JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals starter Matt Clement, more than a year removed from shoulder surgery, will alter his throwing program in the coming days and is not expected to be ready for opening day, as previously planned.

“In all honesty, I will be surprised if he’s ready for opening day,” pitching coach Dave Duncan said. “And I’m not too sure even if he is ready, we wouldn’t likely have him compete somewhere else just to…

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…