Pujols again is swinging a hot bat
By Rick Hummel
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/24/2008
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. — Albert Pujols is hitting .415, he has five home runs and he's slugging .830 this spring. This hardly is man bites dog material as Pujols does this sort of thing almost every spring and he's repeated it to a large degree in each of his previous seven big-league seasons.
"It wasn't my normal spring last spring, but I felt great," said Pujols. "The wind was blowing in a lot. But I think this is one of the best springs I've had in my career. I started seeing the ball good the first week of the spring, which is not normal. Now, I'm working on different things and I'm getting good results." Asked to amplify on those things, Pujols smiled and said, "Top secret. Can't tell you. Then the league is going to know what I'm working on."
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Is Izturis solid, or isn't he?
By Derrick Goold
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/23/2008
JUPITER, Fla. — When it comes to his newest charge, shortstop Cesar Izturis, Cardinals coach Jose Oquendo sees more than an infielder caught awkwardly between when to charge and when to wait on a hop. Oquendo recognizes a player grappling with the role the Cardinals need him to play and the one he has been playing — an everyday infielder with an every-so-often routine.
That is what the Cardinals insist he will be.
Three seasons removed from a Gold Glove at the position, Izturis is still feeling for his footing at shortstop. Manager Tony La Russa vehemently insists Izturis has been strong defensively and the errors are not alarming. Izturis turns a double play better than any shortstop he has had in St. Louis, La Russa said. Izturis glides to the ball, has soft hands and a quick-draw release on his throws, La Russa said.
The shortstop has a more bottom-line view. Asked if he believes he has played well defensively, Izturis said: "No, not really."
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McClellan appears to have made club
By Rick Hummel
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/24/2008
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — In October 2006, a young righthanded reliever made something of a name for himself by freezing New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran with a called third strike.
The locale Sunday was Tradition Field and not a league championship game in Shea Stadium, and the pitcher was not Adam Wainwright, but St. Louisan Kyle McClellan. The inning was the fifth and not the ninth, but the result was the same. McClellan froze Beltran with a called third strike to stop a Mets rally, and the Hazelwood West product took a giant step toward landing the final berth on the Cardinals' opening-day pitching staff.
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St. Louis Cardinals starter Mark Mulder back to pitching after shoulder surgery
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
March 22, 2008
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -Cardinals starter Mark Mulder took another positive step in his rehabilitation Saturday, facing hitters for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in September. Mulder threw batting practice to minor leaguers Oliver Marmol, Allen Craig and Daniel Descalso on a back field before the Cardinals game against the Twins. The left-hander threw 30 pitches.
"He made a bunch of big throws," manager Tony La Russa said. "Considering it's the first time out there against hitters it's even more impressive. "It's all coming together so far." Mulder was more pleased with the final 15 pitches.
"I came away very happy," he said. "If I would have thrown all of them the way I started I probably wouldn't have been real happy with it. The way I felt at the end, I was pleased with that."
The Cardinals remain hopeful Mulder can return to the rotation by early May.
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Take 5: Why the Cards may not be as bad as feared
By Jeff Gordon
03/21/2008
...The Cardinals keep generating hints that they might not be nearly as bad as the general public fears. Here are Five Positive Signs from the last several days:
1. Against all odds, the temporary rotation is shaping up.
2. Adam Kennedy can hit! Kennedy seems to have relocated the stroke he had throughout his time with the Angels. After a slow start this spring, he pushed his batting average up to .349.
3. Rick Ankiel is going crazy. Ankiel’s spring training performance (.397, three homers, nine RBIs) has raised expectations. Could he fill the clean-up role against righthanded pitching, allowing newcomer Troy Glaus to hit in the more comfortable No. 5 slot?
4. Ron Villone is viable. In past springs, the Cards have seen an assortment of veteran lefties fail to impress Duncan. But Villone has posted a 1.17 ERA in six appearances, generating hope he could become a key bullpen component.
5. The organization finally has depth. The demise of Scott Spiezio and the inevitable breakdown of Juan Gonzalez chilled the competition for roster spots. In past springs, these unfortunate developments would have been major concerns. But this year the Cards will have plenty of help just a phone call away.
Will the Cards contend this season? Probably not. Will the Cards grow this season and become more solid as the year progresses? Probably so. This may not be one of the most exciting Cards teams ever, but it could become one of the more interesting.
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