Redbird Tidbits

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Daily news and notes thread for the Cardinals.



Notes: Edmonds still hurting
Cards center fielder scratched from lineup
George Van Benko / MLB.com

PITTSBURGH -- Jim Edmonds was originally penciled into the St. Louis Cardinals' starting lineup for Monday night's game in Pittsburgh, but was removed from the lineup and replaced by John Mabry.

Edmonds, whose groin injury flared up on him again Saturday, sat out just his second game on Sunday in Kansas City. St. Louis manager Tony La Russa had hoped to use him in Pittsburgh, but reconsidered his decision.

"Personally I would have had him in there playing right field," La Russa said. "But after working him out, he and the trainers think it's a push. So he's not going to start the game, but he's available off the bench."

"There's a lot of things going on," said Edmonds, alluding to problems with his hips and legs.

"I've been running weird with a bad pair of shoes," Edmonds explained. "I don't know what's wrong really. They're trying to get me to run straight and keep my feet aligned and get me stretched out. My hips have been really tight.

"I go through a little bit of a problem every year. Usually, it's something small but this time it gotten really bad. I don't know why."

Cardinals trainer Barry Weinberg had hoped that Edmonds could play Monday night.

"He's got some mechanical issues that we have to deal with -- his alignment and all that," Weinberg said. "He's got some tightness in some certain spots.

"It's not that he can't play with it. It would just make him more comfortable the rest of the year [to take care of it now]."

Cedeno hearing: Outfielder Roger Cedeno had his suspension hearing Monday via telephone with Major League Baseball's Vice President of On-Field Operations Bob Watson.

Cedeno was appealing a four-game suspension stemming from an incident when he argued balls and strikes and reportedly sprayed spit on an umpire in a game June 8 in Chicago. After hearing Cedeno's version of the incident, Watson will issue his decision in the next couple of days.

McKay injured: Memphis Redbirds catcher Cody McKay left the game against the Iowa Cubs in the top of the third inning yesterday after being hit in the hand by Russ Johnson's bat. McKay was replaced by Mike Mahoney.

McKay had been with St. Louis until he was sent down on June 24.

Doctors thought McKay's right index finger might be broken, but they will have a better idea when the swelling subsides.

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Lambert to start pro career at Single-A Peoria
George Van Benko / MLB.com

PITTSBURGH -- The Cardinals announced the signing of pitcher Chris Lambert, their first-round selection (No. 19 overall) in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. The right-hander from Boston College will report to the Cardinals' Midwest League affiliate, the Single-A Peoria Chiefs.

Lambert, 21, was named Pitcher of the Year for the Big East (co-winner with Pittsburgh's Nick Evangelista), becoming just the third player in Big East history to earn the award twice. He holds BC's record for career strikeouts (274), and is tied for second on the college's all-time wins list with 23 career victories.

"We are extremely pleased and excited to get our first-round player signed," Cardinals assistant general manager and director of scouting operations John Mozeliak said. "We are anxious for Chris to report to Peoria and begin his professional career as a Cardinal."

Lambert was named to Baseball America's 2004 All-Conference team, and was voted the No. 1 prospect from the league as well as the Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year. He was also ranked as the Big East pitcher who possesses the best fastball and best breaking ball.

Lambert throws hard and complements that with a curveball, slider and changeup. He is listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, according to Boston College -- the Cardinals say he's more like 220 pounds.

The 21-year-old went 6-4 with a 3.02 ERA for BC in 16 starts last season. He struck out a school-record 107 and walked 51 in 92 1/3 innings as the Eagles went 32-27.

In addition to his baseball exploits, Lambert was a promising hockey defenseman in high school. On the baseball field, he was almost exclusively an infielder until he got to college.

St. Louis had its collective eye on Lambert from early in the season, when he projected as a high first-round pick. His ERA climbed somewhat from his previous two seasons, but his peripheral numbers -- strikeout rate, batting average against and home run rate -- all remained strong. Lambert allowed a total of nine home runs in 45 starts over his three years at BC.

St. Louis has 38 of its 47 draft picks under contract to date.

Going back to 1992, nine of the Cardinals' 13 first-round draft picks have been used on college pitchers.

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I like the "sturdy legs, high rear" comment Most of thes reports I've seen for 1st-rounders on the MLB.com sites are very descriptive.




Matthew Leach / MLB.com

Chris Lambert
School: Boston College
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6-1, 205
Born: 08 March 1983
Scouting report: DEFINITIVE STRENGTH THROUGH OUT. ESPECIALLY BROAD SHOULDERS. BIG BACK. LONG, STURDY LEGS. HIGH REAR. TRIM ATHLETIC BUILD. SEMI WINDUP, 3/4 DELIVERY. STIFF FRONT LEG, FINISH. QUICK & LOOSE ARM. HARD, BORING FB WILL BREAK BATS. SELDOM USED SINKING CHANGE, PLUS POTENTIAL. BEST CB SIMILAR TO SLIDER, SHORT, QUICK, LATE, 3/4 BREAK. AGGRESSIVE, ATTACKS HITTERS. ARM ACTION CONDUCIVE TO SLIDER IN FUTURE. EXCELLENT WORK HABITS.

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Scott Rolen
Doctors recommended that Scott Rolen accept a series of injections to help cushion his sore knee, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A recent MRI revealed that he does have some bone bruises in the joint, though the club insists that the cartilage is sound. Arthroscopic surgery remains on option if his condition worsens, though Cardinals medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta said Wednesday, "Surgery isn't seen as a necessity now."

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Cards players keep quiet
La Russa speaks for team after incidents

Matthew Leach / MLB.com

CHICAGO (July 20) -- When reporters filed into manager Tony La Russa's office at Wrigley Field on Monday night, La Russa immediately offered his opinion on the evening's "extracurricular" events. Almost without prompting, he said that Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano had "crossed the line" when he hit Jim Edmonds with pitches twice.

His players, however, had little to say on the tensions that peppered the game. Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter said again and again that his only job was to make pitches, deflecting questions about retaliation or getting overly worked up. Scott Rolen said the issue didn't "deserve any words." Edmonds himself refused comment of any kind.

It was entirely by design. La Russa doesn't want his players mouthing off, and he makes that clear to them.

"I think not saying much about it is the right way to approach it," he said. "Players talking back and forth in the press is unprofessional. You play the game. That's your communication.

"We decided as a team that I would speak. Get showered and get ready for [Tuesday]. We've been here before. That's the way we like to handle it. That's the way I was taught to handle it."

It's not entirely that simple, of course. As La Russa himself is fond of saying, players are "men, not machines." They don't always take orders. But with a nine-game lead in the standings and the goal of a World Series, it's a bit easier to concentrate on what happened in the game, rather than around it.

"When you're playing well, it keeps everything else in perspective," said catcher Mike Matheny. "Because that's the goal. The goal is winning. You put the personal stuff aside for what's best for the team."

La Russa's Cardinals teams have tended to be business-like, and though this year's team may be a bit more fun-loving, that trait is far from gone. Never too high, never too low is a way of life for this club.

"We've got professional guys in here that know what to say and when to say it," said Matheny. "We know how to play the game and how to play it right. You've got a group of guys that know what to do, know what to say.

"This is an unusual group of people, and that makes all the difference. Guys know how to control themselves and control each other. That's the way it should be."

Carpenter impresses: Carpenter earned the win on Monday, his 10th of the season, but his eight innings were a bit lost in the discussions of home runs and hit batsmen. It's been an outstanding season for the right-hander, though. He ranks first on the team in wins, first in strikeouts and second among the starters in ERA.

Perhaps most impressive is that Carpenter, who hasn't made more than 20 starts in a season since 2001, is second on the Cards and 18th in the National League with 119 2/3 innings pitched.

"He's more experienced and he's healthy," said La Russa. "He's gonna get better all the time. He's just approaching his prime. He has a lot of weapons, that's what I look at. He could face this lineup tomorrow and they'll see a different pitcher. That's really good."

Carpenter's demeanor has pleased his teammates all season long. Earlier in the season in Houston, he responded calmly and in kind after Roger Clemens hit Edmonds with a pitch, plunking Lance Berkman in almost exactly the same spot immediately afterward. Yet in Monday's tight game, with no leeway to give up an extra baserunner, he kept it under control.

"He did a good job," said Matheny, who caught Carpenter in Toronto in 1999. "He's got great composure. He's as tough as any pitcher in the league, too, so it's a great mix. It's the kind of mix that you want. You don't come across it [often]."

Baby 'Birds: Danny Haren equaled a season high with 11 strikeouts and recorded his first win since June 15 as Triple-A Memphis beat Omaha, 5-3. Haren allowed three runs on 11 hits and didn't issue a walk over six innings. ... Wilson Ciprian gave up three runs in the ninth in Double-A Tennessee's 8-7 loss to Montgomery. Jon Hamilton went 4-for-5 with a home run. ... Class A Palm Beach rallied from a 10-3 deficit but still lost, 10-8, to Tampa. Shaun Boyd tripled, homered and drove in four runs. ... Brendan Ryan drove in four runs and Matt Pagnozzi went 4-for-4, but Class A Peoria lost, 14-10, to Fort Wayne. ... Matt Shepherd had two hits, a walk and two RBIs in short-season New Jersey's 9-6 win over Aberdeen. ... Jose Delgado homered in rookie-level Johnson City's 7-1 win over Bluefield.

The player of the day was Hamilton. Tennessee's right fielder drove in two runs and scored three, giving him a couple of huge days in a row. In the past two games, he's 8-for-10.

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No doubt the key now for the Cardinals: Staying Healthy!



Edmonds OK, Lankford not
Outfielders sustained minor injuries Wednesday
Matthew Leach / MLB.com

ST. LOUIS -- Jim Edmonds came through Wednesday night's game against the Brewers just fine and ready to play. Ray Lankford was not quite so OK.

Edmonds jammed his right knee sliding into second base in that game, aggravating an off-and-on sore condition that has bothered him at times for several years. He stayed in the game, however, and said he had little doubt from early in the day on Thursday that he would be able to play.

"It's not a really big deal," he said. "It's just one of those things like a twisted ankle. If you're somebody like J.D. [Drew], who's done it a couple times, it happens and you keep going. I really couldn't explain it, but it's just one of those things that's been uncomfortable for the last five or six years."

Lankford, however, was scratched out of the lineup on Thursday after originally being slated to play left field and bat sixth. He's battling a sore wrist that he sustained making a swing in Wednesday's game. Manager Tony La Russa downplayed the condition, but said it was best to exercise caution -- particularly with the number of players on the roster who can play left field.

"I don't even think he was asking out of the lineup," said La Russa. "But I'm not gonna play him, not when you've got guys like [John] Mabry who need playing time."

Mabry got the call, making only his third start in the past 10 games.

Rolen hosts guests: Scott Rolen and Steve Kline entertained several guests of Rolen's Enis Furley Foundation on the field at Busch Stadium before Thursday night's game. The guests, who were the winners in a charity auction over the winter, took batting practice in the cage with Rolen, Kline and La Russa present. The BP package was one of the two big items at the auction, along with a jet trip to Chicago for a Cards-Cubs series.

The Enis Furley foundation, named for one of Rolen's beloved dogs, has a stated mission "to brighten the lives of children and their families who struggle with an illness, hardship, or other special needs." The annual celebrity gala and golf tournament serve as the organization's primary fundraiser.

No surgery for Wainwright: Injured pitching prospects Adam Wainwright and Rhett Parrott made appearances in St. Louis this week to visit with team medical officials. Wainwright has been bothered by elbow soreness, but team officials said there are no plans for the right-hander to undergo surgery at this time.

Cold Soup: Friday's starter for the Cardinals, Jeff Suppan, has been a solid hitter throughout the majority of his National League career. He came into this season with a lifetime .259 mark, and was coming off a year in which he hit .279. Yet the veteran right-hander has made it into the second half without a single base hit, going 0-for-30.

He's hearing about it from his fellow starters, who have something of a competition going, and he's even hearing about it from reporters. He won't be hearing about it from his manager, however.

"He's got nine wins," said La Russa. "Keep things in perspective. It keeps him off the bases in the hot weather. The last three or four games, he's hit the ball as good as Woody [Williams]. He's been a tough out. He just can't get a hit."

Ryan traded: The Cardinals have traded minor-league right-hander Jason Ryan to the Kansas City organization for future considerations. Ryan led the Pacific Coast League in ERA in 2003 with Memphis, but didn't receive even a September call-up after rosters were expanded. He was 1-7 with a 7.36 ERA this season.

Baby 'Birds: Alan Benes pitched seven shutout innings for Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday, picking up the victory as the Redbirds beat Omaha, 3-0. ... Skip Schumaker went 4-for-5 and Chris Narveson allowed only an unearned run over seven innings in Double-A Tennessee's 8-1 win over Montgomery. ... Class A Palm Beach was swept in a doubleheader against Sarasota, 7-1 and 3-1. Palm Beach hitters were held to five base hits for the entire day. ... Jarrett Hoffpauir went 4-for-5 with two doubles, but Class A Peoria lost, 10-6, to Quad City. ... Miguel Aguero was the hard-luck loser for short-season New Jersey, allowing a run on five hits in eight innings, striking out eight and walking two. The N.J. Cards lost 1-0 to Jamestown. ... Brandon Yarbrough, Chad Gabriel, Das Jesson and Michael Miller all homered for rookie-level Johnson City in a 12-5 win over Elizabethton.

The player of the day was Narveson, who has had a tough season after entering the year as one of the Cardinals' top prospects. The lefty struck out eight and walked one, allowing four hits as he dropped his ERA to 4.29. Narveson, 22, is 4-4 on the year, but has pitched much better in July than earlier in the season. He was the Cardinals' second-round draft pick in 2000.

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Pretty interesting about Ankiel. If I read this right, once they start him on the rehab assignment the Cardinals only have 30 days to either promote him to the majors or run the risk of losing him to waivers if they try and keep him in the minors. Of course, they could put him on the expanded September roster pretty easily and not have to mess with the waiver wire at all.



'Birds to face two ex-mates
Ankiel getting closer; Cards contingent supporting Eck
Matthew Leach / MLB.com

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals welcome back a couple of old friends this weekend. In a coincidental set of pitching matchups, Dustin Hermanson and Brett Tomko pitch in Games 1 and 2 of this weekend's St. Louis-San Francisco series. Both right-handers wore the "birds on the bat" in 2003.

For Hermanson, the short stint was his second tenure in St. Louis. He won 14 games as a Cardinal in 2001 before being traded to the Red Sox. When he returned last spring, he likened it to coming home again, but the homecoming was somewhat ill-fated. Hermanson didn't make the starting rotation in spring, and he struggled as a reliever. Eventually he was let go and went on to sign a minor league deal with San Francisco.

Things have worked out quite a bit better with the Giants, where he has a 4.40 ERA despite only three wins in 16 starts. Manager Tony La Russa said he's been unsurprised by Hermanson's respectable season.

"He was a pretty good pitcher when he was in Montreal," La Russa said, "and he was for us. Didn't he win in double figures? What's he got to do different?"

Tomko, meanwhile, had a tough first half for the Cards in 2003 before coming on strong after the All-Star break. St. Louis chose not to offer him arbitration, and he left as a free agent to go to the Giants.

Ank on time: Rick Ankiel continues to work out in South Florida, throwing simulated games and working towards a return to game action. The left-hander, who underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery last July, has an Aug. 1 target date for a return to competitive games.

At that time he would likely begin a rehabilitation assignment, perhaps at Class A Palm Beach, or possibly at another step on the minor league ladder. He would have only 30 days in the minors, because the Cardinals cannot option him to the minors; he can only pitch there on rehab.

Whither Barry? Friday marks the start of a stretch in which the Cardinals and Giants play six times in 10 days. As a result, the question of how to pitch to Barry Bonds has come up more than a few times. La Russa insists that the Redbirds will not simply wave the white flag and send Bonds to first base every time he comes up.

"We're gonna try to compete," La Russa said. "But he's the most dangerous hitter in baseball. You don't compete over the middle of the plate. We're gonna try and make pitches."

Still ...

"There's times when the game says you've got to put him on."

La Russa knows plenty well the frustration of having your most dangerous hitter pitched around. The same thing happened to Mark McGwire on a regular basis when McGwire was setting home run records for the Cards. La Russa noted that one manager who wasn't so quick to take the bat out of McGwire's hands was current Giants manager Felipe Alou, who helmed the Expos at that time.

Cardinal contingent: New Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley pitched two seasons for the Cardinals at the end of his career, but his connections to the organization go deeper than that. In Eckersley's glory years with the A's, several current Cardinals officials played similar roles in Oakland. La Russa managed "Eck" with the A's from 1988-95, with Dave Duncan as his pitching coach. Cards trainer Barry Weinberg and general manager Walt Jocketty were in Oakland at that time, too.

La Russa and Duncan won't be able to make it to Eckersley's induction this weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y., due to the little matter of a couple of games against the Giants. But Jocketty and Weinberg are planning to attend and lend their support.

"The only way I'd make it," La Russa cracked, "is if I got fired. That's what we talked about this winter. The way it was shaping up, who knew? We're gonna make sure we tape the proceedings so we can watch it later."

Baby 'Birds: Cody McKay and Dee Haynes homered in Triple-A Memphis' 5-3 loss to Omaha on Thursday. Jason Simontacchi permitted two runs in five innings. ... Mike Wodnicki and Nick Stocks were both hit hard in Double-A Tennessee's 18-6 loss to Montgomery. Papo Bolivar and Nate Espy went deep for the Smokies. ... Jordan Pals stayed hot, allowing one run in six innings, but Class A Palm Beach lost, 3-2, to Sarasota in 11 innings. Rayner Laya had three hits, including a triple, and stole two bases. ... Cristobal Correa suffered a similar fate, taking a no-decision despite holding Quad City to a run over seven innings, as Class A Peoria lost, 2-1, in 11 innings. ... Chris Della Rocco picked up his first professional win as short-season New Jersey beat Jamestown, 5-2. ... Eric Haberer joined Della Rocco in the first-win club, helping rookie-level Johnson City beat Elizabethton, 8-1.

The player of the day was Haberer, the Cards' third-round pick in the June draft. He gave up a run on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out six against no walks. Haberer is a left-hander out of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

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Aside from his offense, Edmonds has been unreal on defense as well.




Edmonds torrid in July
Cardinals slugger downplays monster month
Matthew Leach / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- Few players are scarier or look more impressive when they're hot than Jim Edmonds. And few star-level players look quite as out-of-whack as Edmonds can when his swing isn't right.

Edmonds' swing, these days, is right. Very right.

He leads the National League with 12 homers in July after homering in his third consecutive game Wednesday night. Going into the game, he had driven in 20 runs and had a .448 on-base percentage in July.

Edmonds was quietly having a fine season before this month, but he's reached another level lately. And it's not entirely coincidental the Cards are 18-4 this month, their best month this season.

"I don't think it's any secret," said manager Tony La Russa after Edmonds' big game Tuesday night. "When he does that, we win a lot of games."

Edmonds, who is loath to analyze his own performance, insists that he's still not feeling particularly locked in.

"You know what's funny, is I don't really feel that comfortable," he said. "I just tried to shorten my swing a little bit. I still feel like I'm up there thinking about too much. I've hit a couple balls that earlier in the year I wasn't hitting. I'm still not hitting like I think I have in the past."

New look: Officially, Danny Haren pitched out of the bullpen four times in short-season ball in 2001, but that wasn't a tactical decision so much as an attempt to let a professional rookie build up his pitch counts. Otherwise, the right-hander has never pitched in relief before this year.

Now Haren is pitching out of the bullpen for St. Louis. He made his first relief appearance of any kind since that 2001 season on Tuesday night, pitching a perfect ninth in the Cardinals' 6-0 win over the Reds. Haren induced a ground ball and struck out the game's final two batters.

It was his first big-league appearance of any kind this year, and he was all smiles afterward. The only problem? He was too efficient -- after not throwing in more than a week, Haren didn't even get to throw all his pitches. He used his fastball and split-finger fastball, but no breaking pitches.

But lest any fans get stars in their eyes thinking of Todd Worrell's emergence on the 1985 pennant-winning Redbirds, La Russa is sounding a note of caution. Haren still figures very much in the team's future plans in the rotation, so don't expect him to be used heavily out of the bullpen.

"He pitched yesterday. I won't use him today," La Russa said on Wednesday afternoon. "I probably would like to give him two days off. We're not going to use him like a reliever."

That is, Haren won't be pitching every day, or necessarily every other day -- even if his appearances are brief.

New year, new plans: Last season, Edgar Renteria batted in the No. 6 or 7 spot in the order for most of the year, and he thrived, driving in 100 runs and smacking 61 extra-base hits.

All things being equal, La Russa's preference is for Renteria to bat in a position where he has the chance to drive in runs. However, this season the Cardinals have been scoring runs at an outstanding clip, and they've been doing so with their shortstop mostly batting second.

As a result, fans shouldn't expect to see Renteria back down in the lineup much anymore this season. It may happen on certain occasions against certain pitchers, but for now, La Russa has no intention of messing with a good thing.

Baby 'Birds: Triple-A Memphis gave up 12 runs in the 12th inning on Tuesday, losing 15-3 to Edmonton. Evan Rust was charged with 10 runs, five earned, in a third of an inning, and catcher Cody McKay recorded the final two outs with his knuckleball. ... Milko Jaramillo homered in Double-A Tennessee's 4-2 loss to Mobile. Chris Narveson struck out six in six innings, but allowed four runs (three earned) and walked four. ... Jared Smith pitched five shutout innings for Class A Palm Beach in a 3-1 win over Brevard County. ... Brendan Ryan and Omar Pena had three hits each for Class A Peoria as the Chiefs beat South Bend, 11-9. ... Short-season New Jersey had a doubleheader against Williamsport rained out. ... Sandy Diaz hit a two-run homer for rookie-level Johnson City in a 3-2 win over Burlington. Mark Worrell struck out three over two innings for the save.

The player of the day was Ryan, who had a huge day in the No. 2 spot for Peoria. He singled three times and walked once, stole two bases and scored three runs. Ryan, 22, was the Cardinals' seventh-round draft pick last year.

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This is one of the many things I don't like about the scheduling: There's no reason for the Cardinals not to have a home-&-home series with the Cubs the rest of this season. Division foes shouldn't be finished with each other before August comes up on the calendars.




Sanders scratched
Cards not bothered by Cubs getting Nomar
Matthew Leach / MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cardinals scratched Reggie Sanders from their starting lineup Saturday night when the outfielder suffered a left intercostal muscle strain in batting practice. Sanders is expected to miss Sunday's game as well but is targeting a return to the lineup in the Cards' next game, Tuesday at Busch Stadium. John Mabry took Sanders' position in right field on Saturday.

"I don't think it's bad, but obviously bad enough not to play today," said Sanders. "So we're looking at Tuesday."

While taking batting practice before the game, Sanders felt some discomfort in his left side, but nothing too major. After another couple of swings, it got worse, and he elected to shut it down.

"We'll keep our fingers crossed," manager Tony La Russa said. "He just felt a little something on the swing, twice. I told him he wasn't playing tomorrow, and he looked at me like, 'Boy, I'd really like to be in there.' I think it would be crazy to try it. I hope he's OK by Tuesday."

Sanders was originally slated to bat fifth against Giants left-hander Kirk Rueter. Instead, Jim Edmonds and So Taguchi were bumped up a spot each from sixth and seventh, respectively, and Mabry was slotted in the No. 7 position.

Sanders, 36, is batting .252 with a .293 on-base percentage for the Cardinals this season. He has 17 home runs, 18 doubles, 51 RBIs, 43 runs scored and 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Now in his 14th Major League season, Sanders has played 88 games this year.

Last year, Sanders suffered a strained oblique muscle, a similar condition, on his right side. The injury caused Sanders to miss the season's final 11 games, but he said this time it's much less severe.

"I remember that, it was pretty bad, it had me humped over," he said. "So this is not nearly what that was."

Nice, but ... Color the Cardinals impressed with the Cubs' acquisition of Nomar Garciaparra, but they're not quaking in their boots.

"They acquired a hell of a player," said manager Tony La Russa. "But we'll do what we've been doing all along -- just take care of the Cardinals."

With the Cubs portion of the Redbirds' schedule in the past and a double-figure division lead in the National League Central, the Cards' only worries about the Cubs should come in the postseason -- and no Cardinal wants to talk about that at this point.

"We don't see them anymore, but of course you notice," said catcher Mike Matheny. "How it's gonna affect the team, you never know. I've seen it where it's worked and I've seen it where it's backfired."

Day off: Tony Womack got a day off from the starting lineup Saturday, not so much to rest but to avoid Rueter. The second baseman is still looking for his first base hit against the San Francisco lefty. Still, La Russa acknowledges that he may need to watch Womack a little carefully to keep the veteran from wearing down.

"Womack's 0-for-24 against Rueter," La Russa noted. "He's 0-for-24. [Marlon] Anderson is 3-for-5. I didn't take it easy on Tony. He had a great game [Friday]. He had a great game, but there's a good chance 0-for-24 is not the way to stay on top of it.

"He's a little older and he plays really hard. It's the same way we watch [Scott] Rolen, except Rolen is a little younger."

Womack entered Saturday's game in the sixth inning after Rueter departed.

Baby 'Birds: Bo Hart and Kevin Witt hit home runs and Nerio Rodriguez gave up two runs in seven innings for Triple-A Memphis in a 3-2 win over Edmonton on Friday. ... Double-A Tennessee managed 13 baserunners (nine hits, four walks) but had a hard time converting them in a 3-2 loss to Mobile. ... Buddy Blair pitched the first nine-inning complete game in the brief history of the Class A Palm Beach franchise, beating St. Lucie, 6-1. ... Anthony Monegan went 2-for-4 with a triple in Class A Peoria's 5-2 loss to West Michigan. ... Jacob Mullinax, Mike Ferris and Casey Grimm each had three hits for short-season New Jersey in a 10-4 win over Mahoning Valley. Ferris, the Cards' second-round draft pick this year, hit his first professional home run. ... Rookie-level Johnson City lost, 10-5, to Bristol as J.C. allowed 11 hits and seven walks.

The player of the day was Blair, who needed a mere 83 pitches to go the distance. He allowed a run on five hits, striking out four and walking one. The 23-year-old lefty was the Cardinals' 10th-round draft pick in 2003.

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Cool beans about LaGenius supporting animal charities! Plus L'il Joe and Gibby will be there!




Notes: Lankford almost healthy
Outfielder hopes to be activated Friday
Matthew leach / MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ray Lankford believes that he will be able to return from the 15-day disabled list as soon as he is eligible, which would be Friday. Lankford's sore right wrist is making progress, and if all goes well he should be ready as the Cardinals host the Mets.

"It's going good," said Lankford, who has accompanied the Cardinals on their current six-game road trip despite the injury. It's unclear whether he would go on a rehabilitation assignment when he comes off the DL.

Lankford has only taken soft-toss thus far. He expects to begin taking full batting practice swings when the team returns to St. Louis. That will be the key test for the veteran outfielder considering he first sustained the injury while swinging in a game.

"I'm gonna swing when we go home," he said. "We don't have a lot of time here and I don't want to cut into [other people's] batting practice time."

Sanders remains optimistic: Reggie Sanders said Sunday that his left intercostal strain was "better than expected," one day after he sustained the injury. He did not participate in any baseball-related activities, but he received extensive treatment and still hopes to play on Tuesday at home against the Expos.

"I was able to test it coughing and [with] deep breaths and the pain was not [too bad]," Sanders said. "It was good."

The Cardinals will not push Sanders, especially given their extensive experience with injuries in the ribcage area. Woody Williams, J.D. Drew and Mike Matheny have all come down with similar injuries over the past two years.

"I think no matter who you are, if you have that [injury], you've got to be careful," said manager Tony La Russa.

Sticking around: La Russa will be spending Monday's off-day in the Bay Area rather than heading back to St. Louis right away. His Animal Rescue Foundation hosts one of its annual fundraisers, the "Celebrities FORE! ARF" golf tournament, in Napa, Calif., on Monday.

Among the celebrities signed up to play in the tournament are baseball Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Joe Morgan, former football coaches Bill Walsh and Tom Flores and football greats Kellen Winslow and Cliff Branch. The golf tournament is followed by dinner and an auction.

Baby 'Birds: Alan Benes pitched seven strong innings (two runs, six hits, five strikeouts, two walks) to help Triple-A Memphis beat Salt Lake, 4-3, on Saturday. Kevin Witt hit his 22nd homer for the Redbirds. ... Anthony Reyes struck out seven in six innings, picking up the win as Double-A Tennessee beat Chattanooga, 2-1. ... Class A Palm Beach scored 11 runs in the final three innings to come from behind and beat St. Lucie, 12-11. ... John-Paul Davis went 3-for-4 in Class A Peoria's 9-7, 10-inning win over West Michigan. ... Matthew Shepherd and Jacob Mullinax had two hits each as short-season New Jersey lost, 3-0, to Mahoning Valley. ... Das Jesson doubled and drew two walks for rookie-level Johnson City in a 5-2 loss to Bristol.

The player of the day was Reyes, who continues to thrive in his first taste of the high minors. He allowed a run on seven hits and one walk as he improved to 3-1. Reyes, 22, has a 3.62 ERA and 49 strikeouts against seven walks in 37 1/3 innings at Double-A. The right-hander was the Cardinals' 15th-round draft pick in 2003.