Drew plans to go slow as he works on his knee <br>
By Joe Strauss <br>
02/16/2003 10:00 PM<br>
<br>
JUPITER, Fla. - A most unusual winter will bleed into a different kind of spring for J.D. Drew. The Cardinals right fielder entered camp ahead of schedule on Sunday and said the same complex knee surgery that allowed him to only duck hunt from a boat in January might prevent him from playing outfield during the team's exhibition schedule. 
<br><br>
Drew swung a bat for the first time in more than four months Sunday on a back field at Roger Dean Stadium. He merely served the ball to all fields rather than torque on his repaired right knee. Running in the outfield and on the bases will come much later, he said. 
<br><br>
"It all revolves around how the tendon reacts," said Drew after having his knee wrapped in a massive bandage Sunday. "I think what'll happen is that I will face live pitching out here. I'm going to get at-bats in a game, whether that's as DH or it's a B game where I go DH. I'm going to get some at-bats. 
<br><br>
"The big thing is playing outfield and being on the basepaths - doing the things where you really use your legs - those are the things that everybody says don't do too much." 
<br><br>
Drew said that he may play a minimal amount of innings in the outfield but minimized the chance of extended exposure. 
<br><br>
Drew's injury did not include damage to the anterior cruciate ligament, but his rehab involves approximately the same five- or six-month process. 
<br><br>
Today marks four months since surgery that required an arthroscopic and open procedure to repair a knee that had bothered Drew for most of two years and hobbled him for the majority of last season. Drew lost his swing during last season's second half, falling into pull-hitting tendencies that sapped his power, en route to a .252 batting average and one six-week span without a home run. Drew, 27, still ranked second on the team with 12 game-winning RBIs; however, Drew managed only 56 RBIs overall despite receiving a career-high 424 at-bats. 
<br><br>
"I feel good but not as good as I'll feel in March," Drew said. "When the games start, I'm sure I'll feel a lot better. This is the first chance I'll get to run around and see how it goes day to day." 
<br><br>
Drew, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and the team's medical staff will discuss Drew's routine in a meeting later this week. 
<br><br>
"We'll have to sit down and gauge how (the knee) will react," Drew said after spending about five hours at the team's complex. "It feels good. Soreness is going to be a natural response for a while. I have to keep away from tearing it down and building up any scar tissue. 
<br><br>
"I think if we've got the right kind of game plan going and it's the right kind of soreness, everything will kind of heal itself up and keep getting stronger and stronger. We'll see how it goes." 
<br><br>
Drew has received similar advice from at least two doctors. He has been warned against pushing too quickly despite an initial feeling of strength in the knee. Prematurely pushing the knee encourages growth of scar tissue, which could eventually lead to further surgery. 
<br><br>
"They've had experience with (Mark) McGwire, too," Drew said. "If you push yourself too early, you set yourself back because you might feel great, but if you build scar tissue you're back at square one. Everybody's on the same page. We feel good about it." 
<br><br>
The Cardinals' spring schedule does Drew few favors. They play only two games at an American League training site where the DH is employed, both against Baltimore in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. To give Drew at-bats, La Russa probably will include him in the numerous B games arranged to find work for 33 pitchers in camp. Eli Marrero, Eduardo Perez, So Taguchi, Kerry Robinson, Orlando Palmeiro and Jon Nunnally should receive much time in right field. 
<br><br>
Drew probably will begin jogging and performing lateral movements under supervision of the medical and strength and conditioning staff. He will take light hitting but may not fully torque for another week or more. 
<br><br>
"I'm anxious to get a routine where I do 10 sprints, do some lateral movements, and come back in tomorrow to see how it feels," said Drew. 
<br><br>
An avid outdoorsman, Drew usually hunts daily in the winter. But this offseason his activities were limited to a boat. 
<br><br>
"I wasn't going to be climbing into any blinds," he said. 
<br><br>
La Russa endorsed a cautious approach Sunday. The Cardinals have consistently maintained since Drew's surgery that he might not be ready to play every day until June, though they have held out hope that he could be on the active roster opening day in a bench role. La Russa said Sunday, "It's possible he might not play a game down here, then be able to go opening day. I'm open to that." 
<br><br>
"It's crazy," Drew said. "I woke up from it hurting in December to all of a sudden it feeling good. From that point to now, it's gotten better and better and better. So there's no sense going out there and doing something to set me back. But I'm positive." 
<br><br>