BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Hamilton Fined for Going Home

Jeff Hamilton has been fined for leaving the Dodgers without permission to escort his pregnant and ailing wife, Shelly, from Los Angeles to their home in Flint, Mich.

Dodger Vice President Fred Claire has punished Hamilton after the injured third baseman did not report to San Diego for the series opener Tuesday night. Hamilton had left Los Angeles for Flint after returning with the team from Atlanta Monday morning.

“It is not what I did, but how I did it that was wrong,” Hamilton said Wednesday night from Flint. “I should have called the Dodgers, but being on the disabled list, and having all this bad luck, sometimes you just don’t care about things.”

Hamilton is expected to rejoin the team Friday in Los Angeles, minus a reported one day’s pay for each of the three days he will miss. Based on his $431,000 salary, that comes to $7,183.33.

“I’ve always let my players leave the team to take care of family business,” Manager Tom Lasorda said. “But you have to ask.”

Although Mike Scioscia and Jay Howell were both expected to be available for action by this weekend, trainer Bill Buhler said it is possible that neither will return before the All-Star break.

Scioscia, nursing a bruised right hand while still on the active roster, is finding it difficult to grip and swing a bat. Howell, who is eligible to come off the disabled list Friday after missing two weeks with a tender elbow, still has not begun throwing again.

Lenny Harris, in a two-for-26 slump, was replaced at third base by Mike Sharperson Wednesday against left-hander Bruce Hurst. . . . Chris Gwynn left the team to be with his wife, JoAnn, who was in labor with their second child.