PALM BEACH, Fla. — Matt Clement made his first rehabilitation start at Class A Palm Beach of the Florida State League Tuesday night and could return to the major leagues within a month.

Clement, who turns 34 in August, has not pitched in the big leagues since June 2006 with the Boston Red Sox. The Butler native underwent major shoulder surgery in September of that year and Tuesday marked his first competitive professional game since.

"They put him on an 80- to 85-pitch count, which is usually what they do for rehab starts,"Palm Beach Cardinals spokesman John Cahill said. "I'm not sure what their plans for him are after this.

"It will probably depend on his performance, how he looks and how he feels."

His performance was pretty solid. Clement worked six innings, allowed one hit, struck out five and did not walk a batter in a 2-1 win over the Daytona Cubs.

He hit one batter and induced 10 ground-ball outs.

Clement is one of numerous St. Louis Cardinals pitchers sidelined this season. Veteran left-hander Mark Mulder made a rehab start for Palm Beach in mid-April and is pitching in Class AAAnow.

Clement has been pitching in simulated minor league games in Jupiter, Fla., during the Cardinals' extended spring program. That program ended recently.

The right-hander signed a one-year contract with an option year with St. Louis during the off-season.

"The Cardinals have been extremely cautious and patient with Matt," said Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod. "He was good to start throwing when he got to spring training, which he did.

"Matt's had no physical setbacks since the surgery. He feels great and his arm feels great. He's showing command of all his pitches. His velocity hasn't come all the way back yet and the Cardinals are waiting on that."

Axelrod said Clement has been throwing in the mid- to upper 80s with his fastball. He formerly threw in the low to mid-90s.

"Velocity doesn't always come back quickly,"Axelrod said. "When he (Clement) shows noted improvement in that area, they'll let him cut it loose. The adrenaline from pitching in a live game will probably raise it some.

"If all goes well in Matt's rehab starts and he has no setbacks, he could be back in the majors within two weeks. But anything can happen that way."

When Clement is ready to pitch in the majors, it might be in a Cardinals uniform or somebody else's.

"There are plenty of variables there,"Axelrod said. "The Cardinals may have a starter or two go down and, suddenly, there's a need. There are plenty of teams searching for pitching. If another team offers a good prospect or two ... I wouldn't rule out a trade. Not at all."

Axelrod admitted to being concerned about Clement's status in 2009 if he doesn't get major league work this summer.

"Sure, yeah ... there's always a concern for his future. Matt's concerned about that as well," he said. "But the bottom line is, he's healthy. It's a long process coming back from this thing.

"It's all about the approach your respective team is taking with you. Matt's surgery was very similar to what Mark Prior had done less than a year ago. The Padres were aggressive with Prior, or he was overly aggressive with himself, and it didn't work out."

Prior is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery this week and is out for the season.

"Now he's facing another year or more of rehab all over again,"Axelrod said of Prior. "Sometimes it's good to be cautious. I think the Cardinals know what they're doing."

Clement is 87-86 with a 4.47 earned run average in his major league career. He had pitched for San Diego, Florida, the Chicago Cubs and Boston before signing with St. Louis.

Axelrod said Clement has received plenty of encouragement from other big league hurlers.

"He's talked to Greg Maddux, Rick Sutcliffe. ... They told him he has to realize he can still pitch, just not the same way. He'll have to be more finesse instead of blowing guys away with his fastball,"he said.