Friday, Jul. 03, 2009

Glaus getting closer to rehab assignment

He could begin rehab assignment within next two weeks

ST. LOUIS -- As expected, third baseman Troy Glaus reported to Jupiter, Fla., on Thursday and could be within two weeks of beginning a minor-league rehab assignment for the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I think this is the next big step for him," Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said of Glaus, who is recovering from a January operation to repair a muscle near his right shoulder. "The next few weeks will really determine if we're going to put him out on a rehab or not.

"If that's the case, then the likelihood of him joining the Cardinals is going to be very high. But rather than guess that, I'd rather let the next seven to 10 days happen. My optimism's higher than it was a few weeks ago and far more than it was a month ago."

Glaus still is experiencing pain when he throws a ball.

"He feels pretty good," Mozeliak said. "He's feeling no pain swinging the bat. He does have a little discomfort right now when he throws, but he thinks it's manageable. So let's get him out there and really do some intensified workouts. It's something he's got to work through."

Ready if needed

Rookie Jarrett Hoffpauir is with the Cardinals to provide depth in the absence of Mark DeRosa, who likely will be sidelined through the weekend with a strained tendon in his left wrist.

Hoffpauir, a right-handed hitter, is the 15th rookie to be summoned to the Cardinals this season.

"He's had a lot of clutch moments coming up through the system," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He's not afraid to take a big at-bat."

DeRosa is expected to rejoin the lineup Tuesday in Milwaukee.

"I think that's the earliest," La Russa said. "If he's not ready Tuesday, he's not ready Tuesday. But I don't think it will be this weekend. I'll take him whenever we can get him."

Tough trip ahead

The Cardinals will close out the official first half of the season with a season-long 10-game road trip to Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Chicago. They will play a day-night doubleheader against the Cubs on July 12.

St. Louis began Thursday in second place in the National League Central, one game behind Milwaukee, two games ahead of Cincinnati and two games ahead of Chicago.

"We have the kind of club that likes challenges," La Russa said. "That's a legitimate challenge, facing those three clubs. All of them are right in the middle of it. Actually, I think it's a good thing because you don't run the risk of starting the All-Star break early. These clubs will have our attention."

Lohse starts in Class AA

Pitching for Class AA Springfield on Thursday night, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse allowed three hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings against Frisco.

Lohse, making his first rehab start as he comes back from a strained right forearm, walked four and struck out three.

He allowed a bases-empty homer to Mitchell Moreland in the first inning. Lohse was charged with another run in the fifth when reliever Brandon Dickson's wild pitch scored Renny Osuna, who led off the inning with a single against Lohse.

Lohse threw 79 pitches, 44 for strikes. Eight of the 11 outs he recorded were flyouts.

There is a chance Lohse, who has been on the disabled list since June 4, might not return to the rotation until after the All-Star game July 14.

Mozeliak suggested Wednesday that Lohse might require two rehab starts. If he has two, the Cardinals might decide to go with three.

"If we can get him back after the All-Star break, he would get three," La Russa said. "There's a lot season left. We just need him to be himself when he comes back."

Superstition strikes again

Everyone knows how superstitious La Russa has been for many years. It showed again Thursday when looking at the lineup card he posted in the clubhouse.

La Russa alternated between printing and cursive for each name. Why?

"We lost the first (game) with printing," he said. "We lost the second one (with) cursive. We won (Wednesday) when I alternated them. It's real scientific (stuff).

"If we had lost (Wednesday), I had another one for today. But I'm glad I didn't have to go to it. I hope I never have to ever show it to you, but I had a plan for something different today."