The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. - Tim Hudson was involved in a minor confrontation at a Boston bar last Friday night, but the Oakland Athletics said it didn't cause the injury that limited him to one inning in his start two days later.

A's manager Ken Macha told ESPN's SportsCenter on Monday that Hudson and left-hander Barry Zito were signing autographs at the bar on the night before Game 3 of Oakland's division series against the Red Sox.

The players and Hudson's brother had to be separated from several Red Sox fans after a confrontation, but Hudson told Macha no punches were thrown. Hudson wasn't on the field before Game 5 on Monday night, and players usually aren't available to reporters before playoff games.

"I think it's a non-issue," Macha said earlier Monday. "He's sitting there, and he's amazed at what this thing has been blown out to. It's a non-issue."

The San Francisco Chronicle quoted unidentified sources Monday describing a wild brawl at the bar between Hudson and several patrons. The bar's manager, Noel Gentelles, denied the reports to The Associated Press.

SANTO SURGERY: Cubs radio broadcaster Ron Santo, a former All-Star third baseman, knows his latest medical setback has come at a bad time.

Santo, who has had diabetes most of his life and had both legs amputated at the knee, now faces surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, just as the team he loves is finally making some noise in the playoffs.

"I'm not worried about the procedure. I'm more upset that it came at a bad time. That's all. Because me sitting home last night was great, but I wanted to be there so bad," he said Monday in a telephone interview from his home outside Phoenix.

Probably no one in Chicago is more closely associated with the Cubs than Santo, whose love of the team he once played for is evident to anyone who listens to his color commentary on WGN-AM.

DAWSON RETURNS: Andre Dawson will always feel at home in Wrigley Field, even if he is wearing the teal, black and silver of the Florida Marlins.

A special assistant for the Marlins, he was eagerly anticipating the NL championship series between the Cubs and Florida starting tonight.

"I wouldn't want it to be against anybody else," he said.

Dawson joined the Cubs in 1987 and won the NL MVP award that year, hitting 49 home runs with 137 RBI. He stayed in Chicago through 1992, and finished his career in 1995 and '96 with the Marlins.

DOUBLE TAKE: Alex Gonzalez will start at short for the Cubs. And Alex Gonzalez will start at short for the Marlins.

Say what?

Chicago's Alex is 6-foot, 200 pounds. Florida's Alex is the same size. They both throw and bat right-handed.

"I don't follow him that closely to know what his traits are," Chicago's Gonzalez said Monday. "He's a solid player who has been around for a couple of years. He made the All-Star team one year, so he's no slouch out there."

And how does he assess his own game?

"I'm trying to do what I can, too," said Chicago's Gonzalez, who homered in Sunday's division clincher over the Braves.

"I'm on a good team here. I feel like I've helped out to put us in this situation. That's all you can do as a player."