Ryan is optimistic chronic problem is solved

~ The Cardinals shortstop had surgery on his right wrist during the offseason

JUPITER, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Brendan Ryan figured the pain in his right wrist never was going away. He felt it in high school. He felt it early in his professional career. He felt it enough to force him to skip batting practice about half the time last season.

Still, he was willing to deal with it.

"I thought, this was life, this is one of these things I've got to deal with. I've got to get through it one way or another," Ryan said.

Then, after he "complained about it enough," arthroscopic surgery was scheduled. Doctors found an obstruction and determined it was more than tendinitis that was causing him discomfort.

Now, though Ryan isn't happy about delaying his first spring training as a starter, he's relieved the pain that has hindered him for several years is gone.

"There's a lot of reason to be optimistic about this, having actually found something in there," he said. "I don't want to call this a success just yet, but we found something that was causing a lot of pain and now it's not there anymore."

Ryan, who took over the starting shortstop job midway through last season, expects to be ready for opening day.

He was in a soft cast for about a week before starting his rehabilitation. He arrived at spring training Monday wearing an elastic protective sleeve.

The timing wasn't good for Ryan or the Cardinals, who enter the spring with their fourth starting shortstop in four years. Now Julio Lugo and Tyler Greene will share the position. St. Louis doesn't plan to pursue another shortstop.

"It's one of the hits we're going to take and we're taking it early, and I think we're doing the things to protect ourselves," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "The worst case is somebody has to play, and we have to make sure we get somebody we can win with."

The 27-year-old Ryan showed he could handle the position every day defensively last season after proving to be a valuable utility player the previous two years. He also hit .292 in 129 games.

Ryan spent some time in California with new hitting coach Mark McGwire before the surgery and thinks McGwire's philosophy on hitting will take some pressure off his right wrist and put more on his left wrist, which gives a right-handed hitter extension.

But until he resumes hitting, Ryan will have to watch as others try to take advantage of the opening.

"There's always guys coming up," Ryan said. "We've got plenty of guys in camp. You don't want to crack the door for anyone. Not that I'm the one cracking the door, but I want to get back on the field as soon as possible and show that I can play in 2010, because 2009 is over."

Noteworthy

* Outfielder Matt Holliday informed the club early Tuesday that he was sick and was excused from camp.

* Tuesday was the first day of workouts for position players.