Ailing Andruw Jones is hitting a horrendous .165 in 43 games with the Dodgers. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andruw Jones will be sidelined four to six weeks following Tuesday's surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.
Jones, 31, was placed on the 15-day disabled list last Saturday for the first time in his major-league career. "They fixed what they thought they had to fix," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "He will start in the next day or so with the rehab that he is going to have to do."
Jones, winner of nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence, is averaging .165 with two home runs, seven runs batted in and 18 runs scored in 43 games this season — paltry numbers for a proven slugger making $9 million US.
He has averaged 39 homers and 117 runs batted in the past three seasons (2005-07).
Jones is a .263 lifetime hitter with 368 HRs, 1,117 RBIs and 1,045 runs in 1,761 games since making his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 15, 1996.
When Atlanta severed ties with him last Oct. 2, he signed a two-year, $36.2-million US contract with Los Angeles on Dec. 6.
Jones received a $12.2-million US signing bonus, of which $5.1 million US is payable in 2008, $2.1 million in 2009 and $5 million US in 2010, plus a no-trade clause.
With files from the Associated Press
