Cards limp into 3-game homestand with Arizona
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The Cardinals will limp into a three-game homestand against the defending NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks that starts Friday night. The Cardinals also will wince and grimace and may discuss each other's recent visits to team orthopedist George Paletta as much as how to further irritate a slumping giant.
Albert Pujols underwent magnetic resonance imaging on Thursday to determine the source of pain in his right elbow that began Sunday in Houston. Results were not known early Thursday evening. The findings were expected to dictate whether Pujols will require down time, a temporary position switch from left field to an arrangement at first base with Tino Martinez, or no change in his role. Pujols contributed three hits to the Cardinals' 15-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. He was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday.
"It's hard to tell anything right now," general manager Walt Jocketty said Thursday. "We should know the extent of it after Dr. Paletta has a chance to read the MRI. He played (Wednesday) and played well. It sounded like there was some improvement. But we'll have to wait and see."
Manager Tony La Russa is optimistic that Pujols would be available to play left field Friday night, five days after he apparently injured himself with a first-inning throw to the plate against the Houston Astros.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who has a tender left calf, did not start on Wednesday, but the move coincided with La Russa starting an entirely righthanded lineup against Brewers lefthander Wayne Franklin.
Second baseman Fernando Vina may return to the lineup Friday night after missing the last six games with tendinitis in his right hand. Vina received a second cortisone injection near the fourth metacarpal Wednesday. The source of the tendinitis is believed to be a bone spur that may require surgery in the postseason.
"There's some thinking that he'll be ready to play" Friday night, according to Jocketty.
Closer Jason Isringhausen is scheduled to meet with Paletta today to discuss the condition of his right shoulder. Isringhausen underwent an MRI last week that revealed no structural damage to his labrum, which has been repaired twice. However, persistent discomfort caused him to stop throwing.
The Cardinals may urge Isringhausen to not throw with maximum effort for a while. The club believes his aggressive rehabilitation in spring training and in the first 10 days of the season contributed to two setbacks in his recovery. He wanted to pitch on opening day. When that passed, he was trying to return by the end of the month. Now the Cardinals do not have a timetable for his return.
The Diamondbacks are having problems of their own. Randy Johnson was scratched from Wednesday's start because of swelling in his right knee. He is expected to throw in the bullpen this weekend and could be put on the disabled list. Byung-Hyun Kim is tentatively scheduled to start Saturday despite an ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Johnson (0-2, 8.42) and co-ace Curt Schilling (0-2, 5.40 prior to Thursday's start against Colorado) appear vulnerable. Closer Matt Mantei earned three of Arizona's first four wins. Elmer Dessens owned the win by a starter before Thursday's game. John Patterson was optioned on Wednesday not because of his performance, but to promote a healthy arm, rookie Andrew Good, from Tuscon.
Thus far the Cardinals have compensated for their injuries with a league-leading .310 batting average. Outfielder Orlando Palmeiro has used his extra playing time to impress La Russa as a solid No. 2 hitter. Third baseman Scott Rolen assumed the team RBIs lead (15) from Edmonds by driving in four runs Wednesday.
The Cardinals' explosive start has vindicated the intensive spring program of hitting coach Mitchell Page. "We go on the road and you see other teams' hitters taking a lot of extra hitting," Page said. "Well, our guys don't need that. They were locked in when the season began."
Page said the players are only doing what is expected of them. However, last season the Cardinals hit a relatively paltry .268.
"A team hitting .310 is like a hitter who's batting .400," said Page. "You wonder if he can do it all year. Well, probably not, but it's a lot better than being asked why you're hitting .220."
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The Cardinals will limp into a three-game homestand against the defending NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks that starts Friday night. The Cardinals also will wince and grimace and may discuss each other's recent visits to team orthopedist George Paletta as much as how to further irritate a slumping giant.
Albert Pujols underwent magnetic resonance imaging on Thursday to determine the source of pain in his right elbow that began Sunday in Houston. Results were not known early Thursday evening. The findings were expected to dictate whether Pujols will require down time, a temporary position switch from left field to an arrangement at first base with Tino Martinez, or no change in his role. Pujols contributed three hits to the Cardinals' 15-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. He was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday.
"It's hard to tell anything right now," general manager Walt Jocketty said Thursday. "We should know the extent of it after Dr. Paletta has a chance to read the MRI. He played (Wednesday) and played well. It sounded like there was some improvement. But we'll have to wait and see."
Manager Tony La Russa is optimistic that Pujols would be available to play left field Friday night, five days after he apparently injured himself with a first-inning throw to the plate against the Houston Astros.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who has a tender left calf, did not start on Wednesday, but the move coincided with La Russa starting an entirely righthanded lineup against Brewers lefthander Wayne Franklin.
Second baseman Fernando Vina may return to the lineup Friday night after missing the last six games with tendinitis in his right hand. Vina received a second cortisone injection near the fourth metacarpal Wednesday. The source of the tendinitis is believed to be a bone spur that may require surgery in the postseason.
"There's some thinking that he'll be ready to play" Friday night, according to Jocketty.
Closer Jason Isringhausen is scheduled to meet with Paletta today to discuss the condition of his right shoulder. Isringhausen underwent an MRI last week that revealed no structural damage to his labrum, which has been repaired twice. However, persistent discomfort caused him to stop throwing.
The Cardinals may urge Isringhausen to not throw with maximum effort for a while. The club believes his aggressive rehabilitation in spring training and in the first 10 days of the season contributed to two setbacks in his recovery. He wanted to pitch on opening day. When that passed, he was trying to return by the end of the month. Now the Cardinals do not have a timetable for his return.
The Diamondbacks are having problems of their own. Randy Johnson was scratched from Wednesday's start because of swelling in his right knee. He is expected to throw in the bullpen this weekend and could be put on the disabled list. Byung-Hyun Kim is tentatively scheduled to start Saturday despite an ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Johnson (0-2, 8.42) and co-ace Curt Schilling (0-2, 5.40 prior to Thursday's start against Colorado) appear vulnerable. Closer Matt Mantei earned three of Arizona's first four wins. Elmer Dessens owned the win by a starter before Thursday's game. John Patterson was optioned on Wednesday not because of his performance, but to promote a healthy arm, rookie Andrew Good, from Tuscon.
Thus far the Cardinals have compensated for their injuries with a league-leading .310 batting average. Outfielder Orlando Palmeiro has used his extra playing time to impress La Russa as a solid No. 2 hitter. Third baseman Scott Rolen assumed the team RBIs lead (15) from Edmonds by driving in four runs Wednesday.
The Cardinals' explosive start has vindicated the intensive spring program of hitting coach Mitchell Page. "We go on the road and you see other teams' hitters taking a lot of extra hitting," Page said. "Well, our guys don't need that. They were locked in when the season began."
Page said the players are only doing what is expected of them. However, last season the Cardinals hit a relatively paltry .268.
"A team hitting .310 is like a hitter who's batting .400," said Page. "You wonder if he can do it all year. Well, probably not, but it's a lot better than being asked why you're hitting .220."
