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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 1:11 p.m., Friday, August 31, 2007

Baseball: A's Buck, Chavez, Kotsay out for rest of 2007

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics lost three players for the remainder of the season today — six-time Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez, center fielder Mark Kotsay and rookie outfielder Travis Buck.

Chavez will undergo surgery on his troublesome right shoulder on Wednesday. He has been bothered by shoulder problems for about two years and he debated having an operation after the 2005 season. But he has on the disabled list since Aug. 3 with lower back spasms.

Buck also will have an operation Sept. 10 on his right elbow. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20 with a strained left hamstring. Earlier this year, he was on the disabled list from June 28 to July 14 with a sprained right thumb.

"Despite the desires of all three players to get back on the field in 2007, we, as an organization, feel it is important for them to begin the healing process and to break the cycle of injuries that have plagued the A's in 2007," general manager Billy Beane said. "What is most important for Eric, Mark, and Travis is that they start to look forward to a healthy 2008."

The 29-year-old Chavez has won six straight AL Gold Gloves, despite playing much of last season with pain in his forearms and was limited to 137 games because of various injuries.

He batted a career-low .240 this season with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs. In 2006, he hit .241, second worst among all AL qualifiers, and his 100 strikeouts were his third most in parts of nine big league seasons. He still hit 22 home runs to reach the 20-homer mark for the seventh straight year, but his 72 RBIs were his fewest during that span.

He committed six errors this year, one more than last year — after making 15 in 2005. He is one of just six third basemen in major league history to win six or more Gold Gloves, and one of three to do so in the AL, joining Brooks Robinson (16) and Buddy Bell (6).

Kotsay began the 2007 campaign on the DL following back surgery March 8 during spring training. He returned June 1, then was sidelined again Aug. 17 with lower back spasms. He batted .214 with one home run and 20 RBIs.

Buck, the team's opening day right fielder, hit .288 with seven homers and 34 RBIs.

The A's have used an Oakland-record and a majors-leading 51 players this season and have used the disabled list 22 times, tying an Oakland record set in 1992. The 22 players on the DL have combined to miss 1,039 games this season. Nine players are currently on the DL.