The Montreal Expos have been cruising along in the National League East. If the season ended Thursday, they would qualify as the NL's wild-card team. Of course, the season doesn't end in May. Players go through slumps, others step up their production at key times and injuries make a major difference.

No other position is more important to a young team than its pitching staff. The Expos entered the season with an array of young, talented arms and wily veterans who have produced well in the past. Tony Armas Jr. and Orlando Hernandez were being counted on to keep the young Expos in games this season.

But Armas was diagnosed with a strained right rotator cuff in late April, and general manager Omar Minaya said his progress was inching along. He was originally expected to miss anywhere from two weeks to a month recovering. Armas visited with the renowned Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Anaheim Angels' team physician, on Tuesday. An MRI revealed small tears in his right labrum and rotator cuff.

Armas might elect to rehab the injury first and pitch with pain for the remainder of the season. He will likely miss at least one more month if he chooses that course. But for his long-term health, it's likely best to choose surgery to repair the tears. The best-case scenario would have him back in about three months, perhaps in time to go on a rehab assignment before a possible playoff appearance.

No decision has been made on Armas' course just yet, but he is at least gone for one more month. His absence from the team opens the door for youngster Claudio Vargas. Vargas went from a fill-in to a regular in the starting rotation in just a couple of weeks. Vargas pitched into the ninth inning on Wednesday at San Francisco, and his stuff was good enough to strike out Barry Bonds in the sixth inning with a man on base.

Vargas is a good option for Armas' owners, especially those that need a replacement who gets regular starts in the coming months.

'El Duque' has successful surgery Monday

The Expos will have to do without veteran Orlando Hernandez for three months as well. Hernandez has not made an appearance for Montreal during the regular season and might have to wait until 2004 to do so. Hernandez made two spring training appearances, but he experienced pain in his right shoulder and was placed on the 15-day disabled list to start the season. He had a small tear in his rotator cuff, similar to that of Armas.

Hernandez made three rehabilitation starts with Class A Brevard County and appeared on track to return within the month. Unfortunately, after the third start, he complained of pain and sought a second opinion. From a long-term standpoint, the team and Hernandez agreed surgery was the best option.

Hernandez underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on the shoulder Monday and is expected to be sidelined for at least three more months. Team officials have not ruled out the possibility that he will return this season, but if the team is out of the hunt, it is unlikely they will rush him back and risk an a possible setback. Zach Day and Livan Hernandez will remain in the rotation indefinitely as a result. Day is emerging as an above-average Fantasy starter, and Livan Hernandez has been reliable recently.

Sammy Sosa injury not a minor one

Sammy Sosa had reportedly been playing in pain for several weeks, and was forced to succumb to the toe injury when he was placed to the 15-day disabled list last week. According to the Chicago Sun-Times , he said weeks ago that every time he swung a bat he could feel the pain.

Sosa had the toenail on his right big toe removed after it was causing him significant pain. Originally, he was only scheduled to miss four to five days, but the pain persisted, and the best course of action was to have the nail removed. He is hopeful that he will be able to return when he is eligible to be activated from the DL.

Troy O'Leary has taken over in right field while the future Hall of Famer recovers. O'Leary had a home run and three RBI in his first two games as Sosa's replacement and is worthy of a roster spot in NL-only leagues. He is a good temporary solution for Sosa owners until the slugger is able to return.

Durham might be back sooner than later

The San Francisco Giants lost Ray Durham to an ugly ankle injury in the fifth inning of Saturday's game. He slid into third base awkwardly, and it looked as if he could have possiblly broken the ankle or foot.

He was placed on 15-day disabled list Sunday, but he might not need much more time than that to recover. He has already started to take part in some simple drills such as throwing and swinging a bat from a chair. Trainers have marveled at his progress in the early stages of his recovery.

Neifi Perez started off with a bang as his replacement, collecting four hits and an RBI in Sunday's game at Atlanta, but is 1-for-9 in the past two games entering Wednesday. Perez is still a fine Band-Aid for a Fantasy team smarting from the loss of Durham, and can be used until the veteran is able to return and contribute on an everyday basis.

Eli Marrero expected to miss eight to 12 weeks

What makes Eli Marrero's ankle injury even worse is that it took place in a game that was postponed due to inclement weather and has been wiped from the history books.

He suffered a gruesome right ankle injury in the fourth inning Sunday and was carted off the field on a stretcher shortly before the game was delayed and then eventually called due to the weather.

Marrero underwent successful surgery on Tuesday to repair torn ligaments in his lower leg and ankle and will miss a minimum of eight weeks. It's possible he could be lost for as many as three months or even the remainder of the regular season.

Chris Widger was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to serve as the backup to starting catcher Mike Matheny. Joe Girardi continues to recuperate from a herniated disc in his back. He was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list on Tuesday and will not be eligible to rejoin the team until at least the end of the month. Neither of the backups have much Fantasy appeal, and Matheny is only a marginal Fantasy option in NL-only leagues. Marrero's loss is tough on Fantasy teams because of his versatility from an eligibility standpoint.