Journell tries to raise his stock

ST. LOUIS -- Starting, long relief, closing -- it's all the same to Jimmy Journell. As long as he's pitching in the major leagues, the St. Louis Cardinals' reliever is a happy man.

"Everything feels great," Journell said. "Everything right now is just gravy."

Just give him the ball.

"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "I just want to be in the big leagues for 10 years and get people out."

Journell, 27, was once one of the jewels of the team's farm system, armed with a mid- to high-90s fastball. After being picked in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, he had three highly successful seasons as a starter in the minor leagues-- he was the team's minor league pitcher of the year in 2001 -- before running head-on into injuries and mechanical woes.

He appeared in only four minor league games last season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. His 2003 season was hindered by a sprained shoulder. Entering this year, he had appeared in only seven games in the major leagues.

Thus, the lowered expectations.

Journell came to spring training this year as a big question mark, and proving he could stay healthy was the main reason he began the year at Triple-A Memphis. A strong start in the minors, three scoreless innings with five strikeouts in three games, earned him a shot when Cal Eldred went on the 15-day disabled list with an upper respiratory problem.

"I'm not getting any younger," Journell said. "I need to do it sooner or later. This year, I'm finally healthy and ready."

One effective inning at Pittsburgh, when he finished a 7-1 victory, convinced the team to keep him and not lefty Carmen Cali when left-hander Bill Pulsipher went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.

"He looked good in spring training and it was tough to send him out," La Russa said. "He's got to pitch good. But it does start with health with him."

Journell's first outing this year could be described as creatively wild. But he also showed off his overpowering fastball.

"That was just to get my feet wet again," Journell said. "I can throw a lot better than that.

"I was a little nervous, but I felt good."

His second outing in the Cardinals' 8-5 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday was not quite as impressive. He allowed three runs in one inning, allowing two hits and walking two. One of the walks forced in a run.

Part of his wildness could be attributed to a lack of work in the bullpen.

"I still feel like I'm throwing the ball the same as I was when I was 21," Journell said. "It's just a matter of when you're hurt, you're not reliable, so you're going to slip in people's views of you.

"It's just a matter of being healthy again and showing, 'Hey, I've still got that same talent.'"