Baseball Notes: Cardinals’ La Russa calls shots

Manager Tony La Russa headed back to St. Louis on Wednesday to recover from a painful bout with shingles, but he was still involved in what the Cardinals were doing at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

La Russa, who underwent tests Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, is scheduled to miss the remainder of the Cardinals’ six-game road trip that wraps up Sunday in Cincinnati.

Bench coach Joe Pettini is running the team in La Russa’s absence and said he’d talked with La Russa a couple of times Wednesday, once to go over the lineup for the game against the Cubs.

La Russa is to rest and take medication for his condition. He’s been bothered by swelling in his face and sensitivity to light in his right eye. In his first game away from the team, the Cardinals beat the Cubs 6-4.

Mets’ Samuels arrested

The New York Mets’ longtime clubhouse manager amassed a secret hoard of baseballs, hats, bats and uniforms, including an autographed 1986 World Series warm-up jersey, that he intended to use to fund his retirement, prosecutors said in announcing his arrest.

Charlie Samuels, with the team for 27 seasons, was arraigned on stolen property, fraud and other charges before being released on a $75,000 bond.

Clearing the bases

Oakland Athletics left-hander Dallas Braden will have surgery Monday in New York to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder. … Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Kevin Frandsen was suspended for 50 games following a positive test under baseball’s minor league drug program. … The Los Angeles Dodgers placed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo on the 15-day DL because of an anxiety disorder. … New York Yankees head trainer Gene Monahan announced that he’ll retire after this season, his 49th with the club after starting in 1962 as a ball boy.