Morris gets stomach flu, may miss today's start
By Rick Hummel
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/23/2002 05:45 AM
Cardinals reliever Steve Kline is scheduled to pitch Friday and Sunday in the minor leagues.
(Chris Lee/P-D)
The Cardinals, pitching-strapped through injury, already have had to use their bullpen to start one game this season. Now, through illness, they may have to do it again this afternoon.
Staff ace Matt Morris, who is scheduled to start the 12:10 p.m. game, was sent home with the stomach flu Wednesday night and may not make the start today against the Houston Astros, whom he already has beaten twice this season. Reliever Mike Matthews also was sent home with the same ailment that apparently afflicted first baseman Tino Martinez the day before.
Manager Tony La Russa is worried about the situation. "But it can only concern you so much," La Russa said. "If he's sick, what are you going to do about it?"
If six-game winner Morris can't pitch, "It's got to be the bullpen," La Russa said. "We'll try to piece it together.
Rookie Mike Crudale and others pitched the Cardinals to a win in Montreal last month.
La Russa said Crudale, who warmed up late in the game Wednesday, "has already played that role of sacrificial lamb once. He pitched two shutout innings and we won that game (5-0).
"But it's not a pleasant thought to have to use the bullpen. We've still got a week before we have another off day."
Kline is going to Peoria for rehab work:
The time-honored question of the stage, "Will it play in Peoria?" will be put to the acid test this weekend. Colorful Cardinals reliever Steve Kline is scheduled to make rehabilitation assignments both Friday night and Sunday at that Class A club's new ballpark.
Kline has been on the disabled list since April 29 because of a strained triceps and later a form of gout in his left knee. Wednesday night, he faced hitters for the first time since then, throwing 30 pitches to a group of Cardinals.
The first, an outside fastball to Eli Marrero, landed high up in the greenery behind the center-field wall. Another, to J.D. Drew, smacked off the facing of the upper deck in right.
Manager Tony La Russa, enjoying these 400-foot moments, told his favorite foil, 'Don't ever sign as a free agent and pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals."'
Kline said that Marrero and Drew had been crowding the plate, an advantage that wouldn't be afforded opposition hitters in a regular game.
"I'm not going to drill my guys. Let them hit now, because they don't do it in a game for me," said Kline, kiddingly. "Especially Eli.
"That'll make him feel good."
Pitching coach Dave Duncan was far from alarmed by these developments although he and Kline both said Kline's pitches were "up in the zone."
Duncan was more concerned with Kline's health and came away impressed that he was ready for rehab.
"A couple of times out and we'll see where he is," said Duncan. "He felt fine."
Kline said, "It was like spring training. I hadn't pitched in 20 days. And then the knee problem set me back a week."
Drew sits again:
Drew, who didn't start for the second night in a row before hitting a game-winning homer in the ninth,said of his at-bats against Kline. "I wasn't thinking about how he looked," Drew said. "I was thinking about how I looked. I don't know how he was supposed to look. I had never faced him before."
Drew was rested Tuesday after going one for 16. He had another hitless at-bat as a reserve on Tuesday but said he had a good session of extra batting practice against bullpen catcher Jeff Murphy on Wednesday.
Drew struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh Wednesday night. In the ninth, he hit the game-winning homer.
"I played four games against Cincinnati where I very easily could have gone five for 13 and was one for 13," Drew said before Wednesday's game. "I hit a bullet at (second baseman Todd) Walker. I hit a couple of balls deep to the warning track when they were bad-element nights and they didn't carry.
"You get frustrated with that but I hate to focus on it too much. I need to get back to that leverage where I can get the backspin and drive the ball to left, drive the ball to right center.
"It'll come around. I think I'm at a point where I feel I know what I have to do. Physically, I feel great, but it's the mental part you get frustrated with.
"The team is playing so well and doing so many good things, you hate to take away from it."
La Russa said Drew would play this afternoon in the finale of the three-game series against Houston. Miguel Cairo, who had a homer to his credit against Houston star righthander Roy Oswalt, gained a second straight start at third base Wednesday.
Simontacchi is likely to start
La Russa said that righthander Jason Simontacchi, an impressive 3-1 winner over Houston on Tuesday in his first appearance in 11 days, was almost certain to take the next available turn on Sunday in Pittsburgh. "He's certainly done everything that would earn that start," said La Russa. "I don't know how you can tell Jason he's not pitching Sunday."
Lefthander Bud Smith, the other candidate for Sunday, allowed two runs but walked five at Class AAA Memphis on Tuesday. "The more experience Bud gets at Triple-A, the better it is for him," said La Russa. "And what's good for him is good for us."
Benes goes south
Veteran righthander Andy Benes, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list because of an arthritic right knee, will report to Jupiter, Fla., Friday to begin his rehabilitation. Center fielder Jim Edmonds handed Benes the keys to his residence in Jupiter on Wednesday afternoon.
"We're trying to save on hotel bills," joked Benes. La Russa said that the rehabilitation assignment was a legitimate one for Benes, whose status has been in limbo for the past five weeks since he started the season with three poor outings.
"All he's got to do is be one of the best five (starters)," said La Russa.
Quick hits
Edmonds had a touch of the stomach flu, as did righthander Matt Morris, and also was bothered a bit by his back. But he was in the lineup.
By Rick Hummel
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/23/2002 05:45 AM
Cardinals reliever Steve Kline is scheduled to pitch Friday and Sunday in the minor leagues.
(Chris Lee/P-D)
The Cardinals, pitching-strapped through injury, already have had to use their bullpen to start one game this season. Now, through illness, they may have to do it again this afternoon.
Staff ace Matt Morris, who is scheduled to start the 12:10 p.m. game, was sent home with the stomach flu Wednesday night and may not make the start today against the Houston Astros, whom he already has beaten twice this season. Reliever Mike Matthews also was sent home with the same ailment that apparently afflicted first baseman Tino Martinez the day before.
Manager Tony La Russa is worried about the situation. "But it can only concern you so much," La Russa said. "If he's sick, what are you going to do about it?"
If six-game winner Morris can't pitch, "It's got to be the bullpen," La Russa said. "We'll try to piece it together.
Rookie Mike Crudale and others pitched the Cardinals to a win in Montreal last month.
La Russa said Crudale, who warmed up late in the game Wednesday, "has already played that role of sacrificial lamb once. He pitched two shutout innings and we won that game (5-0).
"But it's not a pleasant thought to have to use the bullpen. We've still got a week before we have another off day."
Kline is going to Peoria for rehab work:
The time-honored question of the stage, "Will it play in Peoria?" will be put to the acid test this weekend. Colorful Cardinals reliever Steve Kline is scheduled to make rehabilitation assignments both Friday night and Sunday at that Class A club's new ballpark.
Kline has been on the disabled list since April 29 because of a strained triceps and later a form of gout in his left knee. Wednesday night, he faced hitters for the first time since then, throwing 30 pitches to a group of Cardinals.
The first, an outside fastball to Eli Marrero, landed high up in the greenery behind the center-field wall. Another, to J.D. Drew, smacked off the facing of the upper deck in right.
Manager Tony La Russa, enjoying these 400-foot moments, told his favorite foil, 'Don't ever sign as a free agent and pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals."'
Kline said that Marrero and Drew had been crowding the plate, an advantage that wouldn't be afforded opposition hitters in a regular game.
"I'm not going to drill my guys. Let them hit now, because they don't do it in a game for me," said Kline, kiddingly. "Especially Eli.
"That'll make him feel good."
Pitching coach Dave Duncan was far from alarmed by these developments although he and Kline both said Kline's pitches were "up in the zone."
Duncan was more concerned with Kline's health and came away impressed that he was ready for rehab.
"A couple of times out and we'll see where he is," said Duncan. "He felt fine."
Kline said, "It was like spring training. I hadn't pitched in 20 days. And then the knee problem set me back a week."
Drew sits again:
Drew, who didn't start for the second night in a row before hitting a game-winning homer in the ninth,said of his at-bats against Kline. "I wasn't thinking about how he looked," Drew said. "I was thinking about how I looked. I don't know how he was supposed to look. I had never faced him before."
Drew was rested Tuesday after going one for 16. He had another hitless at-bat as a reserve on Tuesday but said he had a good session of extra batting practice against bullpen catcher Jeff Murphy on Wednesday.
Drew struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh Wednesday night. In the ninth, he hit the game-winning homer.
"I played four games against Cincinnati where I very easily could have gone five for 13 and was one for 13," Drew said before Wednesday's game. "I hit a bullet at (second baseman Todd) Walker. I hit a couple of balls deep to the warning track when they were bad-element nights and they didn't carry.
"You get frustrated with that but I hate to focus on it too much. I need to get back to that leverage where I can get the backspin and drive the ball to left, drive the ball to right center.
"It'll come around. I think I'm at a point where I feel I know what I have to do. Physically, I feel great, but it's the mental part you get frustrated with.
"The team is playing so well and doing so many good things, you hate to take away from it."
La Russa said Drew would play this afternoon in the finale of the three-game series against Houston. Miguel Cairo, who had a homer to his credit against Houston star righthander Roy Oswalt, gained a second straight start at third base Wednesday.
Simontacchi is likely to start
La Russa said that righthander Jason Simontacchi, an impressive 3-1 winner over Houston on Tuesday in his first appearance in 11 days, was almost certain to take the next available turn on Sunday in Pittsburgh. "He's certainly done everything that would earn that start," said La Russa. "I don't know how you can tell Jason he's not pitching Sunday."
Lefthander Bud Smith, the other candidate for Sunday, allowed two runs but walked five at Class AAA Memphis on Tuesday. "The more experience Bud gets at Triple-A, the better it is for him," said La Russa. "And what's good for him is good for us."
Benes goes south
Veteran righthander Andy Benes, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list because of an arthritic right knee, will report to Jupiter, Fla., Friday to begin his rehabilitation. Center fielder Jim Edmonds handed Benes the keys to his residence in Jupiter on Wednesday afternoon.
"We're trying to save on hotel bills," joked Benes. La Russa said that the rehabilitation assignment was a legitimate one for Benes, whose status has been in limbo for the past five weeks since he started the season with three poor outings.
"All he's got to do is be one of the best five (starters)," said La Russa.
Quick hits
Edmonds had a touch of the stomach flu, as did righthander Matt Morris, and also was bothered a bit by his back. But he was in the lineup.
