JUPITER, Fla. • Lefthander Brett Cecil was the first Cardinals’ pitcher to face hitters Monday. He didn’t throw many strikes, perhaps two out of 15 or so pitches in his stint, but he became ill while he was warming up and didn’t feel any better when he started facing Yadier Molina, his first hitter.
Cecil went on a new diet in the off-season and lost 42 pounds. Afterward, he was tested for hydration levels, which Cecil said were good, but he was low on sodium, which he said he had been avoiding in foods for a while.