Obviously, You're Not a Golfer tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2008-03-29:/335 2010-03-16T19:12:44Z The Cardinals, ball in general, life on the road... on this blog, either you do or you don't. Movable Type Pro 4.25 Tuesday camp tidbits: The off day approaches tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1494701 2010-03-16T18:14:44Z 2010-03-16T19:12:44Z It's another gorgeous day in Jupiter, mild and sunny with a decent breeze but not too much wind. Tomorrow brings the Cardinals' first off day of the Grapefruit League schedule, and it's supposed to rain. Good news bad news, I... Matthew Leach
Plenty of tidbits today.

* I'll have updates on the various injured Cardinals on the site later this afternoon. In the meantime, though: Julio Lugo is progressing well and hopes to be ready on Thursday. He'll probably be held out a little bit past that, but the weekend is a good guess. 

* Matt Holliday is having good workouts but still hasn't swung a bat. They're not projecting a return date for him.

* Brendan Ryan is available to play defense today and is getting very close.

* Colby Rasmus' high school team, coached by his father Tony, paid a visit to camp today. They got a tour, sat in the stands for some of the workout and generally seemed to be receiving the celebrity treatment.

* For the upcoming split-squad games, here's how the Cardinals will set up their pitching: after Rich Hill's start Thursday, it will be Chris Carpenter on Friday afternoon in Jupiter against Florida, and Kyle McClellan on Friday night in Viera against the Nationals. For next Monday's split-squad, Kyle Lohse will pitch at home against the Red Sox, and TLR said that Shelby Miller may pitch the road game against the Astros.

* Members of last year's Memphis team were presented with their Pacific Coast League championship rings prior to Tuesday's game.

Today's playlist is a pre-St. Patrick's Day special:
U2, "Bad"
My Bloody Valentine, "When You Sleep"
Sinead O'Connor, "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
Thrills, "One Horse Town"
Thin Lizzy, "Jailbreak"

-M.
]]> Tuesday lineups tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1494181 2010-03-16T15:27:55Z 2010-03-16T15:34:21Z Lineups for Tuesday's Nationals-Cardinals game (Washington is split-squad):Cardinals1. Schumaker 2B2. Craig DH3. Pujols 1B4. Ludwick RF5. Rasmus CF6. Molina C7. Stavinoha DH8. Mather 3B9. Greene SSLohse PNationals1. Bernadina RF2. Desmond SS3. Kennedy 2B4. Willingham LF5. Duncan 1B6. Rodriguez C7. Whitesell... Matthew Leach
Cardinals
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Craig DH
3. Pujols 1B
4. Ludwick RF
5. Rasmus CF
6. Molina C
7. Stavinoha DH
8. Mather 3B
9. Greene SS
Lohse P

Nationals
1. Bernadina RF
2. Desmond SS
3. Kennedy 2B
4. Willingham LF
5. Duncan 1B
6. Rodriguez C
7. Whitesell DH
8. Maxwell CF
9. Bruntlett 3B
Lannan P

-M.
]]> Monday camp tidbits: Back in the saddle tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1493001 2010-03-15T22:15:09Z 2010-03-15T22:30:20Z Hello, all. Took a couple of days to go home and square away some various matters, but I'm back on the beat as of this morning. You can tell I played catchup today by the fact that this post is... Matthew Leach
It was a gorgeous day down here, a little breezy but warm and mostly clear. 

Most of the day's news is covered over on the site: Pujols' reaction to the weekend's trade "rumor," Brad Penny talking about how he feels after getting hit by a line drive, and the six cuts this afternoon.

That leaves, well, tidbits, so here we go:

* TLR said that they have not yet settled on how travel and the like will work for Orlando/Kissimmee, now that the second day of that trip is split-squad with a day at home. He did say, though, that Kyle Lohse will pitch the home game against the Red Sox on March 22, rather than making the trip, and that he (TLR) will likely be in Kissimmee rather than at home.

* Per TLR, there's not a lot to report about Julio Lugo, who has a groin strain, or Matt Holliday and his injured intercostal muscle. I hope to talk to both tomorrow and have some updates on both.

* A couple of Pujols quotes that didn't get into the story. 

He discussed some of the clubs he'd accept a trade to, if it came to that, and was asked about going to the AL. His response:

"I don't know. I don't even want to talk about it because this is where I belong right now. I belong here hopefully for a couple more years, and then from there hopefully I can finish my career."

And one more generally on his situation: 

"I told you guys already and that's the reality. There's things that I'm able to control but there's other things that are out of my reach, I don't have no control. But there are things that I can control. I can say, you know what, I want this, I want that. but there's other things that, that's their side."

Today's playlist comes from XM's "Alt Nation" channel, on the drive up to PSL this morning:

Mark Hoppus and Pete Wentz, "In Transit" (I know, but honestly, I dig the song)
Cold War Kids, "Audience" (love this band)
Franz Ferdinand, "The Fallen"
Hives, "Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones"
Paramore, "Brick By Boring Brick" (Again, maybe uncool, but I dig the song)

-M.
]]> Thursday camp tidbits tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1484441 2010-03-11T16:45:43Z 2010-03-11T17:06:47Z We're hoping to dodge the rain today. There's bad weather all over the state, though right now it seems to be getting a little better here in Jupiter. Here's hoping.* Rich Hill will start tomorrow's game against the Red Sox,... Matthew Leach
* Rich Hill will start tomorrow's game against the Red Sox, with Kyle McClellan pitching after him. It's the fair way, since the two are competing for a spot and McClellan started the last time they pitched on the same day.

* Not much new on Albert Pujols or Matt Holliday today, but that's to be expected. Here's TLR:

"My hope is that we use ultimate care and concern and err on the side of waiting [with Pujols].

"I haven't talked much to Matt. Talked to Albert. He feels better. But I don't know if he can be cleared. He's talking about this weekend, but we'll see."

* Shelby Miller will likely get another game appearance before he's sent out. It's not a certainty, but TLR said today that it's probable.

"As long as we're keeping him in shape and he's getting some outings, [he's fine to stay in big league camp]," La Russa said. "He's going to pitch in the Minor Leagues. So whenever it's better for him, and if we're not doing enough for him here... But I think he'll probably get another appearance. We're not that deep."

Today's playlist comes straight off the great WOXY over the course of this morning:
Pixies, "Monkey Gone To Heaven"
April Smith and the Great Picture Show, "Movie Loves A Screen"
Gorillaz, "On Melancholy Hill"
New Pornographers, "Your Hands (Together)"
Jayhawks, "Waiting For the Sun"

-M.
]]> Thursday lineups; tidbits to follow tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1484201 2010-03-11T15:15:09Z 2010-03-11T15:30:51Z Lineups for this afternoon's game. Cardinals are the visitors at Roger Dean Stadium.Cardinals:1. Gotay 2B2. Lugo SS3. Lopez DH4. Ludwick RF5. Craig 1B6. Jay CF7. Molina C8. Freese 3B9. Mather LFLohse RHPAlso listed to pitch: Garcia, T.Miller, Reyes, LynnBackup pitchers:... Matthew Leach
Cardinals:
1. Gotay 2B
2. Lugo SS
3. Lopez DH
4. Ludwick RF
5. Craig 1B
6. Jay CF
7. Molina C
8. Freese 3B
9. Mather LF
Lohse RHP

Also listed to pitch: Garcia, T.Miller, Reyes, Lynn
Backup pitchers: Norrick, Parise, Hawksworth

Marlins lineup:
1. Bonifacio CF
2. Cousins RF
3. Ramirez SS
4. Cantu 3B
5. Morrison 1B
6. Paulino C
7. Miller LF
8. Murphy 2B
9. Johnson RHP

-M.
]]> Ryan targets March 20 for return tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1484101 2010-03-11T14:24:56Z 2010-03-11T14:25:32Z Matthew Leach Brendan Ryan has a target date for his 2010 Grapefruit League debut, and it's even sooner than previously expected. 

Ryan's program currently has him on track to play on Saturday, March 20, when the Cardinals face the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. The timetable is subject to change, and Ryan could always have a setback. But as of Thursday, optimism reigned for the Cardinals' starting shortstop.

That would allow Ryan to play for more than two full weeks before the beginning of the regular season. Ryan is recuperating from a right wrist operation he had last month. It's unclear whether a March 20 Spring Training debut would allow him to be on the Opening Day roster, but every game he plays in Florida will increase his chances of being active on April 5 in Cincinnati.

Ryan has been taking soft-toss for the past three days. He expects to advance to taking batting practice thrown by a coach on Friday, followed by live batting practice, facing a Cardinals pitcher, on Tuesday. He would take live batting practice for three days, take a day off and then play on March 20.

Ryan laid out the timetable to reporters on Thursday morning. He hopes to be able to be used as a defensive replacement or pinch-runner before March 20.

]]> Wednesday camp tidbits: Craig and Miller get noticed tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1483281 2010-03-11T00:10:44Z 2010-03-11T00:28:33Z Another warm, sunny day in Jupiter today, though it sounds like rain is coming soon.Lots and lots of news out of Cardinals camp today, and of course some of it is already on the site -- most notably Albert Pujols... Matthew Leach
Lots and lots of news out of Cardinals camp today, and of course some of it is already on the site -- most notably Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday being scratched. But as for what's not on the site, here goes...

* Allen Craig doubled and homered in his first Grapefruit League game of the year, and he caught TLR's attention. La Russa's comments on Craig after the game were really striking, and definitely worth taking note of.

"It shows me that we better pay attention every time he hits," La Russa said. "What did I say before the game? He'll have to hit his way on the team, right? ... A guy hangs a changeup 2-0 and he gets to it, that's impressive.

"We didn't have a lot of other guys center it against him. Mock, I like his arm. [Craig] will  be out there again tomorrow."

Asked if Craig might be the kind of player who could help as a pinch-hitter, La Russa answered:

"I don't want to assign any roles to him till he gets on the club. I just think, take a look at him. I know that they say that in the last couple of months, he was as good as any hitter there was in the PCL. He really got it going. And this is his first action since then, and he gets two hits. So, what did you see? He's here. he came in to get a shot, and he's overcome the [quadriceps injury] and he's got a lot of the spring left."

Craig himself, meanwhile, had a philosophical comment on his attempt to hit his way onto the team:

"That's what I'm good at," he said. "I'm good at hitting. So that's what I'm going to have to do to make the team. I don't think that's really anything new."

* Also catching the attention of the field staff was Shelby Miller, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

"I was really impressed," La Russa said. "Dunc has been saying this young guy has really got a good idea already. The one [wild] pitch was a cross-up. I thought he had good stuff. his composure was outstanding.

"He had some of the best composure out there for any pitcher on either side today. That's a good test. He's out there for the first time. he could have been a lot shakier than that and we'd have said, 'Hey, what's the big deal, as long as you've got talent.' But he's really impressive."

* Mitchell Boggs gave up a home run, but overall showed significant progress from his first outing. He struck out three, didn't walk anyone and was better in his second inning than his first.

* No additional cuts are likely until the end of the weekend.

* I mentioned on Twitter today how impressed I was by what Chris Duncan had to say regarding his last couple of years and his parting of ways with the Cardinals. I only got a little bit of it in the story, so I wanted to include some more here. It really stood out to me how mature, self-aware and reasonable he was about the whole situation.

Asked about the day he was traded: "It was kind of weird. But obviously they were getting ready to get Holliday and somebody had to go. I wasn't playing well. It was probably better for me to go somewhere else where I might have a better opportunity. We had so many good outfielders and we were trading for a great player."

And this is the main stuff. Asked about whether he had any hard feelings, or anything like that:

"It was kind of tough at the end. I remember the last game I started at home, I was getting booed. And then they put Rick in and the whole crowd erupted. That's not easy to take. You try to block it out and stay focused, but I definitely felt like it was not going good.

"The bottom line is I wasn't playing well, and we were competing for a pennant. Every opportunity that I got that I didn't play well was costing the team games. I think that was the toughest thing for me. Every time [La Russa] wrote me in the lineup, I just so badly wanted to contribute and do something to help the team win. I felt like I was able to do that at the beginning, but more and more, as the season went on, I wasn't doing that. It was tough. I felt like I was letting the guys down more than anything.

"I think when I got traded we were only one game up. All those games, and every opportunity I had to play was a chance to do something to help the team win. and when I didn't, it was tough on me. 

"I know what it means to get written into a Major League lineup for a winning team. I just kept trying to tell myself that every time I'm in there, I had a chance to do something to help the team win. I just tried to stay focused. But I think I ended like 1-for-36 or something? I wasn't helping the team. they had a chance to bring in a great outfielder that could take them the distance. So I understand."

Some people are going to seize on the one short bit where he talks about being booed. But seriously. Read the whole thing. A lot of grace, a lot of class. To be admired, in my opinion.

No playlist, because this is already way too late.

-M.




]]> Pujols, Holliday scratched tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1482431 2010-03-10T18:00:33Z 2010-03-10T18:11:23Z Matthew Leach Cardinals sluggers Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols have both been scratched from the team's lineup on Wednesday due to injury. 

Pujols is out for a third straight day due to what he characterized as weakness in his lower back. He first felt some discomfort in the area on Saturday. Pujols said the pain has just about vanished from the area, but he's still working through some weakness. He is hoping to return to the lineup this weekend.

Holliday has what the club is calling "soreness in his right ribcage." He was in the training room and not available to speak to reporters when the home clubhouse at Roger Dean Stadium was open prior to game time on Wednesday afternoon.

Both Pujols and Holliday were originally in the lineup posted on Wednesday morning. At midmorning, Pujols was moved from first base to designated hitter, and later removed. Holliday was a late scratch.

In their stead, David Freese started at designated hitter and in the No. 3 spot in the batting order, and Nick Stavinoha started at left field and cleanup.
]]> Wednesday lineups (including Pujols and Duncan); tidbits to follow -- UPDATED tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1481891 2010-03-10T14:12:36Z 2010-03-10T16:35:43Z Albert Pujols returns to the lineup today after sitting out two days with a sore back. That adds up to a lineup that looks an awful lot like what I expect them to use on Opening Day (save for the... Matthew Leach
CORRECTION -- Pujols has been moved to DH, Craig to 1B.

Cardinals lineup:
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Lopez 3B
3. Pujols DH
4. Holliday LF
5. Rasmus CF
6. Ludwick RF
7. Molina C
8. Craig 1B
9. Greene SS
Penny RHP

Other available pitchers: Boggs, Franklin, Lynn, S.Miller, Samuel, Parise. 
Backup pitchers: Norrick, Sanchez

Nationals lineup
1. Harris 2B
2. Desmond SS
3. Duncan DH
4. Dunn 1B
5. Morse LF
6. Maxwell CF
7. Rodriguez C
8. Dukes RF
9. Orr 3B
Mock, RHP

-M.
]]> Tuesday Spring Training lineup and tidbits tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1480261 2010-03-09T17:28:30Z 2010-03-09T17:47:41Z Hello from Hammond Stadium in beautiful Fort Myers. We got some rain this morning, but it's gone now and apparently we're in for another gorgeous Florida day.Today's Cardinals lineup vs. RHP Carl Pavano and the Twins:1. Schumaker 2B2. Lugo SS3.... Matthew Leach
March-9-Lee-County.jpg

Today's Cardinals lineup vs. RHP Carl Pavano and the Twins:
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Lugo SS
3. Rasmus CF
4. Holliday LF
5. Ludwick RF
6. Freese 3B
7. Descalso DH
8. Mather 1B
9. LaRue C
Wainwright P

Pitchers also on the list: Boggs, S.Miller, Ottavino, Parise, Perez, Salas, Samuel, Zink, Lynn

And the tidbits...

* Allen Craig is expected to make his 2010 game debut tomorrow, likely at first base or DH. They'll probably still hold him out of the outfield. Craig is recuperating from soreness in his left quadriceps.

* TLR said this morning that there likely won't be any more cuts this week. He had initially indicated that there might be two rounds, one before the Fort Myers trip and one after. However, it seems that all the moves they were going to make, they went ahead and made on Sunday -- since several of the players who were cut, are on the trip.

* Daniel Descalso is in the lineup today in part because his parents are in attendance. Descalso has also swung the bat well this spring, and he adds another lefty bat to the lineup.

* Hammond Stadium has a bit of a homecoming feel for La Russa. He's good friends with ex-Twins manager Tom Kelly, and in fact broke off his session with us to go chat with Kelly. He also has a long history with Fort Myers groundskeeper George Toma, who is one of the very best in his field of endeavor. Toma, among other things, is in charge of field preparation for the Super Bowl.

Today's playlist:
Depeche Mode, "A Pain That I'm Used To"
Sisters of Mercy, "Lucretia My Reflection"
Mission UK, "Wasteland"
Shriekback, "Nemesis"
Cure, "Primary"

(Listened to Darkwave on Sirius/XM First Wave on Sunday night... all still stuck in my head, great stuff)

-M.

]]> Monday Spring Training tidbits tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1478941 2010-03-08T23:26:04Z 2010-03-08T23:35:39Z It was a truly spectacular day in Fort Myers, the nicest day yet. Here's hoping it continues.You've probably already read about the day's biggest story, Albert Pujols' sore back. No one seems too concerned at this point.Other stories to look... Matthew Leach
You've probably already read about the day's biggest story, Albert Pujols' sore back. No one seems too concerned at this point.

Other stories to look for on the site this afternoon/evening include a ditty on Brendan Ryan's soft-toss session and a longer look at Chris Carpetner after his first game of the spring. As for the tidbits, here they are...

* TLR said that he expects Shelby Miller to pitch in tomorrow's game against the Twins in Fort Myers. 

* We talked to John Mozeliak about a few different things this morning, including whether the club has its eye on any more moves before the season starts. Here's his answer:

"Most people, you put your club together in the offseason and you want to see how it really looks. That's the sense I get from around the league as well."

Asked a follow-up question specifically about whether they're seeking right-handed relief, he said this:

"Not particularly. I want to see how these guys throw. The bullpen, in a sense, could work itself out depending on who the fifth [starter] is. I think patience is important there."

* Trever Miller wasn't sharp in today's game, walking two batters. Afterward, he said he's going to "attempt to not walk anybody else the rest of the spring." He was frustrated but not worried about his inning.

Today's playlist:
Neon Trees, "Animal"
The Temper Trap, "Sweet Disposition"
Ting Tings, "Shut Up And Let Me Go"
Vampire Weekend, "Giving Up the Gun"
Cribs, "We Share the Same Skies"

-M.
]]> Sunday lineups and pitchers tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1475721 2010-03-07T14:08:50Z 2010-03-07T14:16:25Z Lineups for this afternoon's Marlins-Cardinals game at Roger Dean Stadium. St. Louis is listed as the home team today.Cardinals:1. Lugo SS2. Lopez 2B3. Ludwick RF4. Holliday LF5. Molina C6. Freese 3B7. Stavinoha DH8. Mather 1B9. Robinson CFMcClellan PAdditional Cardinals pitchers:... Matthew Leach
Cardinals:
1. Lugo SS
2. Lopez 2B
3. Ludwick RF
4. Holliday LF
5. Molina C
6. Freese 3B
7. Stavinoha DH
8. Mather 1B
9. Robinson CF
McClellan P

Additional Cardinals pitchers: Hill, Reyes, Norrick, Hawksworth, Kinney
In reserve: Motte, Miller, Parise

Marlins:
1. Maybin CF
2. Murphy 2B
3. Ramirez SS
4. Cantu 3B
5. Sanchez 1B
6. Carroll RF
7. Petersen LF
8. Hayes C
9. West LHP

-M.
]]> Saturday Spring Training tidbits: Lopez, Boggs, Lynn, more tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1474381 2010-03-06T18:43:32Z 2010-03-06T19:02:43Z Every day is prettier than the one before these days in Jupiter. Still sunny, a yet a little warmer again today. It's feeling like Florida.* Felipe Lopez made his game debut today, a day earlier than TLR had said yesterday... Matthew Leach
* Felipe Lopez made his game debut today, a day earlier than TLR had said yesterday and two days sooner than he had said earlier this week.

"I was going to play him tomorrow," La Russa said. "But then talking to him yesterday, he said he was OK, ready to go. I said good, there's a spot. Freese has played two days in a row. We'll get him out of there and it's yours."

* Lance Lynn gave the most impressive performance by a Cardinals pitcher thus far (admittedly, it's a small selection to choose from) when he went three perfect innings on Friday. It's way too early to start going crazy about something like this, but Lynn is one of the more interesting pitchers in the system.

"You give him credit for what it is," La Russa said. "There's the old thing about early in the spring versus later in the spring. He was able to master command of several pitches, and that usually gives hitters trouble. Now, if he can continue to do that, that's a good thing to do the rest of the time. Hitters will get a little sharper. But I thought he handled himself as far as cool and composure, I thought that was really good."

* Mitchell Boggs, meanwhile, had a tough outing in his 2010 debut on Friday. He allowed three runs in his second inning. And just as the manager didn't get too far ahead of things with Lynn's good showing, he was equally reserved regarding Boggs' rocky one.

"It already has been explained to him, and we'll probably explain it again," he said. "If you give up some hits, figure out what you could do differently or better, right? If you're going out there, you hang a breaking ball and the guy pops it up, [and you think], 'Hey, I had a good outing,' that's [not good]. Really, you're supposed to be very frank with yourself. I think he wants to well because he wants to make the club."

* The Cardinals play in Fort Myers on Monday (against the Red Sox) and Tuesday (against the Twins), and there will be two buses going each way. Some players will go over Monday, and some will go on Tuesday. Meanwhile, of those who go Monday, some will come back the same day, and some will stay to play the second game.

* Some cuts may come as early as Sunday night before the road trip, and another round could come when the club gets back from Ft. Myers.

Today's playlist:
Chromeo, "Destination Overdrive"
Iggy Pop, "Nightclubbing"
New Order, "Temptation"
Muse, "Time Is Running Out"
Cut Copy, "Lights & Music"

-M.


]]> Saturday lineup; tidbits to follow tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1473711 2010-03-06T14:17:39Z 2010-03-06T14:27:30Z Saturday's Cardinals lineup against the Marlins and RHP Josh Johnson:1. Schumaker 2B2. Lopez 3B3. Pujols 1B4. Rasmus CF5. Stavinoha DH6. Jay LF7. LaRue C8. Henley RF9. Greene SSLohse RHPOther pitchers listed on the card: Garcia, Norrick, Franklin, Perez, SalasAvailable backup... Matthew Leach
1. Schumaker 2B
2. Lopez 3B
3. Pujols 1B
4. Rasmus CF
5. Stavinoha DH
6. Jay LF
7. LaRue C
8. Henley RF
9. Greene SS
Lohse RHP

Other pitchers listed on the card: Garcia, Norrick, Franklin, Perez, Salas
Available backup pitchers: Reyes, Hawksworth, Kinney
]]> Friday Spring Training tidbits: Ryan, Craig, Lopez, Boggs and more tag:yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com,2010://335.1471821 2010-03-05T16:19:05Z 2010-03-05T16:43:44Z It's starting to warm up today, and the sky is as perfectly blue as can be here at Roger Dean Stadium. It's time for the spring home opener. Here are the tidbits:* Brendan Ryan keeps moving forward, and he's planning... Matthew Leach
* Brendan Ryan keeps moving forward, and he's planning to take soft toss on Monday. The hope would be that a week after that, he could take batting practice, which would mean game at-bats no sooner than March 22. He's still a ways off but moving forward.

Ryan and TLR were asked about the possibility of Ryan appearing as a defensive replacement or baserunner in a game sooner than that. Neither dismissed it out of hand, but it doesn't seem very likely at this point.

* Allen Craig took live BP again today, and he seems very close to OK as he deals with a sore left quadriceps. But the team is going to be very cautious with him. It still sounds like he'll sit out all weekend.

* Felipe Lopez, meanwhile, might make his debut on Sunday. The target had originally been Monday, but TLR sounded today like that could be bumped up a day.

* Mitchell Boggs makes his spring debut today, and the aim is for him to throw about 30 pitches. That's a bit shorter than some of the starters have been throwing -- some have already done 40 pitches in two simulated innings. 

Boggs is not going to be kept exclusively short this spring. He'll be stretched out some. But it remains evident that the most likely destination for him is the bullpen. I don't expect he'll be stretched out in the same way as even someone like Blake Hawksworth.

"He needs to pitch," La Russa said. "He needs to work on his pitches."

That means he won't be going one-inning-only early in camp. But I expect his path will diverge from those of the starters sooner than some other guys' will.

* One spot that remains open is for a swingman in the bullpen, like what Brad Thompson did in recent years: someone who can pitch long relief, take a spot start and do other duties as assigned. Hawksworth is one pitcher who may factor in that race, but there's also something to be said for a left-hander in that job.

That may be where Rule 5 Draftee Ben Jukich fits in. A third tactical lefty wouldn't make much sense for the Cardinals. But a left-hander who can go multiple innings, and make an occasional start, might have real value. Jaime Garcia, however, likely would not be that pitcher.

Today's playlist:
Letters to Cleo, "Veda Very Shining"
Material Issue, "Li'l Christine"
Dramarama, "Anything Anything"
R.E.M., "Living Well Is the Best Revenge"
Elvis Costello, "Radio Radio"

-M.
]]>