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 Adam Wainwright continues to hold out hope of starting the April 5
opener against the Cubs at Chicago, though he has yet to pitch in an
exhibition game this spring.
The right-hander continued his recovery from a strained abdominal
muscle Thursday by throwing 40 pitches in two simulated innings. It
was the second time in four days that he threw live batting
practice.
"It's a good test," Wainwright said. "I love seeing hitters. They
tell you what your stuff needs to do. Today, the goal was to try and
start honing in some of those pitches. I did on about 80 percent of
them. And I threw some really bad pitches that got hit."
Wainwright won't be cleared to pitch in an exhibition game, until he
is able to run and take part in fielding practice. Wainwright is
hoping to reach that stage by the beginning of next week.
"I want to be out there taking grounders and running station to
station and leading groups and doing all that, too," Wainwright
said.
If Wainwright keeps progressing, he should have enough time to make
three Grapefruit League starts. The veteran believes that will allow
hum time to build enough arm strength to pitch in a regular-season
game.
To get to that point, Wainwright would need to be ready to pitch in
a game by the end of next week.
"I would never say 'no, I'm not ready, under any circumstance,'"
Wainwright said. "I always want the ball. I always want to be out
there. I want to pitch in the opener. I want to be that guy."
Wainwright, 33, went 20-9 with a 2.27 ERA in 32 starts last season
as he helped the Cardinals win the National League Central. He also
led the NL with three shutouts.
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MLB Team Report - St. Louis Cardinals - NOTES, QUOTES
--RHP Lance Lynn (left hip strain flexor) was scratched from his
scheduled start March 13 against Miami in an exhibition game. Lynn
was forced from his last start March 1 against the Marlins because
of the injury but the Cardinals are optimistic he will be able to
begin the season on the active roster.
--CF Jon Jay is expected to make his spring debut at some point
during the weekend of March 14-15. The Cardinals have been slowly
easing Jay back into action while he recovers from offseason surgery
on his right wrist.
--RHP Marco Gonzales is making a strong case in the fifth starter's
competition. The rookie has pitched six scoreless innings over two
exhibition starts, allowing two hits and two walks while striking
out three. He is competing with LHP Jaime Garcia and RHP Carlos
Martinez. Despite Gonzales' strong performances, Martinez is still
considered the favorite.
QUOTE TO NOTE: I'm not going to make our guys overly conscious about
it. We're not going to pound it on them until we find out which guys
it's going to be an issue with," -- Cardinals manager Mike Matheny
on how his players are adapting to Major League Baseball's new
pace-of-play rules.
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MLB Team Report - St. Louis Cardinals - ROSTER REPORT
PROJECTED ROTATION:
RHP Adam Wainwright
RHP Lance Lynn
RHP John Lackey
RHP Michael Wacha
LHP Marco Gonzales or RHP Carlos Martinez
Wainwright is coming off the second 20-win season of his career
despite battling occasional arm problems that left him unable to
open jars or doors at times. Lynn enjoyed a breakout season last
year, posting an ERA of less than 3.00 for the first time and
learning how to use his intensity in a way which didn't backfire on
him.
Lackey is a perfect No. 3 starter at this stage of his career, an
innings-eater who figures to be good for about 15 wins. A healthy
Wacha gives this team a No. 2 type starter in the No. 4 spot. The
loser of the Gonzales-Martinez duel at No. 5 opens the season in the
bullpen. LHP Jaime Garcia could still figure into this mix if he can
ever get and stay healthy.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Trevor Rosenthal (closer)
RHP Jordan Walden
RHP Matt Belisle
LHP Kevin Siegrist
RHP Seth Maness
LHP Randy Choate
LHP Sam Freeman
[to top of second column] |
Rosenthal notched 45 saves in his first year as closer, but lost
command of the strike zone far too often. After issuing only 20
walks in 75 1/3 innings in 2013, Rosenthal passed 42 hitters in 70
1/3 innings last year and was pulled from some save chances in the
ninth inning due to his wildness. He simply has to throw more
strikes than he did last year to maintain his effectiveness as a
closer.
Walden figures to fit into the eighth-inning role filled so well
last year by Pat Neshek, who left via free agency for Houston.
Belisle proved to be an innings eater with the Rockies the past four
years. Maness is durable and can throw double-play grounders like
nobody's business. If Siegrist can regain the dominant form he
showed in 2013, he could become another eighth-inning option.
Freeman has a leg up on a spot because he is out of minor league
options.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. 3B Matt Carpenter
2. RF Jason Heyward
3. LF Matt Holliday
4. 1B Matt Adams
5. C Yadier Molina
6. SS Jhonny Peralta
7. 2B Kolten Wong
8. CF Jon Jay
Manager Mike Matheny has options at the top of his lineup. He will
likely stick with Carpenter, who's reached base a whopping 545 times
the last two years, or possibly use Heyward, who has a good eye and
can steal a base.
Holliday struggled until the calendar flipped to July, then kicked
into gear and was at his best in late August and September. Adams
beat defensive shifts consistently but left some wishing he had hit
more homers. Wong displayed 20-homer pop late in the season and the
playoffs. The Cardinals averaged just 3.8 runs per game last year
while hitting fewer homers than anyone in the NL. That can't happen
again if they're to make noise in 2015.
St. Louis was much-improved defensively last year and might get
better with the addition of Heyward, who has Gold Glove ability in
right field. Molina remains the gold standard defensively at his
position.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--RHP Lance Lynn (left hip flexor strain) left the March 8 spring
training game. Though he did not think the ailment was serious he
was scratched from his scheduled start March 13.
--RHP Adam Wainwright (mild abdominal strain) was hurt in late
February. He began throwing live batting practice March 9. He is
still hopeful of taking the ball on Opening Night at Wrigley Field
on April 5.
--CF Peter Bourjos (right hip surgery in October 2014) says he is
100 percent for the first time in his major league career. Bourjos
dealt with the injury throughout his pro career but finally opted
for surgery when he experienced debilitating pain in late September.
--LHP Jaime Garcia (thoracic outlet surgery in July 2014) is ready
for spring training and is hopeful of claiming the No. 5 spot in the
rotation with a good spring. The Cardinals are wary, knowing that
injuries limited him to 36 starts over the last three years.
--RHP Michael Wacha (sore right shoulder) threw a bullpen session
just before spring training started and reported no problems. Wacha
made just 19 starts last year after missing about 2 1/2 months with
a stress reaction, and he didn't have good command after returning.
--CF Jon Jay (offseason wrist surgery) didn't start the exhibition
opener March 5. He is tentatively scheduled to make his spring debut
March 14. The Cardinals are hopeful he will be ready by Opening Day
on April 5.
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