Height/Weight: 5-8/190
| Birthdate: 10/24/1977
| Birthplace: Loma de Cabrera, DR
| Bats/Throws: S/R
| Team: St. Louis
| College: No College
| MLB Experience: 13
| Salary: $7,500,000
| Owned/Started%: 1/0 | Average Draft Position: 303.12
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (5/3/2013) The Cardinals transferred shortstop Rafael Furcal to the 60-day disabled list Friday to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Carlos Martinez. Furcal is expected to miss the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Rafael Furcal placed on DL
by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com (3/23/2013) The Cardinals placed shortstop Rafael Furcal on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. Furcal underwent season-ending surgery on his elbow last week.
Rafael Furcal coping with lost season following surgery
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (3/20/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal said Dr. James Andrews, who performed his elbow surgery last week, found "a lot of damage" inside the joint but was able to reconstruct the ligament and remove the bone spur, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Furcal said it will be four months before he can begin throwing or swinging a bat.
"I’m not happy I’m going to lose my whole season," Furcal said. "For me, I’m going to get in shape and see what happens for next year."
Rafael Furcal has successful surgery
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (3/14/2013) MLB.com reports Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal underwent sucessful elbow surgery Wednesday. Furcal had Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow. Furcal is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2013 season.
Heyman: Pete Kozma expected to start for Cardinals
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (3/14/2013) CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports the Cardinals are planning for infielder Pete Kozma to start at shortstop in Rafael Furcal's absence since Daniel Descalso and Matt Carpenter are both playing well battling for the starting second base job. Kozma is having a great spring, batting .382 (13 for 34) with two homers, three doubles, six runs and seven RBI in 11 spring games.
Furcal has plenty to prove
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (3/8/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal (elbow) said he is scheduled to have Tommy John surgery Wednesday and could be sidelined between six to eight months, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. He even conceded he might not be able to play in a game until the Dominican Winter League. "I’ve got to play there to show the people I’m good," Furcal said. "I can’t even touch my head."
Furcal to go under the knife
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (3/7/2013) The Cardinals announced Thursday that shortstop Rafael Furcal will undergo Tommy John surgery in his right elbow, after receiving a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews Wednesday. In previous days, Furcal had undergone an MRI that showed inflammation in the elbow, but no torn ligaments. Furcal opted against undergoing Tommy John surgery last August, when his season came to an early finish. Furcal’s recovery time could take up to eight months.
Furcal to see Dr. Andrews
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (3/4/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal, who continues to deal with an ailing elbow that isn't improving like he'd hoped it would, will visit with Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday to get a second opinion, reports MLB.com. Furcal was examined Monday by Dr. George Paletta but the Cardinals won't announce the results until he meets with Andrews. Furcal underwent an MRI that showed the elbow is inflamed, but indicated no tear in the ligament. Furcal may need Tommy John surgery, which he avoided last August.
Furcal's opening day status in doubt
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (3/3/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Saturday that his ailing elbow is not getting better and he's doubting whether he'll be ready to play by opening day. Furcal, who had been hoping to get back in action over this current weekend, has been shut down from throwing and hitting for an undetermined amount of time. "What do you want me to do?" Furcal said. "It’s not getting better. I wish I could do whatever I could to make it better, so I could play." He underwent an MRI that showed the elbow is inflamed, but indicated no tear in the ligament. Furcal will follow up with a doctor on Monday and may need Tommy John surgery, which he avoided last August.
Furcal not ready yet
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (3/2/2013) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Rafael Furcal's injured elbow Saturday. Furcal, who continued to sit out of spring training action, had hoped to return by this weekend, but he remains at a plateau of sorts with the elbow. Furcal has good and bad days and right now does not have a set day for his return.
Furcal close to playing in field
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/26/2013) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal (elbow) is targeting the weekend for his first game action in the field. Furcal has been limited to a DH role this spring as he works his way back from a torn ligament in his elbow he sustained last summer. “I felt more comfortable,” he said. “I’m going to keep throwing but (by) the end of this week, I’m ready to go.” Furcal said he has been bothered by a bone spur this spring. “We’ve got to go step by step. We don’t want to rush," he said. "You know how it is when you get a (cortisone) shot. You’ve got to slow down a little bit.”
Furcal giving injection a shot
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (2/23/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal said he received an anti-inflammatory injection in his right elbow Friday in the hopes of alleviating the irritation related to a bone spur, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The issue has prevented him from throwing recently, as well as hit left-handed in spring training games. "Give it a few days and make sure this works," Furcal said. "Everything else is fine. I feel good and I'm ready to play when I can."
Furcal's elbow 'still hurts'
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/21/2013) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal continues to be banned from throwing at full effort since his injured elbow remains an issue. "It still hurts. A lot," Furcal said. "When I'm throwing." Furcal said the torn ligament he suffered last August is not causing him pain. Rather a bone spur on the nob of his elbow remains a problem. Furcal said he's throwing at about 50 percent strength. "I can play (at that pace) right now," Furcal said. "I don't want to push it."
Furcal to miss early spring games
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/19/2013) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said shortstop Rafael Furcal, who missed the end of last season with torn ligament in his elbow, will not be available to play at the beginning of spring games. Matheny won't commit to when Furcal starts playing in exhibition games, but he insists Furcal's availability is not in question. "He still hasn't let it go yet," Matheny said of Furcal's throwing ability. "It's going to be hard to put him out there in a situation where a backhand deep in the hole -- he's not ready for that. It probably will take a little time but we'll wait and see what we have these last few days."
Furcal expected to be ready
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (2/14/2013) Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal is not expected to be limited in spring training, as he has been cleared to field, hit and throw, according to MLB.com. Furcal arrive at camp Wednesday, and worked out for the first time Thursday. "He feels like he's pretty much on program," manager Mike Matheny said. "You have to realize what you had last year. We went pretty slow with him and he came out of the box carrying us. We understand that we can put him on a program and we'll be good as long as things point in a healthy direction." Furcal suffered a torn ligament in his elbow in August of last season, but he should be ready when the season begins.
Cards concerned about Furcal
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/4/2013) During a chat on ESPN.com, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak expressed concern about the status of shortstop Rafael Furcal, who missed the end of last season with torn ligament in his elbow. "Where Furcal is at short will play into how our team is," Mozeliak said. "We won't know for sure until we get into that game setting. If he's healthy and shows up in great shape, that will answer a question going into spring training."
