DeRosa will miss time with wrist injury

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals' Mark DeRosa has a strained tendon in his left wrist and expects to miss three or four games.

St. Louis also said third baseman Troy Glaus will report to its spring training complex to continue therapy in an often troubled rehab from right shoulder surgery in January. The 32-year-old could begin a rehab assignment in a few weeks.

"A glimmer, that's a good way to put it," manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday.

DeRosa was hurt in the fourth inning Tuesday and was removed for a pinch hitter in the sixth when the wrist worsened. He had been concerned the injury was serious, but X-rays and an exam revealed no break and no serious issues.

"It's the best-case scenario," DeRosa said. "I was back at the hotel last night kind of panicking a little bit."

St. Louis recalled infielder Jarret Hoffpauir from Class AAA Memphis. Right-hander Clayton Mortensen, who worked three innings of relief in his major league debut on Monday, was optioned back to Memphis.

"Day to day is optimistic to me," La Russa said. "The fact we didn't DL him is optimistic."

DeRosa is off to a stuttering start with the Cardinals, who acquired him Saturday from the Indians for potential closer Chris Perez and a player to be named. DeRosa is 0-for-9 in three games after batting .270 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs with Cleveland.

He's been joking the last few days that he just needs a "bleeder" to sneak through the infield to get things rolling with a team struggling offensively aside from Albert Pujols.

"I'm the player I've always been, a guy who grinds it out and does the little things and tries to be a good teammate," DeRosa said. "It's just disappointing for me because you want to prove you're going to play well and kind of give them a jump start."

DeRosa said he's never had any problem with the wrist. He was worried because there's no compensating for an injury at that spot.

"You pull a hammy, you don't run as hard. Your shoulder hurts, you don't throw as hard," DeRosa said. "Your hand hurts holding a bat, you can't do anything about that. You can't swing less."

Hoffpauir, primarily a second baseman, batted .276 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs in 62 games at Memphis. He's coming off a big June in which he batted .327 with seven homers, 20 RBIs and a .400 on-base percentage.