McGwire Headed for Disabled List

Mark McGwire seems resigned to the possibility he might have to back go on the disabled list.

McGwire, who has played in only six games after off-season knee surgery, did not start again Tuesday.

The Cardinals are hesitant to put him on the disabled list, but team physician George Paletta said it might be worthwhile to give McGwire more rest at the beginning of the season.

McGwire is two for 21 with one home run and one run batted in.

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Ken Griffey Jr. will be out of the Cincinnati lineup indefinitely because of a partially torn left hamstring that is healing slowly. An MRI test found the partial tear in the lower part of the hamstring, which Griffey pulled during a spring training game one week before opening day. Although Griffey could aggravate the injury by running, the team plans to continue using him as a pinch-hitter rather than putting him on the 15-day disabled list. . . . John Smoltz, attempting a comeback from reconstructive elbow surgery, is weeks away from attempting to rejoin the Atlanta rotation, according to Dr. James Andrews, who performed the operation to replace a damaged ligament. . . . Houston reliever Doug Brocail has a torn ligament in his right elbow. He has been on the disabled list since March 30 because of a strained right hamstring. . . . Pittsburgh put outfielder Adrian Brown on the 15-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his right shoulder and recalled infielder Craig Wilson from triple-A Nashville. . . . Baltimore put right-hander Sidney Ponson on the 15-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his right elbow and recalled right-hander Chad Paronto from triple-A Rochester.