SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- The disappointing rookie season of outfielder J.D. Drew took a detour today when the St. Louis Cardinals placed him on the 15-day disabled list. Drew, 23, has been bothered by a strained right quadriceps muscle and today's move was retroactive to Sunday. The two-time first-round pick in the June draft of first-year players is hitting just .230 with two homers and nine RBI in 25 games. Drew tore up National League pitching in a late-season stint in 1998, batting .417 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 14 games. The second overall pick in the 1997 draft, Drew and agent Scott Boras became embroiled in often contentious contract talks with the Philadelphia Phillies. Drew unsuccessfully tried to become a free agent after the Phillies rejected his demand for an $11 million multi-year deal. He re-entered the 1998 draft and was taken by St. Louis with the fifth pick. Drew signed a four-year contract worth a reported $7 million and rocketed through the Cardinals' minor-league system. He hit .328 with five homers in 19 games for Double-A Arkansas and .316 with two homers in 26 games for Triple-A Memphis. To replace Drew on the roster, St. Louis recalled veteran switch-hitting outfielder Thomas Howard from Triple-A Memphis, where he was third in the Pacific Coast League in batting at .364.  