Watching and healing watches, heals

ST. LOUIS -- In the St. Louis Cardinals' first three wins this season, Ryan Franklin was responsible for eight of the nine outs in the eighth inning.

That was supposed to be Josh Kinney's job. Instead, he's at the start of a long rehab trail after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery during spring training.

"The staying sane part, that's the key right there," Kinney said. "The physical part doesn't scare me. It's not playing baseball for a year."

The timing is devastating. Kinney, 28, traveled the back roads to the major leagues, beginning his career with the River City Rascals of the Independent League in the distant St. Louis suburbs.

He finally made it to the major leagues in July 2006, promptly allowing a home run ball on the first pitch he threw to Ryan Langerhans of the Atlanta Braves, and after 10 games he was sent back to Class AAA Memphis. But by the end of the season he had fully earned the team's trust.

Kinney had a 3.24 ERA in 24 regular-season games, and didn't allow a run in seven postseason games covering 6 1/3 innings while holding the opposition to three hits in 20 at-bats, a .150 average. He earned the victory in Game 2 of the NLCS with a scoreless eighth, escaping when he induced the Mets' Carlos Beltran to ground into an inning-ending double play with two men on.

"He was a very important part of our bullpen," manager Tony La Russa said.

When the right-hander struggled early in spring training before the injury was diagnosed, giving up six earned runs in one inning over two games for a 27.00 ERA, his spot was not in danger.

Suddenly, he's yesterday's news, and without a major league decision for his baseball card.

"That's when this game can be really cruel," La Russa said. "He really hasn't made any money yet."

On opening day in St. Louis, while teammates were on the field getting ready for a big day of festivities, Kinney sat in street clothes at his locker stall. He wore a large brace on his right arm while awaiting an appointment with team medical personnel.

The surgery on March 13 revealed the ligament had torn off the bone. The cast was removed four days before the season opener from an operation that had no complications.

"The procedure went great," Kinney said. "Everything went real smooth, pretty fast, with no troubles."

Next spring training, he hopes to be right back in the mix.

"I've called all my old friends and everybody I haven't talked to in years," he said. "I've made the best of it.

"It's going to be a good opportunity to speak with some other people about this type of thing."

Kinney said he'll do whatever it takes to make it back. At times, especially early after the operation, patience is required.

The brace is designed to prevent Kinney from fully straightening his arm.

"At this stage of the game you have to let that new ligament tighten up and let everything settle back down to normal, get the inflammation out," he said. "You can see it's getting better every day."

For now he's like the fans that pack Busch Stadium, just an observer.

"As far as baseball, you can still watch," he said. "The beauty of it is that I can sit and observe now, try and keep my mind sharp."