Craig Counsell to have thumb surgery

PHOENIX, May 7 (UPI) -- Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Craig Counsell will undergo thumb surgery Thursday and could be sidelined up to 10 weeks.

Counsell suffered a dislocated right thumb sliding into second base in Tuesday night's 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. An MRI on Wednesday also showed ligament damage and Counsell was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Losing Counsell is another blow to the defending National League West champions, who already have seen pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling land on the disabled list this season.

Johnson underwent surgery last week and is expected to be out three to six weeks. Schilling returned from the DL on Saturday.

Counsell, the Most Valuable Player of the 2001 NL Championship Series, is a key component of the Arizona infield. He has the ability to play second, third and shortstop.

After a slow start this season, Counsell had begun to turn things around. He hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in Tuesday's game and is batting .276 with 10 RBI on the campaign.

Counsell also missed the final two months of last season with a neck injury that required fusion surgery.

To replace Counsell on the roster, the Diamondbacks recalled infielder Alex Cintron from Class AAA Tucson on the Pacific Coast League. Cintron is starting at shortstop in Wednesday's game.