Tests show Marrero has acid indigestion

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Cardinals' Eli Marrero has acid indigestion.

"He went through a whole battery of tests last week in St. Louis," Cardinals physician Dr. George Paletta said Sunday. "Nothing else showed up. Now, it's a matter of finding the medication where he starts feeling better. After that, it becomes a baseball decision when he can play. There should be no medical reason why he can't."

Marrero has been in and out of the lineup all month with what was described as a "gastrointestinal irritation." He played in seven of the first eight games, missed the next five, appeared in three in a row but hasn't played since March 14. He is batting .276 (8-for-29).

Marrero is an outfielder and also the team's No. 3 catcher. Joe Girardi, the primary backup, was sidelined this weekend after complaining of pains in his neck and upper back and the ribcage area on his left side.

"I'm more concerned about his neck," Paletta said. "We had a magnetic resonance imaging taken and I want a spine consultant to look at it Monday."

Marrero returned to training camp Friday after spending three days in St. Louis.

"He was put through every kind of test you can imagine," Paletta said. "We were especially concerned because of his history of thyroid cancer," which sidelined Marrero for part of the 1998 season. "All of the tests were negative."

A week before opening day, the Cardinals are a little banged up.

Center fielder Jim Edmonds has been out since March 7 with a strained left calf. Marrero figures to share time in right with J.D. Drew, who had offseason knee surgery and never has been counted on to be available for the March 31 opener.

Noteworthy

The start of Sunday's game against Florida was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 13 minutes. After three innings, it was washed out. Florida led 2-0 on a t wo-run single by Andy Fox in the third. Cardinal starter Woody Williams gave up five singles and struck out two.

Edmonds took batting practice for the third straight day. However, there is still no timetable for his return, according to trainer Barry Weinberg.

The Cardinals recalled RHP Kiko Calero from their minor league camp, where he was assigned March 2.