Orioles’ Davis Hopes To Return After Chemotherapy

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Eric Davis has decided to receive chemotherapy as follow-up treatment for cancer surgery, a process that will take 22 weeks but won’t necessarily end his season.

Davis, 35, had a cancerous tumor the size of a baseball removed from his colon June 13. Dr. Keith Lillemoe, who performed the surgery, strongly suggested chemotherapy to keep the disease in check.

But Davis wrestled with the idea of receiving chemotherapy, opting to discuss the situation with family and friends before making a final decision.

The procedure will begin Wednesday at the UCLA School of Medicine. The schedule is: six weeks of treatment, two weeks off; six weeks of treatment, two weeks off; then six final weeks of treatment.

Davis will receive treatment from Dr. William Isacoff once a week on an outpatient basis.

Although chemotherapy often wears down patients, Davis “still has every intention of playing this year,” according to Orioles public relations director John Maroon.

Davis last played May 25 and was hitting .302 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.

Phils’ pick goes independent

In his first professional game, college player of the year J.D. Drew hit a two-run home run during a four-run third inning as St. Paul defeated Fargo-Moorhead 8-3 Friday night.

Drew, signed by St. Paul of the independent Northern League just before game time, was called out on strikes in his first at-bat in the first inning. He responded in his next at-bat by hitting the first pitch he saw from losing pitcher Greg Salvevold over the wall in right-center field to give the Saints the lead for good.

Drew, who played center field, walked in the fourth and fifth innings and grounded to second in the eighth inning.

Drew signed with the Saints after failing to come to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Boggs replaces Fielder

Cecil Fielder missed the New York Yankees’ game against Detroit with a sore lower back, forcing disgruntled Wade Boggs back into the lineup at designated hitter.

Fielder went 0 for 5 with a popout and four strikeouts in New York’s 10-3 victory over the Tigers on Thursday night.

“Go out there with half a back and play with half a back? That’s no good,” Fielder said.

Irabu boosts ratings

New York television station WPIX’s broadcast of Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu’s debut drew the second-highest rating of a local New York Yankees broadcast in 10 seasons.

Irabu’s first major league start for the Yankees drew an 11.2 rating and a 19 share for the Tribune Co. unit, meaning that around 752,000 households had their televisions tuned to New York’s 10-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

The rating for Irabu’s outing was well above the 6.6 average WPIX said it’s gotten for Yankees games this year.