Rafael Furcal injury: St. Louis Cardinals GM doubts he'll return in postseason

St. Louis Cardinal's general manager John Mozeliak doesn't believe that Rafael Furcal will return to the Cardinals in 2012. When asked on Tuesday about the possibility of a return from the injured shortstop, Mozeliak responded with the following (via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch):

The clock's not on our side.

Furcal originally injured the elbow making a throw to first base on Aug. 30. He was diagnosed with a Grade II ligament sprain, and the Cardinals hope that rest and rehab will allow the damaged elbow to heal on its own. The other option available is a surgery that will see Furcal out of action for the next six to eight months. That timetable would see the shortstop miss the start of the 2013 season.

Furcal has played 121 games for St. Louis this year, batting .264 with five homeruns and a dozen stolen bases. He's in the first season of a two-year deal he signed this past winter, and he's due to be paid $7 million by the Cards in 2013 before hitting the free agent market again.