MLB | Cards' Albert Pujols has elbow surgery

ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols had elbow surgery Monday, and the St. Louis Cardinals star is expected to be ready for spring training.

The 2005 National League MVP underwent a 25-minute outpatient procedure to relieve nerve irritation in his right elbow, which had led to numbness, tingling in his ring finger and pinkie, weakness in his grip and pain along the inside of the forearm. Dr. George Paletta, the team physician who performed the surgery, said Pujols experienced those symptoms over the last month of the season.

The surgery Pujols had was not the reconstructive procedure that has long been discussed. Such an operation might have sidelined Pujols, whose .357 average ranked second in the major leagues last year, for the first half of next season. Now it is hoped the 28-year-old slugger won't require that procedure.

"My opinion is we've managed this thing quite successfully," Paletta said on a conference call. "I'm still optimistic that we can manage this thing without surgery for the remainder of his career."

Pujols is scheduled to begin physical therapy this week and strength training in six weeks, and is expected to resume full baseball activities in three months.

Pujols has played for several seasons with a partially torn ligament in the elbow and isn't able to fully extend his arm, but Paletta said that's not unique. The doctor added that Pujols' range of motion was much better last season than in 2007.

Pujols hit .321 with eight home runs and 27 RBI in September, his second-lowest monthly average, although he finished with eight hits in his final 12 at-bats. He totaled 37 homers and 116 RBI.

"Albert's performance is remarkable day in and day out, regardless of what's going on," Paletta said. "Certainly, what he did over the course of the last month makes it even more remarkable."

Notes

• Cleveland DH Travis Hafner will undergo arthroscopic surgery today on the strained right shoulder that kept him on the disabled list for more than three months. It is unknown how long Hafner will be sidelined.

• Former Toronto manager John Gibbons is returning to the majors, hired by Kansas City as bench coach. The Royals also hired Kevin Seitzer as hitting coach.