--becomes the Dodgers’ primary catcher. He has occupied the role previously in his 10-year career with the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.

“I have to stay consistent behind the plate,” Kreuter said. “My first priority has to be to keep [Kevin Brown] on track and keep Chan Ho [Park] and [Darren Dreifort] going.

“My job is to call a good game, hold runners on, block balls in the dirt and just stay focused catching. That’s my job. Whatever I do offensively is icing on the cake.”

Hundley is admired in the clubhouse because he played through the pain of a sore right elbow last season, and worked hard in the off-season to revive his career. But Hundley isn’t feeling sorry for himself.

“This is driving me nuts, but I have to look at it as a bump in the road,” Hundley said, “and work twice as hard to get back from this.”

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Staff Writer Ross Newhan contributed to this story.

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DODGERS 4, METS 3: Kevin Brown exits in sixth after being hit by line drive. Kevin Elster’s homer in ninth wins it. Page 5

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Disabled Dodgers

Dodgers who have spent time on the disabled list this season and their replacements:

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Player Pos. DL Time Replacement Todd Hundley C 15-day Chad Krueter Adrian Beltre 3B 15-day Dave Hansen Mike Fetters P 15-day Onan Masaoka Devon White OF 15-day Todd Hollandsworth Kevin Elster SS 15-day Alex Cora Kevin Brown P 15-day Carlos Perez

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STARTED SEASON ON DISABLED LIST

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Gregg Olson P 60-day Antonio Osuna P 15-day

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