Ozzie Smith wants to advise Rafael Furcal

While nobody seems to know how healthy short stop Rafael Furcal is as we head into Spring Training games, one thing is for certain: Ozzie Smith would like to advise him. The legendary Cardinal short stop made changes to his defense at short following a torn rotator cuff in 1985. Like Furcal, Smith also opted to not have surgery. Feb 18, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals former players Jim Edmonds (L) Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee chat during Spring Training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Image Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

"“There has to be precaution every day you go out there,” Smith said. “It lends to always putting yourself into a good throwing position, so that you don’t always put any added stress on that particular part of your arm.“It’s almost as if you have to re-learn how to get yourself into that position. You don’t want to get into the position again where you expose yourself to total annihilation of the ligament. That’s the thing that can destroy you, where you make one of those awkward throws.”"

KMOV’s Brian Feldman reports that Joe Kelly is no guarantee to take Chris Carpenter‘s spot in the rotation, even though he has the most major league experience of the three rookies vying for the spot. Feldman reminds us that “Kelly was an under the radar prospect in the system due in large part because of so many other high profile guys such as Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez.”

It is true that Kelly flew under the radar. That said, I remember hearing that the starting spot would be between him and Brandon Dickson when Garcia was injured. There was some debate about whether it would be Shelby Miller getting the call-up. In the end, Dickson started for Memphis on that Friday while Kelly made his debut that Sunday for the Cardinals.

Joe Garagiola is officially retiring as a broadcaster. Since ending his playing career with the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1954 season, the former catcher turned to a broadcasting career in the KMOX booth–where he teamed up with Harry Caray and Jack Buck during the 1955-62 seasons. He would later be teamed up with Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully for the NBC Game of the Week, All-Star Games, NLCS, and World Series. In 1991, he was named as the recipient of the Ford Frick Award for broadcasting.