By Rick Hummel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch –
The Cardinals have lost another pitcher for the season. Righthanded reliever Kyle McClellan had shoulder surgery Tuesday and precedes righthanded starter Chris Carpenter, who will have shoulder-related surgery next week, into the repair shop.
But in another day or so, the Cardinals should have all their prospective position players active for only the third game all season.
First baseman Lance Berkman, out since late May after having surgery on his right knee, is ready to play. And, no, he won’t be appearing at Class AA Springfield — or any other stop on the rehabilitation trail.
After a vigorous workout Thursday before the Cardinals headed for Cincinnati and the start of a three-game series on Friday night, Berkman traveled with the team and said he hoped to be activated Saturday. Manager Mike Matheny said he needed to see a bit more of Berkman in workouts before making that decision, but also said Berkman would be playing at some point on this six-game trip, which includes a set in Milwaukee.
With Berkman, who has played in only 13 games, having been on the disabled list once before (because of a hamstring injury), and with outfielder/first baseman Allen Craig having been on the DL twice and center fielder Jon Jay once, the Cards have had those three plus All-Star outfielders Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran available to play together in only two games this season. Oddly, the Cardinals lost both those games — on May 13-14, to Atlanta and Chicago respectively.
The decision to take Berkman on the trip came after a brief conference involving Matheny, Berkman and general manager John Mozeliak.
“Ultimately, it’s usually the player’s call, especially a player with a lot of tenure,” Matheny said.
He added that both first base and right field, where Berkman played last year, were options when he returned.
“We’ve made it very clear he’s somebody we’ve wanted around, just for his leadership,” Matheny said. “There’s a lot more value to that in this game than people give.
“But physically, so far, he’s checked all the boxes. He’s actually running better than I’ve seen him in a while. But the timing is going to be tough, when you take a break that long.”
Berkman hadn’t been on board with a minor-league rehab assignment, but he said he wasn’t ready to take that posture at all costs.
“That would be foolhardy,” he said. “If I thought it would have done me a lot of good to go out and get a bunch of at-bats, then I would have done it. But I felt I’ve lost enough of the season that I’d like to get back as quick as I can. This is a way that enables me to do that.”
Berkman says he probably shouldn’t be playing ahead of any of the aforementioned players, all of whom are hitting over or near .300 for the season, as compared to Berkman’s .333 in only 42 at-bats. Kiddingly, Berkman said that, at first, when he plays, “it might mean a lessening of the potency (of the lineup). It might be subtraction by addition.
“If I can hit as good as I can, I might be able to do what A.C. (Craig) has done for the time that he’s been here. I don’t think the team is in dire straits offensively. It’s not like I have to come back in and play every day.”
Holliday, who has missed only three of the past 86 games, said that having all the thumpers available “is a good problem to have. It’ll be Mike’s problem.”
Indeed, Matheny said, “We’ve got a lot of interesting decisions ahead of us.”
Berkman, an All-Star last year, said he hadn’t felt much a part of things this season.
“I don’t miss going 0 for four … but I do miss the camaraderie,” Berkman said. “When you’re not playing, you’re saying, ‘Man, what am I really accomplishing?’”
The Cardinals enter the second half of the season 2½ games behind National League Central Division leader Pittsburgh, and 1½ games behind Cincinnati.
“I believe in this team,” Berkman said. “We have yet to play anywhere close to our full potential, except the way we played coming out of the gate.”
The Cardinals were 20-11 through the first five weeks.
“Every time you play the guys in front of you, I guess could say those series are more magnified than they were at the beginning of the year because the race has semi-defined itself,” Berkman said. “It looks like it’s going to be a three-team race with possibly the Brewers clawing their way back into it.”
Pitcher Adam Wainwright, who will open the second half Friday night, said the Cardinals’ best is yet to come.
“I wouldn’t say the Reds or Pirates are real comfortable with us being behind them,” he said.
