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Notes: Grudzielanek still sidelined
09/08/2005 8:38 PM ET
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- Mark Grudzielanek received a cortisone shot in his lower back on Thursday, hoping to alleviate pain that has steadily increased for about two weeks. Grudzielanek was held out of the lineup for a second straight day on Thursday, and there's a good chance he won't play in this weekend's series against the Mets.
"It's come to a point where it's gotten worse and worse and worse," Grudzielanek said. "The last few days playing, it was affecting me, I felt."
Abraham Nunez started at second base in place of Grudzielanek, with John Mabry taking Nunez's usual spot at third. Grudzielanek said he had been playing in significant and increasing pain, but did not express a great deal of concern about how the injury might affect him in the longer term.
"Right now I believe there's just, on the L-5 disc, a slight tear, real tiny," Grudzielanek said. "It's minor stuff. And it's caused a bulge. So the inflammation is in there and causing pain.
"It could be gone, or it could be something that we might have to deal with for a little bit. It's nothing serious. It's not like a bulging disc or anything like that. It's the earliest stages of something like that which could happen, but it's not there."
Manager Tony La Russa said that he did not expect the Cardinals to have to make a move to bring in another infielder to cover for Grudzielanek's absence.
Morris faces hitters: Matt Morris took an unusual step on Thursday, throwing live batting practice to hitters in place of a normal bullpen session. He threw nearly 50 pitches to Reggie Sanders and Chris Duncan, hoping to gain some benefits from throwing in a different environment.
"I wanted to get on the mound and throw to some guys live and get a batter," Morris said. "It's easy to go out in the bullpen and throw pitches. It's not a big deal.
"It's just a different mindset. You're trying to make pitches and see the result and work on things that it's tough to work on in the game."
At one point, Morris expressed irritation with Sanders, who wasn't swinging at any pitches. That's not out of the ordinary for the rehabbing outfielder, who hasn't played since mid-July due to a broken bone in his leg. In Spring Training, Sanders focuses on taking as many pitches as possible, rather than trying to swing the bat a great deal.
"My objective is to see pitches, to see the ball coming out of his hand," Sanders said.
Unfortunately, that ran somewhat counter to what Morris was trying to accomplish.
"That was my point, for them to swing the bat," Morris said. "I only had a certain number of pitches, and he was standing in there."
Sanders eventually started swinging at some more pitches, and all was well.
Sanders runs the bases: In addition to facing live pitching, Sanders took another step forward on Thursday afternoon. He did some baserunning work for the first time since his injury, working on both getting jumps and making the turn around second base.
"I'm very happy with where I am," Sanders said. "If you'd asked me that a week ago, I wouldn't [have said that]. But now, today, it's different."
Sanders and the Cardinals continue to hope that he can return to action early next week at home against Pittsburgh.
"Reggie doesn't have a problem with hitting," said head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg. "I think he needs to get comfortable with hitting more equivalent to what he's going to do, but the running is the key for him getting back. He's got his spikes on today. He's doing a little more functional running. He's making good steps."
Today in Busch Stadium history: On Sept. 8, 1998, Mark McGwire hit his record-breaking 62nd home run of the season. McGwire's historic blast, breaking Roger Maris' 37-year-old record, was a solo job off Steve Trachsel in the fourth inning. Thanks to Project Retrosheet for the information.
Baby 'Birds: Class A Palm Beach lost a heartbreaker on Wednesday night. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and a 1-0 lead, closer Mark Worrell permitted a three-run homer to Blake DeWitt that gave Vero Beach the 3-1 win. The series is now tied, one each, with the deciding game set for Thursday night in Vero Beach. ... Class A Quad Cities' late-season slide continued into the opener of the Midwest League playoffs. The Swing lost, 11-2, to Clinton in the series opener. Nick Stavinoha hit a home run for Quad Cities, which needs a win on Thursday to stay alive. ... Short-season New Jersey beat Brooklyn, 4-2, behind a three-run homer from Adam Rodgers.
The player of the day is Palm Beach starter Eric Haberer, who received no decision. Haberer, the Cardinals' third-round draft pick last year, pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed four hits and four walks, striking out six.
Coming up: Jason Marquis will try to keep his roll going when he faces the Mets on Friday night. Marquis has complete-game victories in each of his last two games, but he'll be going up against another hot pitcher in Jae Seo. The Mets have won the last seven games started by Seo. Game time is 7:10 p.m. CT.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
09/08/2005 8:38 PM ET
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- Mark Grudzielanek received a cortisone shot in his lower back on Thursday, hoping to alleviate pain that has steadily increased for about two weeks. Grudzielanek was held out of the lineup for a second straight day on Thursday, and there's a good chance he won't play in this weekend's series against the Mets.
"It's come to a point where it's gotten worse and worse and worse," Grudzielanek said. "The last few days playing, it was affecting me, I felt."
Abraham Nunez started at second base in place of Grudzielanek, with John Mabry taking Nunez's usual spot at third. Grudzielanek said he had been playing in significant and increasing pain, but did not express a great deal of concern about how the injury might affect him in the longer term.
"Right now I believe there's just, on the L-5 disc, a slight tear, real tiny," Grudzielanek said. "It's minor stuff. And it's caused a bulge. So the inflammation is in there and causing pain.
"It could be gone, or it could be something that we might have to deal with for a little bit. It's nothing serious. It's not like a bulging disc or anything like that. It's the earliest stages of something like that which could happen, but it's not there."
Manager Tony La Russa said that he did not expect the Cardinals to have to make a move to bring in another infielder to cover for Grudzielanek's absence.
Morris faces hitters: Matt Morris took an unusual step on Thursday, throwing live batting practice to hitters in place of a normal bullpen session. He threw nearly 50 pitches to Reggie Sanders and Chris Duncan, hoping to gain some benefits from throwing in a different environment.
"I wanted to get on the mound and throw to some guys live and get a batter," Morris said. "It's easy to go out in the bullpen and throw pitches. It's not a big deal.
"It's just a different mindset. You're trying to make pitches and see the result and work on things that it's tough to work on in the game."
At one point, Morris expressed irritation with Sanders, who wasn't swinging at any pitches. That's not out of the ordinary for the rehabbing outfielder, who hasn't played since mid-July due to a broken bone in his leg. In Spring Training, Sanders focuses on taking as many pitches as possible, rather than trying to swing the bat a great deal.
"My objective is to see pitches, to see the ball coming out of his hand," Sanders said.
Unfortunately, that ran somewhat counter to what Morris was trying to accomplish.
"That was my point, for them to swing the bat," Morris said. "I only had a certain number of pitches, and he was standing in there."
Sanders eventually started swinging at some more pitches, and all was well.
Sanders runs the bases: In addition to facing live pitching, Sanders took another step forward on Thursday afternoon. He did some baserunning work for the first time since his injury, working on both getting jumps and making the turn around second base.
"I'm very happy with where I am," Sanders said. "If you'd asked me that a week ago, I wouldn't [have said that]. But now, today, it's different."
Sanders and the Cardinals continue to hope that he can return to action early next week at home against Pittsburgh.
"Reggie doesn't have a problem with hitting," said head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg. "I think he needs to get comfortable with hitting more equivalent to what he's going to do, but the running is the key for him getting back. He's got his spikes on today. He's doing a little more functional running. He's making good steps."
Today in Busch Stadium history: On Sept. 8, 1998, Mark McGwire hit his record-breaking 62nd home run of the season. McGwire's historic blast, breaking Roger Maris' 37-year-old record, was a solo job off Steve Trachsel in the fourth inning. Thanks to Project Retrosheet for the information.
Baby 'Birds: Class A Palm Beach lost a heartbreaker on Wednesday night. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and a 1-0 lead, closer Mark Worrell permitted a three-run homer to Blake DeWitt that gave Vero Beach the 3-1 win. The series is now tied, one each, with the deciding game set for Thursday night in Vero Beach. ... Class A Quad Cities' late-season slide continued into the opener of the Midwest League playoffs. The Swing lost, 11-2, to Clinton in the series opener. Nick Stavinoha hit a home run for Quad Cities, which needs a win on Thursday to stay alive. ... Short-season New Jersey beat Brooklyn, 4-2, behind a three-run homer from Adam Rodgers.
The player of the day is Palm Beach starter Eric Haberer, who received no decision. Haberer, the Cardinals' third-round draft pick last year, pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed four hits and four walks, striking out six.
Coming up: Jason Marquis will try to keep his roll going when he faces the Mets on Friday night. Marquis has complete-game victories in each of his last two games, but he'll be going up against another hot pitcher in Jae Seo. The Mets have won the last seven games started by Seo. Game time is 7:10 p.m. CT.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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