Edmonds still battles post-concussion syndrome

ST. LOUIS -- Jim Edmonds was out of the St. Louis Cardinals' lineup again on Tuesday, giving him one start in two weeks while battling post-concussion syndrome, and he doesn't know when he'll be ready to play again.

Edmonds underwent a battery of medical tests in mid-August after leaving a game with blurred vision and dizziness. He said another trip to the doctor on Monday, a day off for the team, provided no answers.

"They've basically told me to do what I can do until we figure out what's going on," Edmonds said. "All I know is some days it's good and some days it's terrible."

Edmonds sustained a concussion when he crashed into a wall in Chicago in an interleague game against the White Sox in June while trying to rob Joe Crede of a home run. Since then he's had intermittent bouts of dizziness, blurred vision and disorientation.

In his only start since being removed from a game on Aug. 15, Edmonds struck out four times with a walk on Friday. He also struck out as a pinch hitter on Saturday, but has not played since.

"He was getting better and he said 'I'm ready to go,"' manager Tony La Russa said. "I just don't know how ready he is."

Edmonds, an eight-time Gold Glove center fielder, was batting .260 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs in 104 games. He said every day has been an adventure.

"Some days I'll wake up with a nasty headache, and some days I'll wake up not feeling too bad," Edmonds said. "Depending on how that day starts, is usually how it ends."

Edmonds said he's not getting pushed by management to play. The Cardinals signed outfielder Preston Wilson after the symptoms began to intensify.

"I'm not getting any read on that," he said. "I'm getting the doctor telling me to be careful."

The more activity he has, the worse the symptoms usually become for Edmonds. He said team doctors have told him he just has to wait for the symptoms to subside.

"The doctor said there's no timetable," Edmonds said. "It could be a week, it could be 10 days, it could be two months."

The Cardinals are likely to go a player short for a few more days until rosters can be expanded on Friday. Juan Encarnacion has moved from right field to center in most of the games Edmonds has missed.

"My guess is we'll find a way to get through it," manager Tony La Russa said. "The key is can we get him in there so he's performing and contributing, being productive.

"I had him playing tomorrow, but I don't know if I can play him tomorrow."