DODGERS NOTEBOOK: OSUNA MUST HAVE SURGERY.

Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer

If Dodgers right-hander Antonio Osuna had done what was originally asked by the team, he'd be approximately halfway through his rehabilitation. Instead, his targeted return date is Aug. 1.

Osuna will have arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur Thursday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Osuna was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, retroactive to Monday, his third trip there this season.

``To me, the bottom line came in the game (Sunday),'' Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. ``The first pitch, and in a jam, was 88 (mph) and his next one was 88. He let it go and it went to 90, but he said he felt (pain) on the fastball. That was it for me and for (pitching coach) Charlie (Hough).''

The Dodgers also sent nonhitting catcher Paul Lo Duca to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled catching prospect Angel Pena and outfielder Trenidad Hubbard. It gives the Dodgers 11 pitchers, five outfielders, seven infielders and two catchers, and both were in uniform against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium.

Johnson tried to use Osuna sporadically to allow the pitcher time to recover between outings, but it had an adverse effect on the bullpen.

``The last few outings, I was not good at all,'' said Osuna, who has a 7.71 ERA in five games. ``Lately, it was bothering me a lot. My speed went down a lot and I couldn't do anything with my fastball. That's why I agreed (to have the surgery). I don't have any regrets because (when I skipped the surgery) I thought I could have pitched without the operation.''

The surgery was first recommended April 21 by Dodgers team physician and elbow guru Dr. Frank Jobe. Osuna, who had a bone spur and bone chips removed in the same elbow in September, agreed to have the surgery then but changed his mind on the drive back from the doctor's office. Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella will perform the surgery.

Johnson raised the issue of Osuna's health after a May 11 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Osuna yielded four runs in a third of an inning, and afterward Johnson questioned his velocity.

Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone said he spoke with Osuna's agent, Rocky Hall, last week, but the decision was made by Osuna during a visit to Mexico on Monday to see his father, who recently had hernia surgery.

``I'd rather have him 100 percent for the last two months of the season than 75 percent for the rest of the season,'' Malone said. ``I think every time he went out there, depending on his performance or velocity, there were going to be questions. This way, we'll get him fixed and rehabilitate him and he'll be back.''

While the Osuna chronicles have apparently ended, the backup catching situation is now intriguing.

Johnson and Malone both said Lo Duca, who was 2 for 36 (.056), was sent down to get his timing back on offense. If Pena doesn't perform in a backup role, he and Lo Duca could spent the rest of the season passing each other on the Albuquerque Shuttle.

``When we see Angel getting rusty and ineffective, we'll send him back,'' Malone said.

Pena was hitting .284 with 17 RBI at Triple-A, but several Dodgers officials were worried that he was losing interest since he wasn't at the major-league level.

Hubbard, who hit .298 last season with the Dodgers, batted .322 with five homers, 24 RBI and 14 stolen bases with Albuquerque.

Extra bases: Tripp Cromer made his first start of the season. He played second in place of Eric Young, who was spiked Sunday in St. Louis. The swelling in Young's ankle diminished, trainer Charlie Strasser said, and he could return today. . . . With leadoff batter Young out, Adrian Beltre batted first. . . . Jose Vizcaino (hamstring) remains day-to-day. . . . Johnson said center fielder Devon White, who hasn't played since May 9 because of a hamstring strain, could return to the lineup today. . . . Two of the three games this weekend against St. Louis, i.e., Mark McGwire, are sold out. Tickets remain for Friday's game, but Saturday and Sunday are sold out.

DODGERS vs. HOUSTON

Time: 7:10 p.m., at Dodger Stadium

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West 2; KXTA-AM (1150), KAVL-AM (610), KWKW-AM (1330 Spanish)

Matchup: Dodgers right-hander Kevin Brown (4-2, 2.75 ERA) is looking for his third straight win as he opposes Astros righty Shane Reynolds (6-2, 3.91). After getting hit hard in a start in Philadelphia, Brown is 2-0 and has allowed two earned runs in 15 innings. He's struck out 16 in that span, allowing eight hits. Houston starters entered Tuesday leading the National League with a 19-10 mark and a 3.94 ERA, and Reynolds is a huge part of it. Reynolds was 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in April.

- Brian Dohn

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BOX: DODGERS vs. HOUSTON (see text)