St. Louis Cardinals: Notes from Jupiter

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With position players having arrived earlier this week, the St. Louis Cardinals were able to hold their first official full squad workout earlier this week during Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida.

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Outfielder Randal Grichuk has decided to skip Thursday’s workout with a sore lower back. He is expected to resume today as he fights to make the bench as a reserve outfielder.

Thirteen pitchers threw live batting practice on Thursday. They included Lance Lynn, Trevor Rosenthal, John Lackey, Jordan Walden, Marco Gonzales, Sam Freeman, Carlos Martinez, Tyler Lyons, Carlos Villanueva, Mitch Harris, Sam Tuivailala, Marcus Hatley and Dean Kiekhefer.

When Hall of Fame second baseman Red Schoendienst arrives to camp, it will be his 70th Spring Training. The former Cardinals manager is 92 years old.

Infielder Xavier Scruggs is planning on getting some outfield work. With versatility at multiple positions, he is trying to make a case to start the season with St. Louis rather than Memphis.

Pitcher John Gast is happy to be back after requiring shoulder surgery.

"“All around, I felt off,” Gast said. “The whole year was tough with every pitch, really. It was hard just going out there against really good competition in the [Pacific Coast League] and knowing that you’re not operating at full capacity and knowing that you don’t have what you used to. It’s mentally tough to go and operate at less than what you know you should be able to do.”"

General manager John Mozeliak said that Gast is “capable of pitching in the big leagues” but Gast has to show that “he has the durability to compete every fifth day.”

Kevin Siegrist is another pitcher who missed time during the 2014 season. The pitcher described the 2014 season as “the most frustrating thing I’ve ever gone through.” Siegrist is one of many pitchers hoping for a healthy 2015 season.

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