St. Louis Cardinals: Jason Isringhausen, who has not pitched yet this season for the Cardinals, likely will not return until after Memorial Day.

The St. Louis closer has been rehabbing his right shoulder since undergoing surgery on October.

"If we were 10 games back, there might be some urgency," Isringhausen told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Saturday. "We're doing fine. I want to be good and ready when I come back so there won't be any setbacks."

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty admitted that the club might have to pursue another closer if Isringhausen does not return soon. "I think that you'd have to," Jocketty told the newspaper. "I don't know when that time would come, but it's not now."

The Cardinals have struggled to fill the closer's void. Steve Kline has converted 3-of-4 save opportunities, but is 1-3 with a 5.11 ERA through Sunday's games.

Jocketty spoke with New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips during last week's three-game series, but told the Post-Dispatch that he has no interest in Mets closer Armando Benitez, who is in the last year of his contract.

Isringhausen, 30, has 108 saves in his major league career. He saved 32 games in 2002, his first season in St. Louis.

New York Yankees: Derek Jeter reported no problems after taking batting practice Sunday for the first time since dislocating his left shoulder on opening day.

The Yankees' All-Star shortstop, hurt in a collision March 31, took two rounds of 25 swings in a batting cage. Jeter said he will hit on the field Monday.

"I'm happy,'' Jeter said.

He could rejoin the Yankees by May 13. He might start a minor league rehab assignment this week.

Jeter resumed hitting off the tee Monday, then added soft toss Thursday. He is also continuing a throwing program and taking grounders at short.

This is the fourth time Jeter has been on the disabled list in his career. He never missed more than 16 days before.

Baltimore Orioles: Outfielder B.J. Surhoff was put on the 15-day disabled list Sunday by the Orioles, who also recalled left-hander Eric DuBose.

Surhoff strained his right hamstring running out a double in Saturday's game against Kansas City. Although he still felt some discomfort Sunday, the 38-year-old veteran hoped to avoid a trip to the DL.

"I don't think I tore anything. I'm a little sore, but that's to be expected,'' he said. "I'm certainly hoping I'd get a couple of days to at least get a better read on it.''

Because DuBose was used as a starting pitcher Sunday, the Orioles had to open up a roster spot.

So Baltimore opted to give Surhoff enough time to let the injury fully heal. It's the same course of action they used last month with David Segui, who went on the DL list with an identical injury.

"I was hoping I wouldn't get caught in that numbers game,'' Surhoff said, "but sometimes it's unavoidable.''

Chicago Cubs: Darren Baker is more than just a cute bat boy. He can sing, too.

The 4-year-old son of Cubs manager Dusty Baker sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game'' at Sunday's game against Colorado, drawing loud cheers from a standing crowd.

"Hi, everybody!'' he said while Dad watched from the dugout.

Darren sang at the Cubs' convention this winter, and team officials asked if he'd do it again Sunday as part of "Dusty Baker Beanie Baby Day.''

And Darren fared much better than some of the adults who've been guest conductors during the seventh inning stretch. Wearing a Cubs cap and a red sweatshirt, he said he wasn't nervous at all. He said he's been practicing "a long, long time,'' and he knew all the words to the song.

His mom, Melissa, held him as he stood on a countertop so fans could see him, and she sang along with the rest of the fans. Dad was singing, too, and he waved to Darren in the pressbox when his son finished.

"That was a lot of fun,'' Darren said after. "That was pretty cool.''

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers placed backup catcher Todd Hundley on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of an irritation of his sciatic nerve.

The move, retroactive to May 3, was made after Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. It is the eighth time the 14-year veteran has been on the DL. The switch-hitting Hundley is 5-for-25 with a homer and eight RBIs in 12 games.

"One day it's good, the next day it's bad. I've been trying to play through it, but today it was just paralyzing,'' Hundley said. "I couldn't move. The toughest thing about it is tying my right shoe. That's the absolute best way I can explain the whole thing.''

This is the second time Hundley has been sidelined by a back condition. He was on the DL for five weeks in July 2001 because of a strained lower back while with the Chicago Cubs.

"I've talked to a lot of people who have had back surgery, and that's really not an avenue,'' he said. "So we all agreed that the best thing for the team and myself was to get right with a hard rehab. It's always better to lose two weeks than months.''

The Dodgers also optioned infielder Jason Romano to Triple-A Las Vegas after he went 1-for-9 in six games. Outfielder Larry Barnes and catcher David Ross were called up from the minors to restore the roster to 25 players.

Ross played in eight games with Los Angeles last season. Barnes played in 16 games last season with the Anaheim Angels, going 4-for-40, hitting his only big league home run against current ESPN analyst Jeff Brantley.

New York Yankees: Jose Contreras gave up a two-run home run in the first but allowed just a single over the next four innings Sunday in his second appearance with the Triple-A Clippers in Columbus.

Drew Henson hit a two-run single as the Clippers beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 7-3.

Contreras, who got a no-decision, allowed four hits and two earned runs in five innings. After allowing a single to Nick Punto and a two-run home run to McKay Christensen to start the game, Contreras gave up two hits and no runs until coming out in the fifth inning.

After signing a four-year, $32 million contract with the New York Yankees as a free agent from Cuba in the offseason, Contreras was ineffective as a reliever. He went 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA in five appearances, and was demoted so he could get more chances to pitch.