--RHP Chris Carpenter, beset by elbow and shoulder problems the last two seasons, said he was on schedule for spring training. "I feel great. I feel like it's a regular winter," he said. "It might be different three weeks from now or a month or now when I get off the mound, but right now, I feel like it's a normal offseason. My shoulder feels great. I have no issues whatsoever."
--2B Adam Kennedy, who had to be asked to be traded but wasn't, appears to be the regular at that position by default because Felipe Lopez and Aaron Miles both signed elsewhere as free agents. However, Kennedy, who hit .280 last season but lost his job late in the season, said the position "is to be earned. And I plan on doing that. Especially over the last couple of years, I've realized that every at-bat, every game, I need to make a point and make an issue to continue to be in the lineup." --The Cardinals reduced their list of potential arbitration cases to two by signing RHPs Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson and OF Chris Duncan. Wellemeyer, 13-9 last season, received the biggest bump, going from the $400,000 range to $4.05 million. OFs Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick exchanged arbitration figures with the club.
--1B Albert Pujols, the 2008 National League Most Valuable Player, wants to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic in March, but he may not play if he isn't insured. There is a question if players who are coming off surgery (Pujols had a nerve transposition near his right elbow) will be insured by a independent agency. Major league clubs do not insure players for such exhibitions, and general manager John Mozeliak said, "I would strongly suspect at this point we would be opposed to a player of that magnitude participating" without coverage.
--C Yadier Molina and RHP Joel Pineiro are on Puerto Rico's provisional roster for the WBC. OF Ryan Ludwick is on the United States' roster, although Ludwick has said he doesn't want to play in the WBC, preferring to remain in spring training with the Cardinals.
BY THE NUMBERS: 31 -- Blown saves and losses by the Cardinals bullpen last year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You hate to project numbers, but you'd think it would be worth 15 to 20 more wins to have him for a full season." -- 2B Adam Kennedy, on the potential availability of RHP Chris Carpenter.
