Cardinals C Molina leaves hospital

Jun 17, 2008 - 6:22 PM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will rejoin the team Tuesday, but it is not yet known how long he will be out due to the concussion he suffered Sunday.

Molina was hospitalized overnight after suffering a mild concussion during a collision at home plate in the ninth inning of Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Dispatch that Molina was "in good spirits" and that Molina said "he felt better."

The catcher will be watched closely as he rejoins the team, which has not announced how much time Molina will miss. The Cardinals are opening up a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals.

"I think it's definitely one of the harder injuries to gauge," Mozeliak told the Dispatch. "It's not like a torn ligament where there are more traditional means and standards to use. We have the ImPACT test to give us a better understanding of where the player is relative to the severity of the injury and how he is coming back from it."

The injury occurred when Jimmy Rollins hit a grounder to first baseman Chris Duncan, who threw wide to home. Eric Bruntlett collided with Molina, who was standing on the plate, knocking the catcher over with his left forearm and hitting Molina in the back of the neck.

Molina lay motionless at home plate for eight minutes before leaving the field immobilized on a medical cart.

Molina, who never lost consciousness, held on to the ball for the putout.