Cards DL seven, but not Ryan
JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals placed seven players Tuesday on the disabled list for the opening week of the regular season, but the list was noteworthy for who wasn’t on it as much as who was.
Brendan Ryan was not placed on the disabled list and the Cardinals believe that he could be ready for opening day despite the lost time because of soreness in his right rib cage.
“He’s feeling better,” GM John Mozeliak said. “Very encouraging.”
Ryan will resume baseball activities on Wednesday, participating in fielding workouts and taking swings in the cages. He’ll take batting practice Thursday for the first time and then be cleared to play Friday. That is, if he recovers well from each increase in activity. The Cardinals will continue to carry D’Angelo Jimenez with the team at least through Sunday in case Ryan has any setbacks.
“Progressing real quickly,” Ryan said.
The seven players put on the disabled list were: RHP Chris Carpenter (elbow), LHP Mark Mulder (shoulder), RHP Matt Clement (shoulder), LHP Tyler Johnson (shoulder), RHP Joel Pineiro (shoulder), RHP Josh Kinney (elbow) and OF Juan Encarnacion (eye).
Put this up in the comments on the previous blog, but it’s worth repeating here. This afternoon offers our first clear understanding of when the injured pitchers are expected to return and in what order. The news: Mulder before Clement.
“Oh there’s no doubt,” pitching coach Dave Duncan said today when that order of return was presented to him by reporters. “No doubt in my mind”
Both threw today and the results — or the opinion of the results — were difference enough that Mulder is showing he closer to the rotation than Clement.
- Pineiro — Needs about four/five more starts. Think of it as another spring training.
- Mulder — Soon to be scheduled for a game, then spring schedule and rehab assignment.
- Clement — Going to start year in extended spring. No target.
- Carpenter — Long ways from thinking hitters. No target.
All of the above players are on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21, the first date permitted by MLB. Per rules, the Cardinals cannot put anyone on the 60-day disabled list until their 40-man roster is at capacity and they have need for the spot being taken by an injured player.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
Derrick,
First, thanks so much for all your very hard work in producing Bird Land and all the other copy everyday this spring, and throughout the season, for that matter.
Just curious… regarding Juan Encarnacion’s injury, the other Jeff Gordon wrote that he is owed $6.5 million from this season’s payroll. Don’t the Cardinals have insurance for this kind of situation? Or do they only do that for superstars like Albert?
Or do they not even bother? Thanks!