ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Milton Bradley underwent an appendectomy and was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

	Bradley

Bradley was operated on Wednesday at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, where the Indians were playing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was scratched from the lineup Tuesday night with what the Indians said was stomach discomfort.

He was admitted to St. Anthony's after the Indians' 9-5 win. Doctors recommended surgery after Bradley underwent tests and felt more discomfort Wednesday morning, team spokesman Bart Swain said.

Bradley could return in 3-to-4 weeks.

''It's a matter of how he feels and how things are going,'' Indians manager Joel Skinner said.

Bradley is hitting .248 with nine homers and 35 RBI in 80 games this season, his first full year with the Indians. Over his past 27 games, he is hitting .283 with five homers and 20 RBI.

''Everything was coming together,'' Skinner said. ''He'll be missed.''

Bradley missed a month earlier this season after breaking a bone near his left eye and scratching his iris while trying to make a catch May 1 against Anaheim. The ball ricocheted off the outfield wall and hit Bradley just below the eye.

Cleveland acquired Bradley from Montreal on July 31, 2001, for right-hander Zach Day.

This was not the Indians' first appendectomy of 2002. Backup infielder John McDonald had an emergency appendectomy in spring training and missed three weeks. He recovered for the start of the season.

To take Bradley's place on the roster, the Indians recalled outfielder Covelli Crisp from Double-A Akron. The 22-year-old switch-hitter was acquired earlier this month from St. Louis to complete the July 19 trade for left-hander Chuck Finley.

Skinner said Crisp will start in center field. He was scheduled to fly from Erie, Pa. Wednesday to join the team in Florida.

Crisp, the Cardinals' minor league player of the year in 2001, had hit .406 (13-for-32) with nine runs scored, a homer, four RBI and four steals since joining the Aeros last week.

Right-hander Jason Beverlin was designated for assignment to make room for Crisp on the 40-man roster. Beverlin had been sent to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday to create a roster space for right-hander Dave Burba, who signed a minor league deal with the Indians on Aug. 7.