Minor Matters

ST. LOUIS -- Some news and notes from down in the Cardinals' farm system:

• Right-handed starter Boone Whiting has been placed on the Triple-A disabled list with what Cardinals farm director Gary LaRocque described as a right shoulder strain. Whiting will be rehabbing the injury at the Cardinals' training facility in Jupiter, Fla. Before being unplugged from the rotation, Whiting was 0-5 with a 5.15 ERA in eight starts for Memphis.

• Taking Whiting's place in the Triple-A rotation will be right-hander Kurt Heyer, who was to start for Memphis on Wednesday night. Heyer made nine starts for Double-A Springfield before the promotion, going 2-2 with a 5.51 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, striking out 30 and walking 15 in 47 1/3 innings.

• In Tuesday's 6-3 win over Colorado Springs, top prospect Oscar Taveras tallied four of Memphis' 16 hits. Taveras had two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored in five at-bats. Shane Robinson, who has since been recalled by the Cardinals, and Scott Moore each contributed three-hit games.

• Joey Butler has returned to Memphis, where he will again be used as a fourth outfielder for the Redbirds. Butler, who went 0-for-5 during his stint with the big league club, will not bump Taveras, Randal Grichuk or Stephen Piscotty out of a starting job. The partial use of the designated hitter will help the Redbirds find at-bats for Butler, who was hitting .360/.481/.547 with Memphis before his callup.

• Right-hander Keith Butler has been shut down due to right elbow discomfort, general manager John Mozeliak confirmed on Wednesday. Mozeliak said the organization is still determining the next step with Butler, who was sent to Triple-A Memphis on April 17 after starting the season on the Cardinals' Opening Day roster. He last pitched for Memphis on May 13.