Clement

ST. LOUIS — This Matt Clement comeback wasn't in the cards.

The Butler native was pitching atClass AAA Memphis in the St. Louis Cardinals organization while trying to come back from extensive shoulder surgery in 2006.

Clement was 1-0 with a 4.61 ERA for the Redbirds, but the Cardinals front office felt the 33-year-old was a shadow of his presurgery self and released him Saturday.

"We just felt like he wasn't making the progression that we thought he would, and ultimately it came down to taking innings away from some guys who we feel need it," St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak told The Associated Press. "We tried to be as patient as we could during this process and I can tell you he worked extremely hard to get back, but, in the end, it just wasn't there."

Clement pitched 13X\c innings in the minors, all in relief, but had more walks (10) than strikeouts (eight).

The right-hander, who is 87-86 with a 4.47 ERA in nine major league seasons, hasn't thrown a big-league pitch since June 14, 2006, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Clement cleared waivers in July and accepted a minor league assignment to Memphis. There, he was used in the bullpen with the hope consistent innings could speed up his rehab.

The results were mixed.

At times, Clement's pitches had the life that made him a steady starter with San Diego, Florida, the Chicago Cubs and Boston, where he made at least 30 starts for seven straight seasons.

Just as Clement looked to turn a corner in his rehab, he regressed. By the time of his release, he was struggling to hit the mid-80s with his fastball.

"He was trending up at times, but he never was able to sustain it,." Mozeliak said.

Clement signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with St. Louis in January. The club was hopeful he could join a revamped starting rotation, but Clement didn't throw a pitch in a St. Louis uniform.

Clement made the All-Star team in 2005 when he was 10-2 with a 3.85 ERA for the Red Sox.

The question now is whether or not Clement will attempt another comeback with another team.

Neither Clement nor his agent, Barry Axelrod, could be reached for comment Sunday night.

"He's had a tough go, there's no doubt about it," Mozeliak told MLB.com "Getting to know him a little over the spring, (he's) really a nice young man and I wish him the best. But as we all know, we have tough decisions to make in this game and this is one we felt like we had to address."