Cards will welcome Renteria; will the fans?

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The Straightshooter
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Cards will welcome Renteria; will the fans?
By Joe Strauss
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/05/2005

HOUSTON - Questions linger within the Cardinals clubhouse about what drove Edgar Renteria to the Boston Red Sox last December. His former teammates aren't sure what the Cardinals offered to keep him, only that it was in a different neighborhood from the four-year, $40 million offer Renteria accepted to jump to the American League.

But little question exists over how he should be received as the World Series combatants begin a three-game series tonight at Busch Stadium.

"Our fans are the best fans in baseball. I'm pretty sure they're going to give him a big standing ovation," said first baseman Albert Pujols, who has kept in regular contact with Renteria since he left the club.

"There'll be a lot of support for him, I think. I would be shocked and surprised if they boo him. I don't think it's going to happen. He's one of the best shortstops in the game. You look at the numbers that he's put up in the past. I'm happy he's hitting right now. I'm looking forward to seeing him."
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Added manager Tony La Russa, "He was a great player for our club. He's a great person. I don't see why he wouldn't be well-received."



Pitcher Matt Morris said he remembers Renteria as "a link for our team" between position players and pitchers, young players and veterans and personalities from different cultures. "He used to always say that he wasn't that great at speaking English but he was the link. He could say anything to anybody. I'm looking forward to seeing him."

Walker is looking
for consistency

La Russa unveiled his 47th lineup of the season Sunday by dropping right fielder Larry Walker into the cleanup role two days after a migraine had caused him to be scratched.

Walker also left Saturday's fifth inning with lightheadedness after tripling during the team's eight-run third inning.

Sunday was the first time Walker had hit cleanup since coming to the Cardinals from the Colorado Rockies last Aug. 6. His recent struggles continued as he struck out three times and grounded out, dropping the career .314 hitter's average this season to .245 with 22 RBIs in 159 at-bats.

Eldred appears

Reliever Cal Eldred made his first game appearance since April 10 a successful one Friday night when he pitched two scoreless innings to earn the decision in Class AA Springfield's 8-7 win over Frisco.

Eldred struck out one and walked none during his stint, his first in a rehab process after being disabled with a viral infection in April.

Eldred is expected to make his next game appearance Tuesday in Springfield but may be on hand for tonight's opener against the Red Sox. The club has consistently expressed optimism about Eldred's on-time return since his condition involved an illness rather than an arm problem.

Cedeno is sidelined
against Clemens

Outfielder Roger Cedeno's frustrating season encountered another speed bump on Sunday when a persistent hamstring problem kept him from making his regular appearance against Astros ace Roger Clemens. Cedeno is hitting .161 in 36 appearances this season and his status on the team has become a source of speculation.

Cedeno grimaced when asked if he thought the condition might necessitate a trip to the disabled list; however, La Russa has consistently expressed concern about his bench while carrying a seven-man bullpen.
 

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