Tomo Ohka signed a minor-league contract with the pitching-strapped St. Louis Cardinals yesterday, one day after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 31-year-old right-hander was 2-5 with a 5.79 ERA in 10 starts with the Blue Jays, who designated him for assignment June 7. He signed a $1.5 million, one-year deal during the off-season with Toronto.

Ohka is scheduled to start tonight for Triple-A Memphis.

"It’s a smart move to get him into our organization and see what he’s got," Manager Tony La Russa said. "But there’s no guarantees. It depends on how he pitches."

The Cardinals’ beat-up rotation features three former relievers starting for the first time in the big leagues along with two others, Anthony Reyes and Kip Wells, who are a combined 2-19. Braden Looper, a fourth former reliever, went on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a shoulder strain.

Ace Chris Carpenter is rehabbing from surgery in May to remove bone spurs from his elbow, and Mark Mulder is recovering from rotator cuff surgery in September. Neither is expected back in the near future.

Carpenter, the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2005, is scheduled to throw in the bullpen today for the second time since his operation. Team physician Dr. George Paletta said if all goes well Carpenter, who threw at 75 percent effort Sunday and is set to repeat that level today, will increase intensity this weekend.

"We’ve got to take it step by step, but right now he’s certainly on schedule," Paletta said. "He really had no soreness at all. It was positive all the way around."

● SWEENEY SHELVED: Kansas City Royals designated hitter Mike Sweeney, hampered by a right knee injury, was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

The move was backdated one day for Sweeney, who is batting .245 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 57 games.

The Royals recalled Billy Butler, the team’s first-round pick in 2004, from Triple-A Omaha. Butler, 21, is an outfielder-first baseman and is making his second appearance with the Royals this season, after hitting .243 with two doubles and four RBI the first two weeks of May.

Butler was batting .291 in 57 games at Omaha with 13 homers and 46 RBI.

● GIAMBI MIGHT TALK: Lawyers for Jason Giambi and Major League Baseball spent yesterday trying to put together an agreement that would lead to a meeting between the New York Yankees star and steroids investigator George Mitchell.

While several people on the periphery of the talks said the sides appeared to be moving toward a deal before tomorrow’s deadline, negotiations were still taking place last night.

Talks began last week and media coverage has slowed the process, a person with knowledge of the discussions said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no public statements were being made. That could be an indication one side - or both - is trying to push for a more advantageous deal.

Tomorrow’s deadline is only for an agreement to meet, not for the actual session to take place.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said June 6 that he wanted a Giambi-Mitchell meeting to take place within two weeks. Selig threatened Giambi with discipline, saying the level of cooperation with Mitchell would be factored into his decision.

Giambi would be the first active player known to meet with Mitchell since the investigation began in March 2006.

Giambi was quoted last month by USA Today as seeming to admit to steroids use. Giambi then met with baseball lawyers to discuss those remarks.

Giambi is on the disabled list with a foot injury, and it is unclear when he’ll be able to play again.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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