ST. LOUIS -- In what represented another step forward in his recovery from a right elbow injury, Cardinals reliever Matt Belisle faced three teammates -- Matt Holliday, Matt Adams and Pete Kozma -- in a live batting-practice session prior to Friday's game.
The episode, which Belisle expects to repeat in a few days, allowed the right-hander to gauge the command and crispness of his pitches. The command is still coming along, he said, but nevertheless asserted: "We're close."
With Jon Jay coming off the disabled list on Friday, Belisle, who has been out since June 26, seems likely to be the next of the team's six rehabbing players to return.