--The Cardinals, for the moment, at least, have cut ties with Juan Gonzalez. The veteran outfielder, who played one game in the field (all nine innings) before being sidelined with a strained abdominal muscle, was placed on the temporary inactive list and will return to his home in Puerto Rico to heal.

--RHPs Cliff Politte, Chris Perez and Hugo Castellanos were returned to the minor league complex. Politte had knocked off five consecutive scoreless outings this spring, while the hard-throwing Perez had given up four runs and four walks in his last 3 2/3 innings.

--The Cardinals will have five pitchers on the disabled list at the start of the season -- RHPs Chris Carpenter, Joel Pineiro, Matt Clement and Josh Kinney and LHP Mark Mulder. In addition, RF Juan Encarnacion, who won't play this season after suffering a serious eye injury last summer, also was placed on the DL.

--INF Brendan Ryan, who has soreness in his right ribcage area, will try to play either Friday or Saturday in a Cardinals exhibition at Class AA Springfield. If he is still not healthy, the Cardinals can backdate a disabled-list move to March 21 because the game is not a big-league exhibition. Ryan hasn't played since March 17.

D'Angelo Jimenez, a non-roster player, will make the team if Ryan is unable to start the season.

--RHP Anthony Reyes pitched six innings of shutout ball against Washington on Tuesday, but he will not be in the rotation at the start of the season, and might even be at Class AAA Memphis. There is an outside shot he would be in the bullpen on Opening Day, but pitching coach Dave Duncan said, "there are too many things involved" for Reyes to be a reliever, referring, in part to the lengthy time it might take Reyes to get loose. Reyes and RHP Kelvin Jimenez, who performed as a reliever for the Cardinals last year, are vying for the last pitching spot on the club.

--The Cardinals, 8-2 winners over Baltimore on Wednesday, are unbeaten in their last nine games, winning eight of them, with one tie.

--LF Chris Duncan, not known for his defense, turned in one brilliant play and another good one Wednesday. He dived into foul ground to snag a first-inning liner and came in to snatch a low line drive in the third and turn it into a double play.

--OF Brian Barton was hit in the face by a curveball Wednesday, but the blow was a glancing one and he did not appear seriously injured. The Rule 5 draft pick will be the Cardinals' Opening Day roster after batting .351 this spring.

BY THE NUMBERS
5 -- Homers 1B Albert Pujols had in spring training with a week to go.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I'm not out there feeling for it." -- LHP Mark Mulder, after facing hitters for the first time this spring. He has been fighting to recapture his delivery since before the first of two shoulder surgeries.

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