JUPITER, Fla. — Taking his game outside for the first time in months, Cardinals righthander Matt Clement began what he hopes is a normal spring training with his first throw off a dirt mound.

In between whacking clumps of mound off his cleats, he said he felt strong.

“It’s been two years since I’ve been doing a normal spring training schedule,” Clement said. “Everything is progressing as normal.”

Rain — yes, rain, you poor snowbound readers — interrupted the morning workouts at the Cardinals’ facility here. Clement was the only major-leaguer to take to the mound after the first wave of showers passes and the crew prepped the mound. Even then, he had to smack and scrape and stomp clumps of soggy, sticky dirt from his cleats after a few throws.

Clement, who did not pitch in 2007 because of shoulder surgery, said he’s still on a throwing program that does its best to be a normal offseason for the righthander. He’s been throwing indoors, at his high school and a local community college. Tuesday was his first throw off a mound, and he said it was similar to what he normally would be doing this time of year.

He’s just in camp earlier.

Clement said he’s normally a report-day arrival. But because of it being a new team and a surgically repaired shoulder he wanted to arrive a few days early. Tuesday was pitching coach Dave Duncan’s first look at him, and the righthander threw mostly for command. He has not thrown breaking balls yet.

“I expect a normal spring and, as of right now, I expect to do everybody else is doing,” Clement said. “The big thing is I don’t want to waste my throws. The important throws have to be when I’m on the mound, and we’ll see how my arm reacts.”

***

Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel participated in a chat this afternoon where he imploded any notion that he’ll ever return to pitching, suggested fans pick him in up their fantasy leagues “cause I do damage” and announced the launch of his Web site:

RickAnkielOnline.com

Check out the little league picture on his bio page. 

*** 

Cardinals minor-league pitching coordinator Dyar Miller found out today that his grandson is one of the five fanalists for ”Live’s Beautiful Baby”, the contest sponsored by Live with Regis and Kelly. Check out the five finalists here, and guess which one is Miller’s grandson. No fair checking out the last name because the first name says it all.

Cy.

As in named after Young.

Cute kids. Gotta be honest, though, I’m partial to another 21 month old, who is an unwavering devotee of Happy Feet, is getting those troublesome molars in and, through mouthfuls of granola, asked me today when I would be home.

-30-