Cardinals Prospect Shelby Miller Sidelined with Shoulder Tightness

TERROR STRIKES ST. LOUIS CARDINALS FANS: SHELBY MILLER SIDELINED WITH SHOULDER ISSUE

Big news out of St. Louis Cardinals spring training camp this morning: top pitching prospect Shelby Miller has been sidelined with "shoulder tightness" with no timetable for his return, MLB.com is reporting.

Miller reportedly noticed shoulder soreness and tightness on Monday and (wisely) informed the coaches, who made the decision to shut him down. Right now it is not supposed to be a big issue or a serious injury, but the Cardinals are taking maximum precautions.

""We planned on having Shelby out there pretty early, but we're going to go slow," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "This isn't a major issue as much as trying to get ahead of something that is more preventative."

Miller is a Grade A pitching prospect and one of the best in baseball, with a clear shot at a rotation spot heading into April thanks to Chris Carpenter's health woes. The good news here is that the problem was caught early and that Miller didn't do something stupid and pitch through the pain. The bad news is that shoulder problems, even minor ones, are more problematic for the future than elbow problems.

Basically it is wait-and-see time. Fortunately the Cardinals have a lot of pitching depth and can slot others into the rotation if Miller isn't ready to go in April.