Cards’ HOF starts with 4

Willie McGee, Jim Edmonds, Mike Shannon and the late Marty Marion were inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The four players represent the initial group to be selected for induction by a voting process that included input from fans and a panel of baseball experts.

St. Louis opened its Hall of Fame and Museum in April, and the first 22 players to be enshrined earned automatic entry because they were in the National Baseball Hall of Fame as Cardinals or had their number retired by the club.

“I was flattered. I thought it was a really special deal,” Edmonds said. “When they told me I was getting a red jacket, I had to step back a little bit. I think this red jacket symbolizes much more than a plaque on the wall. We all are not in the Hall of Fame and our numbers aren’t retired but we get to wear the red jacket. It’s humbling.”

All Cardinals Hall of Famers are given a bright red sports coat to wear at team functions. Now, members of the Cardinals’ Hall will get the same coat.

“It means a lot,” McGee said. “After all the sacrifices you made, this is a reward for the hard work and dedication and discipline. I’m a testament that with hard work and listening, you can be the best you can be.”

Tanaka throws

New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka threw 25 pitches in his first bullpen session since going on the disabled list with a partial tear in his right elbow.

Tanaka, 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 18 starts, pitched from the mound before Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay.

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Tanaka looked “fine,” but that it’s “more important how he feels tomorrow.”

The Yankees put Tanaka on the disabled list July 9 and hope he can avoid surgery and return next month.

Reds’ Bailey to DL

The Cincinnati Reds have placed Homer Bailey on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right elbow and have selected the contract of right-hander Dylan Axelrod from Triple-A Louisville.

Axelrod will make his first big league start since last September when he takes the mound today in a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies.

Cincinnati also transferred first baseman Joey Votto (left knee) to the 60-day DL.

Manager Bryan Price said earlier this week that Bailey thought he hurt his elbow while batting in his last start on Aug. 7. The pitcher recently threw a light bullpen session, but said he didn’t feel any better.

Bailey had an MRI, which revealed a flexor mass strain in his elbow.