Manager Tony La Russa met before Sunday's game to help clarify any mixed messages lefthander Jaime Garcia may have taken from Saturday's seemingly endless 3 1/3-inning outing in which he surrendered 12 runs (11 earned) to the Colorado Rockies.

"I just wanted him to know there wasn't any hidden meaning or any hidden messages behind it," said La Russa, who said he approached Garcia rather than vice versa.

La Russa pointed to the schedule as the driving factor between allowing Garcia to cram 107 pitches in his shortest start to date. Garcia allowed six runs in the first inning and became involved in an abortive rundown during the third inning before being sent out to work the fourth. La Russa hoped Garcia would clear the frame but reconsidered after Garcia surrendered the final two of 11 hits that went with four walks.

"We had another game in the series. If we didn't have to play on Monday, the decision would have been different. But, obviously, we played on Monday," La Russa said following Monday's 7-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

As is, La Russa has used the bullpen to cover 12 2/3 innings of the last three games while the rotation has worked 13 1/3 innings, the least this season within a three-game stretch.

La Russa recognized that Garcia might have been sensitive to what the start did to his previously eye-popping statistics. The start raised Garcia's ERA from 1.93 to 3.28. The move dropped Garcia from second in the league in ERA to out of the top 10. Garcia also suffered his first loss after going 5-0 with at least two ill-deserved no-decisions in his first 10 starts.

"Numbers can create their own pressure if you let them," La Russa said. "Guys can get so concerned about statistics that it can become an albatross around their neck. In some ways it can become its own distraction."

Et Cetera

Allen Craig made his eighth start at second base and, like the other seven, was moved from the position before game's end. Craig took the relay from shortstop on two ground balls but was upended by Giants third baseman Miguel Tejada both times before having a chance to attempt a double-play turn. Craig's .455 average since May 19 leads the National League. Monday's two doubles left him with hits in nine of his last 11 games ... Third baseman David Freese will have his left hand re-examined this morning to determine if he is ready to begin strengthening exercises. Freese suffered a fracture of the hand May 1 and is still at least two weeks removed from resuming baseball-related activities.