Lohse Cuts Off Side Session; Doubtful for Tuesday
SAN FRANCISCO - As soon as the Cardinals regained an important piece of their roster Friday, questions mounted regarding another.
Kyle Lohse cut short a bullpen throw for the second time in three days Friday due to discomfort in his right forearm. Lohse later projected his chance of making a Tuesday start against the Cincinnati Reds as “50-50″ while others in the clubhouse remain less optimistic.
“I’m not going to send him out there if he’s 75 percent,” said pitching coach Dave Duncan after the Cardinals’ 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants. “I would hope to know tomorrow.”
Duncan will ask Lohse to throw again today after Lohse complained about renewed tightness in the area hit by a pitch last Saturday against the Kansas City Royals. Lohse wore a compression sleeve as he dressed and described the sensation he is feeling as “a burning cramp.” He said there may be a change in treatment but was not specific. As a precaution, Duncan has also scheduled Brad Thompson for a side session today, effectively putting him on schedule to make next Tuesday’s start if Lohse can not go.
“We’re not going to risk anything. If he’s not ready he’s not going to pitch,” manager Tony La Russa said. “He didn’t have a throw today to make you guarantee he’s going to take the ball.”
Friday was Lohse’s day to pitch, but he was backed off the start when he experienced weakness during a Tuesday bullpen in Milwaukee. An inability to throw today would almost certainly scrub next Tuesday’s start.
“It doesn’t feel great. It still hurts,” Lohse said. “I’ll come in tomorrow, see how it feels and we’ll go from there.”
Lohse never has spent time on the disabled list in nine major-league seasons. However, the Cardinals are increasingly concerned about an injury first thought nothing more serious than swelling and a muscle bruise. Lohse said the burning sensation increased as he attempted to fully extend in his delivery.
The Cardinals remain reluctant to subtract a 13th pitcher partly because of the uncertainty surrounding Lohse. Thompson has not pitched since May 17 and only once since May 12. He made three starts after being optioned to Triple-A Memphis April 15. The Cardinals have won 17 of Thompson’s 24 career starts but it is uncertain how long he is conditioned to go after two weeks of relative inactivity.
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Have they gotten an x-ray or MRI on Lohse’s forearm? Don’t recall if that was ever reported. Might be time to take a look and see if there is a fracture. Sounds like the nerve could be bruised, as well as the muscle, since he’s complaining of a burning cramp.
Any word on whether they are considering Mitchell Boggs to be brought up as a temporary replacement for Lohse, rather than using Thompson? Wouldn’t mind Thompson going if he had been getting a little more work recently. I am one of those who subscribes to the theory that his sinkerball works better for him when he’s been pitching often. Other advantage to bringing Boggs up would be to showcase him in the event the team is of a mind to trade him for a bat.
oh geez………..dl should stand for daily list…….Good luck and get better
Please do not throw Brad Thompson! For the last two years he has done nothing but throw batting practice! He should spend the rest of his career where he belongs…in Memphis!
If Brad Thompson starts the Cards will be getting an ass kicking for sure!!
Thompson usually pitches well enough to give us a shot hence the team winning 17 of 24 starts but i like boggs if this is going to be something that takes some time to heal. boggs hasn’t really proven himself worthy of the starts after his pitching earlier this season.
Time to bean a KC Player in June.
Punkass