Cardinals guessing Pujols lost for more than a month

 

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will be re-examined Sunday but is expected to go on the disabled list after straining his right oblique muscle Saturday, and the club fears the injury will keep Pujols sidelined for a "significant" period.

 

Pujols, who leads the major leagues with 25 home runs and 65 RBI and has averaged 158 games played in his first five seasons, left St. Louis' 8-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs after two innings. He pulled up and grabbed his right side on Aramis Ramirez's foul ball with one out in the second. He finished the inning at first base after consulting with a team trainer and St. Louis manager Tony La Russa but was replaced in the third.

 

"Obviously, we have significant concerns about the severity," team physician Dr. George Paletta said. "This injury can put you out for weeks."

 

Paletta said Pujols, who would be making his first trip to the DL, could be out for as long as six weeks.

 

"If you told me right now he'd be out two weeks ... I'd buy you dinner the rest of the year," La Russa said. "I just don't think after talking to Dr. Paletta that two weeks from now, Albert will be ready to go.

 

"He's going to miss a significant period of time," La Russa added.

 

John Rodriguez moved into the third slot, playing left field, and Hector Luna moved from left field to first base.

 

"He could come in [sunday] and if he doesn't have a lot of soreness, you say, 'it's mild or a Grade I," Paletta was quoted as saying in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "If he comes in [sunday] and he can't rotate his trunk at all, you say, 'it's severe, Grade II or Grade III.' "

 

An injury beyond Grade I probably would require a minimum two to six weeks' recovery, Paletta said.

 

"You can't play with this at 60-70 percent," trainer Barry Weinberg told the Post-Dispatch.

 

Pujols dressed and left Busch Stadium without speaking to the media. His outstanding start has prompted talk of the slugger challenging Barry Bonds' single-season record of 73 home runs.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2469450

 

This is a good reason not to use Thome that much in the field during interleague play.

Edited June 4, 200619 yr by RME JICO

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2469450

 

This is a good reason not to use Thome that much in the field during interleague play.

 

 

Too bad about Albert. I don't want to seethe Cubs have any hope what so ever.

 

 

 

Bob

Too bad about Albert. I don't want to seethe Cubs have any hope what so ever.

Bob

 

I was actually hoping he broke the Bonds HR *record* this year. Now that is very unlikely. It is going to be a rough stretch for the Cards while he is out.

 

The Cubs have no chance either way.

Wow. Sucks for Pujols, and sucks for the Cards. Huge blow to them.

Edited June 4, 200619 yr by Sox It To Em

Now i will have to listen to my Cardinal-fan-friend complain about pujols being hurt.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2469450

 

This is a good reason not to use Thome that much in the field during interleague play.

 

Yeah. I'm done saying that Thome should be put on the field.

That's terribly sad. Tetrahydrogestrinone gets to keep that record for another year it looks like.

Wonder how the Cards react to having 3 of their best players on the DL? We saw what happened on the north side of town.

Shoot, the shot at the home run record is now out. He's a great player and I hope he gets back soon.

Yeah it sucks when you see a great player injured when he is in his prime. I bet he's back in 15 days though. He is more than willing to play hurt and he's done it effectively many times (elbow, plantar fasc...). How about Jim Edmonds sacking up today and stepping up to the plate by playing hurt because his team needed him. That was pretty gutsy of him and he played well. It's easy to forget as fans, but these guys are tough

How about Jim Edmonds sacking up today and stepping up to the plate by playing hurt because his team needed him.

I didn't realize he played. For some reason I thought he went on the 15 day DL. So it's just Carpenter and Pujols?

I didn't realize he played. For some reason I thought he went on the 15 day DL. So it's just Carpenter and Pujols?

 

He was going to go on the DL but they decided to wait a couple of days. I don't know if this is the right decision, but if didn't have either Edmonds or Pujols they'd be hurting pretty bad.

He was a bit ginger running around(although he always has goofy body language so how can you really tell) but 1B should keep him from having to sprint as much. I also think that is was a big psychological boost to the team to see Edmonds out there. It helps erase some of the bad feelings Albert's injury caused. It also sends a message to the whole team when guys like Rolen, Pujols, and Edmonds play hurt.

Yes Edmonds sacked it up and finally played.. He shoulda been put on the DL but looks like it may work out but may not.. he still scares me when he runs.. Carpenter should be back on Tuesday.. so really Pujols will be on the DL only unless something happens.. still gonna be tough!

 

Taguchi, Rolen, Edmonds, and Encarnacion really stepped it up today.. they are gonna have to keep it up..

Edited June 4, 200619 yr by CardsJimEdmonds15

In their favor is that if they get better and more consistent pitching than they have lately (mainly Marquis and Mulder need to step up) then they can survive the hit on offense temporarily. They won't go 5-20 like the Cubs without Pujols. They still have 3 very good players on offense, a great manager and a deep staff with a good bullpen

Aside from the tarp that clobbered Vince Coleman, the Cardinals have had relativly good luck. I bet they win w/o him. They have a competant manager who does his homework and will find a way to apadt. Yes, you won't replace a Pujols/Derrek Lee type player, but you find a way to adapt w/o them. Go to being more of a scrap team, like the 2003 Marlins, where they didn't have any "major" power, and the power they did have stepped up when Lowell went down.

Timo was playing for the Cards today.

Timo was playing for the Cards today.

On the year he's 1-4, R, BB.

On the year he's 1-4, R, BB.

 

And a hit by pitch in the head

The Cards will be fine....the NL Central has began to prove the truth, which is....it f***ing sucks. However they need to watch the Reds, who are the one team that somehow continues to win and seems to have staying power. Hopefully Pujols gets well soon here though, but remember Carpenter returns in a few days here and Edmonds is now back, so the Cards are getting some pieces back as well, although nothing can replace Pujols.

If Pujols is only on the DL for 15 days, he will be back just in time for the series vs the Sox.

If Pujols is only on the DL for 15 days, he will be back just in time for the series vs the Sox.

:banghead :banghead :banghead

If Pujols is only on the DL for 15 days, he will be back just in time for the series vs the Sox.

Which means he'll be on the DL for more than 15 days, the Sox have a scary ability to miss the big name players whenever they play these sort of teams. For whatever reason the team's ace's are pushed back in the rotation so that they miss the Sox (Millwood, Halladay) or the big time sluggers or pitchers are injured at the time the Sox play them (Vlad, K-Rod last year).

 

It's just part of the great luck the Sox find themselves having.

Which means he'll be on the DL for more than 15 days, the Sox have a scary ability to miss the big name players whenever they play these sort of teams. For whatever reason the team's ace's are pushed back in the rotation so that they miss the Sox (Millwood, Halladay) or the big time sluggers or pitchers are injured at the time the Sox play them (Vlad, K-Rod last year).

 

It's just part of the great luck the Sox find themselves having.

We'll know more once his MRI results come in. Supposedly he was feeling better today.

God on Bonds an instant classic from The Dugout.