http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2058676
ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a sprained left shoulder and could miss up to six weeks.
Rolen's shoulder was still too sore to undergo complete medical testing, but Dr. George Paletta, the team physician, indicated the third baseman could be sidelined anywhere from two weeks to six weeks. Paletta said the results of an MRI exam on Thursday showed no significant structural damage and he was hopeful Rolen would be able to take a second exam Friday that would detect any damage to the labrum.
Paletta said Rolen would have to hold his shoulder in a torqued position for 20-30 minutes to get a more detailed picture.
"They tried to do it this morning, and he was just too uncomfortable to tolerate it," Paletta said. "We got what we could. We really need those additional views to get the most realistic picture and the most realistic prognosis."
Two days after being hurt in a collision at first base with the Dodgers' Hee Seop Choi, Rolen said he felt no better and agreed with the decision to go on the DL. Manager Tony La Russa had been holding out hope that he could play a man short for perhaps a week if the injury could run its course faster.
"I still don't have any motion in my arm," Rolen said after the Cardinals' 10-3 victory over the Dodgers. "I think it's the right move, and we'll see how it goes from there."
The Cardinals recalled third baseman Scott Seabol to take Rolen's roster spot. Seabol, who grounded out as a pinch hitter Thursday, was hitting .325 with eight home runs and 24 RBI at Triple-A Memphis.
Thus far, John Mabry has replaced Rolen at third base in both games he's missed. He was 3-for-5 with a couple of nice defensive plays on Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with a two-run double on Thursday.
Mabry, who bats left-handed, and the right-handed hitting Seabol could platoon at the position while the team waits for Rolen, a six-time Gold Glove winner who is batting .257 with five homers and 20 RBI.
Paletta said Rolen's injury is unrelated to the separated left shoulder that sidelined the all-star third baseman for most of the 2002 playoffs. After joining St. Louis near the trading deadline in a deal with Philadelphia, Rolen was injured in a basepath collision with Alex Cintron of the Diamondbacks during the division series and missed the NL Championship Series.
"Fortunately, the MRI shows us very clearly that area that was injured in 2002 and there's no evidence of any new injury," Paletta said. "The ligaments he damaged appear to have healed very nicely. The old injury is essentially irrelevant."
The 29-year-old Seabol batted .304 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI last season for Memphis, by far his best power season. Before Thursday he had one career major league at-bat with the Yankees in 2001.
"I'm excited," Seabol said. "I want to prove to people that I can play here."
Also, the Cardinals put off until Friday activating closer Jason Isringhausen from the 15-day disabled list. Isringhausen could have returned to the roster from a right abdominal strain, but La Russa wanted him to face hitters in a simulated setting first. The right-hander threw off a mound earlier Thursday.
Rolen's shoulder was still too sore to undergo complete medical testing, but Dr. George Paletta, the team physician, indicated the third baseman could be sidelined anywhere from two weeks to six weeks. Paletta said the results of an MRI exam on Thursday showed no significant structural damage and he was hopeful Rolen would be able to take a second exam Friday that would detect any damage to the labrum.
Paletta said Rolen would have to hold his shoulder in a torqued position for 20-30 minutes to get a more detailed picture.
"They tried to do it this morning, and he was just too uncomfortable to tolerate it," Paletta said. "We got what we could. We really need those additional views to get the most realistic picture and the most realistic prognosis."
Two days after being hurt in a collision at first base with the Dodgers' Hee Seop Choi, Rolen said he felt no better and agreed with the decision to go on the DL. Manager Tony La Russa had been holding out hope that he could play a man short for perhaps a week if the injury could run its course faster.
"I still don't have any motion in my arm," Rolen said after the Cardinals' 10-3 victory over the Dodgers. "I think it's the right move, and we'll see how it goes from there."
The Cardinals recalled third baseman Scott Seabol to take Rolen's roster spot. Seabol, who grounded out as a pinch hitter Thursday, was hitting .325 with eight home runs and 24 RBI at Triple-A Memphis.
Thus far, John Mabry has replaced Rolen at third base in both games he's missed. He was 3-for-5 with a couple of nice defensive plays on Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with a two-run double on Thursday.
Mabry, who bats left-handed, and the right-handed hitting Seabol could platoon at the position while the team waits for Rolen, a six-time Gold Glove winner who is batting .257 with five homers and 20 RBI.
Paletta said Rolen's injury is unrelated to the separated left shoulder that sidelined the all-star third baseman for most of the 2002 playoffs. After joining St. Louis near the trading deadline in a deal with Philadelphia, Rolen was injured in a basepath collision with Alex Cintron of the Diamondbacks during the division series and missed the NL Championship Series.
"Fortunately, the MRI shows us very clearly that area that was injured in 2002 and there's no evidence of any new injury," Paletta said. "The ligaments he damaged appear to have healed very nicely. The old injury is essentially irrelevant."
The 29-year-old Seabol batted .304 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI last season for Memphis, by far his best power season. Before Thursday he had one career major league at-bat with the Yankees in 2001.
"I'm excited," Seabol said. "I want to prove to people that I can play here."
Also, the Cardinals put off until Friday activating closer Jason Isringhausen from the 15-day disabled list. Isringhausen could have returned to the roster from a right abdominal strain, but La Russa wanted him to face hitters in a simulated setting first. The right-hander threw off a mound earlier Thursday.
