"All-time Cardinals saves leader Jason Isringhausen walked away from the club Tuesday with what is believed to be a career-threatening torn flexor muscle near his right elbow. Team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta confirmed the finding to general manager John Mozeliak Tuesday night after reading the results from a magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Brighton, Ill., native knew enough about his condition before leaving Busch Stadium early Tuesday afternoon to inform some club personnel, "I'm done."

The tear is located to the inside of Isringhausen's elbow, according to sources familiar with Paletta's finding, and causes him problems gripping the ball and flexing his wrist. Rest was prescribed but surgery could eventually become necessary should Isringhausen want to extend his career. The injury apparently ends the tenure of one of the Cardinals' most productive free agent signings and a core contributor to one of the most successful runs in recent franchise history. Paletta examined the elbow during the club's recent three-game series in Chicago and Isringhausen began receiving treatment. The reliever complained to several teammates of tenderness in the region after his last appearance, a one-inning outing in Saturday's 9-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. "The last time he pitched, I could tell he was doing a lot of elbow-twisting out there, the kind of movement you recognize as someone trying to shake it off," said fellow reliever Russ Springer. "I knew he might have something going on in there, which is a shame because he was starting to throw the ball pretty decent." Isringhausen endured shoulder and hip surgeries in seven seasons with the club but endured to convert 217 of his career 293 saves for his hometown team. Manager Tony La Russa said he did not believe Isringhausen's injury was career threatening; however, Isringhausen turns 37 next month and suggested to several team members Tuesday that he may be through coming back from such problems. Among a lengthy list of repairs, Isringhausen required elbow ligament transplant surgery in January 1998. The club said in a release the current condition is related to tendon rather than ligament. La Russa met with Isringhausen Tuesday afternoon but emerged unsure how long his former closer might have pitched with the condition. "You can't stress enough how that the hero stuff sometimes works in war but it doesn't work here," La Russa said. "I didn't get a real good, accurate [read] when he started feeling this. I don't know." The Cardinals will place Isringhausen on the disabled list today for the second time this season and for the fourth time during his tenure with the team. This season's first stint followed a May incident in which he landed an open-handed punch against a clubhouse television following a blown save in Milwaukee. It is unclear when the muscle tear was first diagnosed; however, club sources indicated Isringhause