Brewers’ Carr Faces Knee Operation

An MRI test revealed that Milwaukee center fielder Chuckie Carr suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, a torn lateral collateral ligament, a torn hamstring tendon and a bone bruise.

He has been put on the disabled list and infielder Mark Loretta has been recalled from triple-A New Orleans. Surgery on Carr is set for today.

He was injured while making a leaping catch on Julio Franco’s fly ball in the fourth inning of the Cleveland Indians’ 2-0 victory Thursday night.

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Pitcher Pete Schourek, bothered because of a sore elbow, joined outfielder Eric Davis, who has sore ribs, on Cincinnati’s 15-day disabled list giving up six runs in five innings of a 9-1 loss to Atlanta.

In the Red shuffle, outfielder Vince Coleman agreed to go to the minors to work on his hitting. Infielder Eric Owens and outfielders Chad Mottola and Curtis Goodwin were called up from triple-A Indianapolis.

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The Atlanta Braves, looking to bolster their injury-depleted outfield, acquired Danny Bautista from the Detroit Tigers for minor leaguer Anton French.

The Braves, who already have lost David Justice for the season because of a shoulder injury, put Jerome Walton on the 15-day disabled list because of a nagging right hip strain.

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After 420 starts and 421 games, Frank Viola is making his second trip to the bullpen. Toronto Blue Jays Manager Cito Gaston told Viola of the move, at which Viola was not pleased.

“I didn’t come back [after 1994 elbow surgery] to pitch out of the bullpen on a full-time basis,” said Viola (1-3). “The way we left it is, we don’t need a fifth starter until next Saturday [June 8].”

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A statement purportedly from Albert Belle explaining why he turned down a fan’s request for an autograph may have come from the Cleveland slugger’s brother Terry, an Indians spokesman said.

In the past, Terry Belle has acted as a spokesman for his brother.

Belle’s agent, Arn Tellem, confirmed that Albert Belle had not authored the statement, which said he felt justified in turning down the fan’s request in exchange for a home run baseball hit in Texas because the man was sitting in a section of hecklers.

“The mere sight of him reminded me of all the heckling, and so I determined not to deal with him,” the statement said, quoting Belle.