Friday, April 01, 2005

April 1st: Pulsipher, Carpenter, Grudzielanek, Lincoln, Da Cubs

Toe fracture is tough break for Pulsipher
By Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch
03/31/2005

Pulsipher is on the cusp of making the Cardinals' bullpen as a last-minute nonroster invitee but may have his candidacy complicated after taking the smash off his foot from infielder Bernie Castro, in the final inning of the Cardinals' final Grapefruit League game.

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Carpenter shines

Chris Carpenter gave the Cardinals what they wanted to see Thursday night when he struck out seven and allowed only one unearned run in five innings of the Cardinals' win over the Baltimore Orioles. Carpenter struck out former AL MVP Miguel Tejada twice and did the same to right fielder Sammy Sosa. Two of the three hits off Carpenter preceded his first out of the first inning. Five of his first eight outs were via strikeouts.

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Grudzielanek makes big impression
By Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch
03/30/2005

As much to prove his health to himself as to prove his worth to his new team, Grudzielanek started the spring hitting, continued it flashing a power arm and concluded it by hitting some more. With two doubles Wednesday, Grudzielanek leaves Jupiter with a .412 average in 19 spring training games.

Quite an impression.

"Coming in and coming on to a new team, I wanted to show that I'm here for a reason," Grudzielanek said. "I chose to come here, I took less to come here, and I wanted to find a chance to re-establish myself. ... I wanted to be sure I was healthy. It's one of those things - if I stay healthy, I'll put up numbers."

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Lincoln is still on hold

Mike Lincoln, slowed by elbow pain in his surgically repaired throwing arm, will travel to St. Louis today, where he will continue his rehab. Lincoln is coming off of Tommy John surgery but has not thrown for several weeks because of a bone bruise in the elbow. The Cardinals have told him not to throw until the elbow is completely pain-free. Once the pain clears, a conservative estimate has Lincoln's rehab going another six to eight weeks before he is ready to throw.

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Why the Cubs will be worse
By Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch
03/31/2005

1. Burnitz, Hollandsworth et al. won't drive in the 200 runs that Alou and Sosa would have provided.

2. Pitchers Kerry Wood and Mark Prior already have been injured this spring and could have trouble staying healthy.

3. The Cubs haven't had three consecutive winning seasons in more than 30 years.