It's been a hard season for the defending World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals' so far, and it's not getting any easier.

The club placed center fielder Jim Edmonds and right-handed pitcher Braden Looper on the 15-day disabled list today, both moves retroactive to Saturday.

Looper, who has a strained right shoulder, left Friday's game against the Oakland Athletics in the fifth inning. He was 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA.

Edmonds, who is sidelined with a pinched nerve in his lower back, is batting .238 with seven home runs and 24 RBIs.

To fill the roster spots, St. Louis recalled outfielder Skip Schumaker and lefty Troy Cate from the AAA Memphis Redbirds.

Schumaker was batting .314 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games for Memphis while Cate, who has already appeared in two games for the Cardinals this year, is 1-5 with a 5.40 minor league ERA.