01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 26, 2004

BOSTON -- The pregame talk of home runs, batting averages and dominant pitching performances has been replaced in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse largely by terms found in Gray's Anatomy.

Yesterday's pertinent words were "mild degenerative arthritis of the patella" and "arthroscope."

They were applied to third baseman Bill Mueller, who is headed to Phoenix for a Friday surgery date with orthopedist David Zeman. Mueller's right knee will be scoped by Zeman, who will be trying to "clean up the area and shore up the patella (kneecap)," in the words of Red Sox team physician Bill Morgan.

It is estimated that Mueller, the defending American League batting champion, will be out for six weeks. To take his place on the roster, the Red Sox called up Andy Dominque from Pawtucket, where he was mashing International League pitching.

For the time being, rookie Kevin Youkilis, who last night played in his seventh big-league game, will be the everyday third baseman.

After talking it over with Morgan, Zeman, manager Terry Francona, general manager Theo Epstein and trainer Jim Rowe, surgery this week was determined to be the best course of action to ease Mueller's mind and discomfort in his knee.

And while Mueller likely will be out for six weeks, at least the Sox won't be faced with the uncertainty of whether he can play on a particular day.

"The silver lining is I'll be back out there 100 percent and playing," said Mueller. "That's big for me, and I can't wait. I want to come back and be myself -- show up, play my rear off and go home."

Mueller becomes the third starter to require serious disabled list time, joining All-Star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and right fielder Trot Nixon. A year ago, the trio combined for 75 homers, 277 RBI and a collective .311 batting average.

In a strange sense, the Red Sox of 2004 have become the New York Yankees of 2003.

The Yankees were riddled with injuries early last year, striking down such All-Stars as shortstop Derek Jeter (in the first game), closer Mariano Rivera and Bernie Williams, with Jason Giambi hobbled all year by an assortment of woes. But New York won with pitching.

This Sox team began this year without Garciaparra and Nixon. Reliever Scott Williamson was placed on the DL last week. Now Mueller is on the shelf. Boston is winning with pitching, boasting the second-best record in the majors.

At this stage of the season, the Red Sox have roughly $35 million worth of ballplayers either on the disabled list or, in the case of Byung-Hyun Kim, on the way to Korea for a doctor's visit.

But manager Terry Francona doesn't expect any sympathy cards from A.L. rivals, nor will he permit himself to wallow in self-pity.

"I feel for Billy a lot, like Nomar and Trot," said Francona before last night's game against Oakland. "I respect them a lot as players. But we can't let anything get in the way of what we want to do. Kevin Youkilis will help us win games.

"I don't know any other way to go about it," added Francona. "Our goal is to be one run better than the A's tonight. We have to keep it in that context. We just have to try to be the better team that day. I don't think there's any reason we can't do that."

Mueller thinks the early season adversity, and the Sox' ability to overcome it thus far, can only make the team that much stronger when the injured stars finally return, whenever that may be.

"You see how the team has played," said Mueller. "You get over that in a hurry. I don't think you dwell on the situation."

Mueller, though, has been dwelling on his knee problem for almost three weeks.

"Over time it has been growing and growing," said Mueller of the problem. "I wanted to be healthy. I didn't want to go in the office every day and say I can play today or I'm having a problem. That was bugging me."

Mueller has been on anti-inflammatory medication for the arthritis for a while, and had an injection recently. But he still was feeling discomfort.

"The conservative regimen" wasn't helping, said Morgan. So after Mueller underwent an MRI for Morgan and then saw Zeman for a second opinion, the decision to have an arthroscopic procedure was made. There is no ligament damage, said Morgan.

Mueller opted to have the procedure performed by Zeman, who performed similar surgery on Mueller's left kneecap after he had shattered it in 2001 while playing for the Chicago Cubs.

The surgery will not rid Mueller of his arthritis. But the medical staff and Mueller are hopeful that once he comes back the pain will be manageable enough so he'll be able to think only about playing and not about any discomfort.

As for the Sox, meanwhile, their resilience is about to be tested even further. Until the reinforcements arrive, they'll have a rookie (Youkilis) at third, a backup (Mark Bellhorn) starting at second base and a guy they signed to play second base at shortstop (Pokey Reese). And there is no telling when Garciaparra and Nixon will return.

On most teams, such problems could cause a collapse. But a similar situation did not sink the Yankees in 2003. And there are no indications yet that even the latest bit of distressing medical news will send the Red Sox into a tailspin this season.