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Cards’ Furcal has elbow surgery setback, while Mgr. Mathey has a ruptered disc

Sports

March 4th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

VIERA, Fla. (AP) — Rafael Furcal had hoped to make his spring training debut Sunday. Instead, the 35-year-old shortstop was told to stop baseball activities. Trying to come back from a torn ligament in his right elbow, the three-time All-Star has been told he must have additional medical tests. With Furcal out indefinitely, Pete Kozma and Ronny Cedeno are the likely candidates to take over at shortstop unless there is a trade.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny has a ruptured disc in his back. Matheny, a major league catcher from 1994-06, is scheduled to have an epidural injection Monday to reduce inflammation and get a particle off a nerve. If the injection doesn’t help alleviate pain, he says surgery would “have to be something we would consider.” Starting his second season as the Cardinals’ manager, Matheny has had back issues for several years. He did not travel with the team to Kissimmee on Friday, citing back pain and food poisoning. He returned to manage the Cardinals on Saturday in Jupiter.