MAC ON DL; SE PRODUCT REALIZES A DREAM

ST. LOUIS -- Mark McGwire's misfortune has turned into a nice break for Southeast Missouri State University product Kerry Robinson.

McGwire, the St. Louis Cardinals first baseman who has been limited to six games this season as he is still recovering from offseason surgery to correct tendinitis, was placed on the disabled list Wednesday night's game against Arizona at Busch Stadium.

Robinson, who is in his seventh professional season, had spent parts of two previous campaigns in the major leagues. But this is his first stint with the Cardinals, his home town team.

"I'm really excited for Kerry," said Southeast coach Mark Hogan after learning of Robinson's call-up following the Indians' game against Southern Illinois. "Being from St. Louis, I know one of his goals was always to play for the Cardinals.

"And his first game with the Cardinals, being at Busch Stadium, that's just sweet for him. What a great story. As hard as that guy's worked, he really deserves it."

Robinson was actually a 34th-round draft choice of the Cardinals in 1995 after finishing his career with Southeast. He did well in the St. Louis minor-league system before being traded to the Tampa Bay organization.

Robinson has since been with several different organizations, leading to his two brief stints in the majors. He has spent most of the past few seasons in Triple A and last year batted .318 for the New York Yankees' Columbus team.

In the offseason, the speedy Robinson was re-acquired by the Cardinals and batted well over .300 during spring training but failed to make their opening-day roster.

"Kerry has put up very good numbers at every level but for whatever reason he hasn't been able to spend a whole lot of time in the big leagues yet," Hogan said. "I think teams need his type of player and hopefully this will be the start of something good for him."

Hogan was Robinson's coach for just one season at Southeast -- in 1995, after Hogan took over the Indians' program -- but what a season it was.

A three-year starter for the Indians, Robinson hit .385 as a senior in 95, a campaign marked by his 35-game hitting streak that at the time was the 13th longest in NCAA history.

"It was my first year (at Southeast) and I was fortunate enough to coach Kerry," said Hogan. "He just had a fabulous year, and he's a super young man. We've stayed in touch over the years and I'm really happy for him."

As for McGwire, the move to the 15-day DL made on Wednesday was backdated to Monday, but he could be out a lot longer.

"The figure I'd pick out is longer than 15 days," manager Tony La Russa said before the Cardinals played Arizona. "It's hard to believe in 15 days he would be ready for this."

It's been six months since McGwire underwent surgery. Cardinals doctors say the quickest recovery for an athlete from similar surgery is six months for NBA player Alonzo Mourning. La Russa said others have required 11 and 12 months.

McGwire played more than expected in spring training, partly because he was feeling good and partly because he wanted to get as many at-bats as possible to shake off rust. La Russa said he doesn't second-guess himself for letting McGwire play too much, too soon.

"I regret the fact that he's not available, but I really don't regret the way he was played," La Russa said. "There wasn't one time that he played that anybody was careless.

"It was discussed, it was planned. There were days he felt great and came out after two at-bats."

McGwire, baseball's single-season home run king with 70 in 1998, has been bothered by the knee since last season. He had just 15 at-bats after the All-Star break because of the sore knee and couldn't play in the field.

This year he's 2-for-21 (.095) with one home run, the 555th of his career.

"All I know is, I'm not myself," McGwire said Tuesday. "I have to play at a certain level and I'm not there. If I don't play at a certain level, I think I'm embarrassing myself and I'm no good to a ballclub."

La Russa is confident McGwire will be back, sooner or later.

"This is April, and I'm hopeful that he'll get back with a lot of season left," La Russa said. "These guys, when they heal, they heal 100 percent."

McGwire declined to talk to reporters before the game Wednesday.

Bobby Bonilla and Eli Marrero will get the bulk of time at first base while McGwire is out. Entering Wednesday's game, Cardinals first basemen were a collective 9-for-55 with three RBIs -- one each from McGwire, Bonilla and Marrero.

Bonilla, 38, started at first base Wednesday, but La Russa said he didn't think he could play every day at this stage of his career. La Russa said he also could use rookie Albert Pujols, who entered the game batting .400 and with an 11-game hitting streak, at first.

Also Wednesday, the Cardinals also optioned pitcher Chad Hutchinson to Memphis and called up pitcher Jason Karnuth.