Jim

Edmonds

The injury kept Edmonds on the bench yesterday as he felt pain during batting practice. He’s day-to-day.

Albert Pujols got last night off, and Edgar Renteria is supposed to get Sunday off as manager Tony La Russa tries to get some rest for his All-Stars.

Including today’s off day, Edmonds will not have swung a bat in three days, allowing his shoulder to be well rested.

Edmonds is also considered ''days away’’ from playing a full game. As he showed last night, though, he still has value as a part-timer.

Edmonds calf muscle is still hurting him, but not as much as it’s hurting owners who didn’t draft him because of it.

X-rays Wednesday night found no injury, no torn rib cartilage. Edmonds will be re-evaluated today.

Edmonds worsened his pre-existing calf injury by playing today. He should still be ready for Opening Day, but it’s no sure thing.

Edmonds may not play much in the final week if the Cardinals have been eliminated.

GM Walt Jocketty said Edmonds isn’t being shopped. Rather than trade a star, it appears that the Cardinals will continue try to cut payroll a small chunk at a time. After saving $1.5 million by moving Tino Martinez, they’re now looking to deal Eli Marrero, who could be a candidate to replace Ramon Hernandez in Oakland.

The Cardinals are willing to trade Edmonds in order to reduce their payroll, so this wouldn’t be a bad idea for them. Something else that has been discussed is a a trade involving Arizona that would send Edmonds and Curt Schilling to the Yankees, Alfonso Soriano and Jeff Weaver to the Diamondbacks and Nick Johnson and Danny Bautista to the Cardinals.