ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals, preparing to play the final month without Scott Rolen, acquired Russell Branyan from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday for a player to be named.
Rolen, troubled much of the season by his surgically repaired left shoulder, was examined Friday in Cincinnati by Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek, who repaired the slugger's torn labrum in August 2005.
Even before learning results of the exam, manager Tony La Russa feared another operation would be recommended to clean up scar tissue, ending Rolen's season.
"He was quoted as saying 'end of the wick,"' La Russa said. "What does that mean? He's had enough, so I'm not optimistic.
"He's been dealing with it for a long time."
The Cardinals placed Rolen on the 15-day disabled list and added Branyan on the deadline day for postseason rosters. La Russa added Branyan to a short list of possible third base replacements for the seven-time Gold Glover, topped by rookie Brendan Ryan and also including utilityman Miguel Cairo, among the September callups from Triple-A Memphis.
Cairo arrived on Friday, a day early, before the Branyan trade was finalized.
"None of them are going to be Scott Rolen, but I think they'll do OK," La Russa said.
Rolen was batting .265 with eight homers and 58 RBI, greatly decreased power numbers after hitting 22 homers last year and 34 in 2004. His usually impeccable fielding had suffered lately, with four errors coming in a three-game stretch last week.
"I think lately, he's felt like it's bothered his throwing some," La Russa said. "Before that, he was having another outstanding year."
Branyan, who was expected to join the Cardinals during Friday night's game against the Reds after driving from Nashville, is a .229 career hitter with 120 homers and 298 RBI. He hit a career-high 24 homers with the Indians and Reds in 2002.
Branyan batted a combined .198 with nine homers and 24 RBI this year for the Phillies and Padres. He was released by the Padres on July 28, signed with Cleveland on Aug. 7, then was traded to Philadelphia two days later.
Branyan hit a pair of homers for the Phillies, including a two-run pinch-hit drive on Aug. 14 at Washington to win 3-2. He had a two-homer game against the Cardinals for the Padres on May 11.
