Baseball on Their Minds

While the Dodgers don’t have particularly pleasant memories of their last visit to Chicago, which included the fracas with fans in the Wrigley Field stands on May 16, they were putting their best faces forward before hitting the road.

“I’m just going to play baseball. That’s all I’m going there for and that’s all I’ve got to say about that,” said reliever Mike Fetters, who served a one-game suspension for his role in the melee.

“Nothing. I’m not thinking about it,” said catcher Todd Hundley, who grew up near Chicago.

“I’m not even worried about it,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “I played there and they have great fans. I think it was an isolated thing.”

The drama began when backup catcher Chad Kreuter said his hat was stolen and he was punched in the back of the head by a fan as he sat in the visitors’ bullpen.

Kreuter, who was hit with an eight-game suspension after going into the stands and putting his hands around a fan’s neck, will reportedly be served with legal papers when he arrives in Chicago.

“If I get subpoenaed, I get subpoenaed and I’ll let the team’s lawyers worry about that,” Kreuter said. “I’m just going to concentrate on trying to help the team win.”

*

Johnson said Kevin Brown’s right index finger was fine a day after he was hit by a pitch in another ill-fated bunt attempt Wednesday night.

“He said it was all right, but he still wasn’t in a good mood today, so I guess so,” Johnson said.

Earlier this season, Brown broke his right little finger trying to bunt at New York.

*

As expected, the Dodgers put utility player F.P. Santangelo on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a torn ligament in his left thumb and called up infielder Jeff Branson from triple-A Albuquerque.

To make room for Branson on the 40-man roster, minor league pitcher Apostol Garcia, who last played at Class-A San Bernardino, was designated for assignment.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Chicago Cubs, four games.

* Site--Wrigley Field.

* Today--Doubleheader, first game 11 a.m.

* TV--Channel 5 for today’s first game and Sunday, Channel 11 Saturday.

* Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 65-61, Cubs 55-70.

* Record vs. Cubs--3-2.

TODAY’S FIRST GAME

DODGERS’

DARREN DREIFORT

(10-7, 4.51 ERA)

vs.

CUBS’

JON LIEBER

(11-6, 4.21 ERA)

TODAY’S SECOND GAME

DODGERS’

CARLOS PEREZ

(4-6, 5.39 ERA)

vs.

CUBS’

DANIEL GARIBAY

(2-5, 4.72 ERA)

* Update--In two starts against the Cubs this season, Dreifort is 1-0 with a 6.55 ERA. Perez will be making his first start since Aug. 1 at Pittsburgh. He last won on May 20 at Florida.

* Saturday, 10 a.m.--Matt Herges (8-3, 3.56 ERA) vs. Kevin Tapani (8-10, 4.53 ERA).

* Sunday, 11 a.m.--Ismael Valdes (2-6, 5.70 ERA) vs. Kerry Wood (6-6, 5.32 ERA).