Mulder likely to miss another month

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder missed his 20th game with a shoulder injury on Friday night and the team doesn't expect him back for perhaps another month.

"I'd be very happy if he was pitching then," trainer Barry Weinberg said. "So far, he's progressing."

The prognosis for Mulder's return remains open-ended after his latest visit with Dr. George Paletta, the team's orthopedic consultant, on Thursday. For now, the team has set up a throwing plan for Mulder based on how he feels each day.

On the positive side, Weinberg said Mulder has improved range of motion and decreased pain. The injury has been described as rotator cuff irritation and impingement in the left shoulder.

Mulder won 16 games last season, his first with the Cardinals. He's been on the 15-day disabled list since June 21, the day after he gave up nine runs in 2 1-3 innings in a loss to the Chicago White Sox and is 6-5 overall with a 6.09 ERA.

Mulder has had little to say about his climb back, minimizing daily work as just that.

"Really, there's no program," he said. "It feels a lot better."

The Cardinals have two additions to a rotation that was stable for a season-and-a-half, with rookie Anthony Reyes taking Mulder's spot and Jeff Weaver replacing Sidney Ponson, who was released and signed by the Yankees on Thursday.

Weaver is scheduled to make his first start on Monday against the Braves.

Another pitcher, left-handed reliever Randy Flores, was unavailable on Friday after undergoing an MRI exam for elbow soreness. Flores hoped that rest would solve the problem and had not mentioned the injury before Thursday, the day after the All-Star break ended.

Trainer Barry Weinberg didn't think Flores would have to be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

"He's just got some tenderness in his elbow," Weinberg said.

-- AP