News
Rehabbing Glaus on outfield track
Cards third baseman to practice position at Triple-A
By B.J. Rains / MLB.com
07/18/09 8:04 PM ET
ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus will travel to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday and begin practicing in the outfield with the club on Monday in an attempt to rejoin the Cardinals more quickly.Glaus, who began his rehab assignment with Class A Palm Beach on July 11, played five innings in left field on Saturday night with Palm Beach and caught the only ball hit his way before finishing the game at first base. He is pain-free on swings but still feels some discomfort when he throws. He has been DH-ing and playing first base during his rehab and will continue that at Memphis while he practices in the outfield during afternoon workouts.
If Glaus can pass for an outfielder, his much-needed bat could return to the Cardinals lineup faster than if they are forced to wait until he can throw well enough to play third base.
"It's something that we're kicking around," said Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak. "Nothing has been determined right now. We're going to give him some looks out there in a workout environment, and then if we can play him out there in a game, we will try."
Glaus could return faster as a pinch-hitter, but that possibility remains unlikely with the team carrying only four bench players right now. He will play four games with Memphis before being re-evaluated next Friday.
He was 5-for-21 in five games for Palm Beach heading into his last game Saturday night. His maximum 20 days allowed for a rehab assignment ends on July 30, meaning he could stay with Memphis for 11 days if the Cardinals decide to utilize the full amount of time. Glaus could return sooner if the outfield experiment works.
"I don't know if we will maximize [the 20 days] or not at this point," Mozeliak said. "We're just going to take it day by day and see how he keeps going, but I suspect that he will have at least the next four in Memphis.
"He feels good swinging the bat. It's just a little bit of stress getting his arm to where it needs to be. But we're encouraged."
Glaus hit .270 with 27 home runs and 99 RBIs for the Cardinals in 2008 before undergoing offseason shoulder surgery that has caused him to miss all of 2009 to this point.
B.J. Rains is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
