Major League Baseball

Cardinals CF Colby Rasmus out with calf injury

Published Aug. 18, 2010 5:59 a.m. ET

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St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus said before Tuesday night's game against Milwaukee that he was unavailable, probably for a handful of games, because of a strained right calf.

''No pinch hit, no nothing,'' Rasmus said.

Imagine his surprise when manager Tony La Russa sent Rasmus up as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of a 3-2 loss. Rasmus flied out to center field for the second out.

''Did he say before the game he couldn't hit?'' La Russa said. ''I didn't know that. He had a great batting practice.''

Jon Jay moved from right field to center against the Brewers, with fellow rookie Allen Craig starting in right. Rasmus said he didn't think he'd be back in the lineup for a while because of an injury that progressed from a bruise after he fouled off a pitch Saturday against Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano.

''I'm thinking late weekend,'' Rasmus said.

La Russa pointed out that Rasmus looked good in batting practice.

''Normally if a guy can't hit even as a pinch hitter he doesn't take batting practice,'' the manager said. ''And he had a terrific batting practice.''

Rasmus was batting .270 with 19 homers and 54 RBIs. The foul ball Saturday left a bruise on the side of his calf, and he strained the muscle scoring from second on Skip Schumaker's single in the fifth inning Sunday.

He was replaced the next inning.

''I think it's mostly because of where I fouled that ball off,'' Rasmus said. ''I crushed it off the leg.''

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