Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha was pleased with his latest performance despite getting scored on for the first time this spring.
"I felt really good," he said after being charged with three runs in 4 2/3 innings. "I was real happy with the way the ball was coming out of the hand and the command on my pitches. I was able to throw it pretty much where I wanted to for most of the day. Each time out, [I] just continue to work on the command and control of all my pitches and continue to work down in the zone."
After spending two months on the disabled list, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is encouraged by his progress.
"I don't look at him as anything but a healthy pitcher trying to get ready for the season," the manager said. "Last year ended exactly how we planned it, in that at midseason, he had something come up and we had to back off. That was just being extra precautionary so we could have him ready for spring this year.
"It was a very smart move on the organization's part. The medical staff and the front office wanted to be extra cautious. That was all in preparation for now and apparently it's proven that that was a good thing."
Prior to being scored on Saturday in a 5-4 loss to the Mets, Wacha had allowed just two hits in five innings.