Team Waino wins pitchers' fielding game

JUPITER, Fla. -- Some savvy drafting and sure hands helped Adam Wainwright pocket his first victory of the spring on Wednesday.

This one came on the backfields during a tournament the Cardinals staged to add some competition and incentive into a day focused on fielding. Eight pitchers were tabbed as team captains, and Wainwright, by virtue of service time, drew the first overall pick.

He used it to pluck top prospect Alex Reyes, who had a feeling he might get the nod after fielding questions from Wainwright earlier in the morning about how he was feeling. It was all part of the veteran’s advanced scouting, which included recalling that time Reyes didn’t even flinch when Wainwright, Brandon Moss and Jonathan Broxton jumped out from behind the curtains in his hotel room.

“Very smart. Very gifted,” Wainwright said. “And he’s not scared of anything.”

The next seven captains plucked two players apiece before Wainwright made his next selection. He targeted athleticism in taking Genesis Cabrera. Non-roster invitee Williams Perez -- described by Wainwright as having hands as “smooth as butter” -- rounded out the foursome.

The group rotated around four fields, each of which focused on a different priority area. First came rag ball, a drill designed to mimic comebackers to the mound. Other exercises included covering first base, handling popups and fielding ground balls. Teams were judged not only on execution, but also on details, like checking phantom runners back to the base after making a play or stepping on the bag at the right point.

Team athletic trainers served as scorekeepers in each head-to-head match.

“I feel like it makes the hard work that we do, it makes it fun,” Reyes said. “And being able to compete against our guys gives us some bragging rights.”

Reyes’ group had plenty. They were victorious at all four stations, thus earning a berth in the championship match, where they matched up against Team Andrew Miller in a discipline of their choice. Wainwright chose ground balls, noting that he’d rather “run a half marathon” then go through covering first base again.

Each group fielded ground balls for five minutes apiece. Team Miller muffed 15 during their time period. Wainwright’s made only 13 mistakes to take the crown. The reward? A day off later in spring and their clubhouse dues paid.

“I’ve still got it,” the two-time Gold Glove winner said afterward with a smirk. “Prepared all offseason for this moment.”

Reyes recovers from latest push
One week after expressing cautious optimism about his readiness to pitch in Grapefruit League games, Reyes spoke confidently about being ready to take that next step in the coming weeks.

Reyes continues to push forward in his recovery from a second arm surgery and confirmed that he recovered well after participating in the team’s live batting practice on Tuesday. It marked the first time in almost nine months that Reyes had thrown to a hitter.

“My arm feels good,” Reyes said. “Just having the presence there in the box for the first time since May 30, it was fun to be able to see those guys and talk to them after to get the feedback from them on that stuff.”

He noted being pleasantly surprised to learn the Cardinals were pushing him to this next step so soon in camp. He’ll repeat it at least once more, the next time with batters cleared to swing. It’s all part of the progression toward pitching in big league Spring Training games.

“The feedback was positive,” manager Mike Shildt said. “And everybody including him feels good about the steps we’re taking. It was good to create a little more stimulus with a hitter up there.”

Worth noting

• Shildt confirmed that outfielder Marcell Ozuna will be ready to serve as a designated hitter as soon as Grapefruit League play opens. The Cardinals have not revealed when they intend to let Ozuna, who underwent shoulder surgery in October, begin playing the outfield.

• The club continues to map out Yadier Molina ’s Grapefruit League program, though it’s unlikely he’ll be cleared to appear in games by this weekend. Molina continues to take things slow this spring after undergoing offseason knee surgery.