Tweet
JUPITER — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matt Clement might be ready to face live pitchers by the end of the week if his progress continues and chances for him being ready by the season's start look better than earlier projected.
He threw 45 pitches Sunday after having thrown 35 two days prior in his first bullpen since being pulled back from pitching off the mound on Feb. 17 because of weak arm strength following 2006 shoulder surgery. He missed play in 2007.
"If I'm not ready by opening day, I'm going to be pretty darn close," Clement said. "As far as feeling, I couldn't have felt better the whole bullpen ... Now, it's just a matter of getting some of this rust off."
Clement has another bullpen scheduled for Tuesday. That means he is doing better than expected. He will have his third bullpen in six days on Tuesday.
"If (pitching coach Dave Duncan) would have said I would throw live B.P. next time, I would have felt like I could have done it," Clement said Sunday.
McCLELLAN START POSITIVE
Kyle McClellan, who has spent the last six years pitching in the minor leagues and is making his first appearance in the major-league clubhouse this spring, took his first start with St. Louis in Grapefruit League action Sunday.
He pitched three scoreless innings using just 32 pitches, only throwing 10 balls.
"I just want to build the trust that they can rely on you to give you the ball or to call you up," McClellan said.
PINEIRO BACK ON TRACK
The Cardinals pitching staff also celebrated a smooth bullpen by starter Joel Pineiro, who threw from the mound without apparent issue Sunday for the first time since he was shut down Thursday due to shoulder stiffness. He said everything felt fine and he expects to take his first spring start on Friday.
Comment