Dravecky faces surgery today

Dave Dravecky yesterday entered Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where today he will have surgery for the fourth time since cancer was diagnosed in his left pitching arm in 1988, and he is resigned to having the arm amputated.

However, it still was not determined yesterday whether amputation would be necessary.

"Amputation is very likely, but there is a slight possibility that it won't happen," Sealy Yates, Dravecky's agent, said.

* ANGELS: Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela will undergo an angiogram this morning at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange, Calif., to determine further the extent of blockage in Valenzuela's coronary arteries. Doctors at the hospital should have the results by this afternoon.

Valenzuela was placed on the disabled list Thursday when tests determined that there were possible cardiac vessel changes.

* ASTROS: Houston owners, unsatisfied with attempts so far to sell the team, will entertain offers from cities without baseball franchises who may move the team, the investment banker managing the sale said. National League owners have said they will not support any move by HSA president John McMullen to sell the team to out-of-town buyers who could move the team.

* YANKEES: Don Mattingly, who missed 60 games last season with chronic back trouble, again is battling the condition. He was the designated hitter the past two games in Texas and was uncertain when he would be able to return to play first base. He said the problems began yesterday on the Yankees' flight to Columbus, Ohio, to play their Class AAA club.

* PIRATES: Bobby Bonilla, who had been the only Pittsburgh player to start in every game this season, missed last night's game against the San Diego Padres because of a slight strain to his left calf. Bonilla was hurt Sunday night in a 4-3 victory at San Francisco.

* METS: Despite a breakdown in contract talks with Frank Viola -- and the near certainty that he's ready to test free agency -- New York vice president Al Harazin said there's "no chance" the team will trade its ace left-hander before the end of the season.