The Cubs say Dave Smith could be back in a month. Smith isn`t so sure.
”I think that`s being generous,” said Smith, who on Thursday underwent a successful arthroscopic operation on his right knee.
Smith, who came to Wrigley Field this weekend on crutches and sporting a knee pad, will begin therapy as soon as swelling subsides, perhaps as early as Wednesday.
Smith isn`t sure when he`ll be able to pitch again, but he said he felt fortunate that his season wasn`t over. ”I guess when (Dr. Michael Schafer)
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went in there, the ligament had started healing itself,” Smith said. ”I could have woken up to, `Go on home, the year`s over with.` ”
Coming on: The Cubs have lost only one of their last nine series. They`ve won seven and split one. ”I think we`re just playing pretty good ball, really, overall,” manager Jim Essian said.
Essian credits improved starting pitching with the club`s mini-revival. He balks whenever he`s asked about the club`s plans for 1992. ”You can look at next year all you want,” Essian said. ”I`m just concerned about the game each day.”
Awesome Dawson: Andre Dawson on Monday earned a one-game suspension and a $1,000 fine for his role in an argument with Joe West last week in Wrigley Field, but that didn`t stop the Cubs from nominating him for National League Player of the Week. Dawson went 8 for 22 with three homers and 10 RBIs in six games.
With three home runs in as many days, Dawson has pulled within five of Ralph Kiner for 37th place on the lifetime home run list. Kiner hit 369. Dawson`s 364 put him fifth among active players; only California`s Dave Winfield (397), Philadelphia`s Dale Murphy (390), Los Angeles` Eddie Murray
(388) and Baltimore`s Dwight Evans (383) have more than Dawson has.
This season Dawson has already surpassed the career totals of six retired sluggers, including onetime White Sox George Foster (351) and Dick Allen (354) Streaking: Greg Maddux, who pitches Tuesday night in Cincinnati, has won his last two decisions for the first time since he scored wins on May 1 and May 6.