Walker uses time off to mend from hit pitch

ST. LOUIS -- The extra day the St. Louis Cardinals got between playoff series made it the perfect break for Larry Walker.

The 38-year-old right fielder got hit by a pitch on his right knee in Game 3 of the division series sweep of the Padres, and needed time and therapy to reduce swelling in time for the NLCS rematch against the Houston Astros that begins on Wednesday night.

Walker said getting plunked in just the wrong spot by Woody Williams in the second inning was much worse than the nasty-looking spill he took over a railing while chasing a foul ball later in the game.

It's the latest injury for Walker, who has received four cortisone shots this season for a herniated disc in his neck.

"Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to play yesterday with my knee," Walker said. "Today, I probably could. Yesterday was a bad day, but we got some work on it and it's fine."

Walker had no explanation for his head-over-heels tumble over the waist-high railing, after it appeared he had stopped.

"I don't know what that was about," he said. "I apologize for that but it was a perfect landing. Nothing went wrong."

Walker is enjoying his second straight postseason appearance with the Cardinals after making it only once in his first 14 seasons, in 1995 with the Rockies. The Cardinals acquired him in August 2004.

"I don't think I'm on as big of a wave as last year," he said. "Last year, coming from where I was at in a playoff outlook way, I was riding a big high for two months.

"This year I've been more relaxed and even keel because I've been here all year."

Bullpen blues

Cardinals starters had a 1.44 ERA in the first round, but the bullpen gave up eight earned runs and 16 hits in 8 1-3 innings.

Manager Tony La Russa insists it's of no concern. He points out the Cardinals outscored the Padres 11-0 in the first three innings and built big leads, leaving the relievers with the simple task of accumulating outs without walking batters in victories of 8-5, 6-2 and 7-4.

"What they did was center the ball and San Diego took advantage," La Russa said. "But each guy got important outs to get us to the finish line."

The bullpen was handicapped after losing valuable middle reliever Al Reyes with a torn elbow ligament in the regular-season finale. Reyes, who is awaiting reconstructive surgery on the elbow for the second time in his career, held opponents to a .177 batting average.

Another problem was the focus of left-handed reliever Ray King, whose father died on Thursday -- the day of Game 2. King missed Tuesday's workout to attend the funeral in Ripley, Tenn., but was expected back in time for today's game.

On call

Sent home with flu-like symptoms to get as much rest as possible for a possible Game 5, Astros Game 1 starter Andy Pettitte watched his team's marathon 18-inning clincher over the Braves on television.

At least part of it.

"I fell asleep and woke up in about the seventh inning and saw that we were losing 6-1, I think, and was like 'Oh gosh, I've got to somehow, some way get ready to pitch tomorrow in Atlanta.

"So I got up, got moving around and tried to get some blood going in my shoulder."

First, Pettitte played some catch at home. Then, as the game wore on, he began calling the team to ask if they needed him.

He was back at Minute Maid Park in the 16th inning and in uniform just as Roger Clemens began his three-inning relief stint. Pettitte didn't participate in the clinching celebration after Chris Burke's 18th-inning homer so teammates would not be at risk of acquiring his germs.

"Burky hit the home run and I threw my street clothes on and left," Pettitte said. "That was my day."