JUPITER, Fla. • Regardless of what's ahead for Jack Flaherty and whether he's needed in the majors to start the season or positioned as the Class AAA Memphis ace, the Cardinals are growing increasingly confident of how close he is to be a fixture for them.
It's at his fingertips.
Flashing a stronger and more diverse array of pitches that he had to begin last year and that he has had this spring, Flaherty struck out seven in four innings of work and became the first Cardinals pitcher to throw a 70th pitch a game this spring.