JUPITER, Fla. • Amid the seemingly endless questions about Albert Pujols' future, there are some baseball maneuvers being practiced at the Cardinals camp.
After watching his pitchers throw off bullpen mounds for the third day, Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, notably impressed by some young arms, had no complaints Wednesday.
Righthander Lance Lynn, a 13-game winner at Class AAA Memphis last year, is making a bid to become the Cardinals' next starter in case any of the first five goes down, and Duncan, who saw Lynn briefly last spring, said, "He's throwing a little more comfortably.
"He's relaxed. He's throwing the ball well and he obviously did his work before getting here."
Hard-throwing righthander Michael Cleto, the 21-year-old acquired from Seattle for shortstop Brendan Ryan, so far hasn't displayed the significant control problems that have plagued his career, which hasn't advanced past Class A yet.
"His delivery isn't the type of delivery you would consider an issue," Duncan said. "It's learning how to repeat it and finding a consistent release point.
"He's got a really good breaking ball, and if he could get command of that ... well, it's good enough that the catcher whiffed the first one. He's got some talent."
Other young pitchers who have caught Duncan's eye include righthander P.J. Walters, who has had a couple of trials with the big club in the last two years but has come up short.
"His command has been really good," Duncan said. "Stuff-wise, he's a lot like before. It looks to me like (non-roster righthander Brandon) Dickson has a really good arm. (Righthander Adam) Reifer, I like. (Righthander) Shelby Miller has been impressive.
"There's nobody I've seen so far that I look at and say, 'Maybe this guy shouldn't be here.' They all have the physical tools to be in this camp.
"It's too early to get too giddy, but so far I'm very pleased."
All the pitchers are in camp now, with lefthander Raul Valdes, a 32-year-old rookie last year with the New York Mets, showing up and throwing a bullpen session after having visa problems from the Dominican Republic.
Duncan hadn't been worried about Valdes, who, Duncan said, had thrown eight innings in a Caribbean Series game some 10 games ago. "He's got a nice little cut fastball," said Duncan.
Valdes figures to battle rostered lefthander Brian Tallet for the second lefthanded relief spot on the club besides Trever Miller.
Though the Cardinals' pitching generally was strong last year, the lefthanded relief tandem of Miller and Dennys Reyes was off form.
"It was a little erratic," Duncan said of that duo.
The Cardinals likely will break with 12 pitchers rather than 13, Duncan said. "I think we're going to have good enough starting pitching that we don't have to be concerned about over-using our bullpen early."
MATHENY EXTENDS TOUR
Former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny, who served as a roving catching instructor last year in the Cardinals' system besides working with the club in other areas, has a longer tour as an instructor this spring than he had last year. Matheny will be here until March 10, but he is not ready yet to expand his horizons to full-time managing or coaching.
Matheny and his wife, Kristin, have five children at home ranging in age from 10 to 16, and Matheny said he wouldn't feel good about being away from his family for more than the one week a month he was gone during last summer.
"There are a lot of different things going into the equation," he said, "but to do it on an everyday basis doesn't make sense right now."
Matheny has several irons in the fire, including motivational speaking to corporate groups and some analyst work for the Major League Baseball Network and Fox Sports Midwest, after having suffered a severe setback in the real estate market when his real estate investment company, MPD Investments LLC., ran into trouble. But, besides traveling through the system, he also will show up at Busch Stadium on occasion to go over film work and preparation with the Cardinals' catchers.
Someday, though, Matheny may well be bitten so badly by the managing and coaching bug that he will sign on full time.
"I've done a lot of thinking about this," he said. "It's what I do. It's what I did as a player. I love to encourage, first of all. I'm a teacher and I love to teach and motivate guys."
Citing some expert coaching he had in his playing days, Matheny said, "If you don't take that platform and try to share that with somebody, I think you've messed up. You haven't been responsible and diligent with what you've learned.
"I'm trying to take what is natural to me and see if it applies. I love coaching, but to jump into this thing ... I don't think people realize the commitment these minor-league guys make. That life is nowhere as glamorous as (the major leagues). I admire these guys and what they're doing."
CHRIS DUNCAN UPDATE
Former Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan, who twice hit more than 20 homers in a season for the club, is on the comeback trail after having two hip surgeries last year, his father, Dave, said.
Dave Duncan said Chris Duncan began hitting two weeks ago with Pujols in St. Louis. "He's had a great rehab," the elder Duncan said. "He ran three miles. He's taking ground balls. He can bend over. He's throwing. He's doing everything."
Several clubs are looking at signing the 29-year-old Duncan to a minor-league contract, according to his father. "He didn't think he'd be ready to go to a major league camp," Dave Duncan said. "But he's getting pretty close to being ready right now."
Duncan, plagued by injuries his last couple of years with the Cardinals, hit 22 homers in 2006 and 21 in 2007. Last year, he batted .191 in 82 games for Washington's Syracuse team in the International League.
Duncan's other son, Shelley, also an outfielder-first baseman, is on the 40-man spring roster of the Cleveland Indians, for whom he hit .231 with 10 homers last year.
MOST PLAYERS IN CAMP
With the first full-squad workout not slated until Saturday, most of the Cardinals' position players already have begun drills. Among those who haven't worked out here yet are Pujols, Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman and Jim Edmonds, although the latter isn't expected to be going through drills anytime soon until his injured right foot heals.
