Weather: Mostly sunny, 78 degrees

Highs: Manager Mike Matheny quickly ended his daily session with the media to run out to one of the back fields at the Cardinals’ complex to throw batting practice to Matt Holliday, David Freese and Skip Schumaker for 15 minutes. Quipped one observer, “When was the last time we saw a manager running?”

Lows:  When three people walked near the door to the Cardinals’ clubhouse, a security guard stopped them and asked where they were going. It turned out they were looking for the Marlins camp, on the other side of the complex. The guard said that had never happened before.

In the clubhouse:  The first of many special instructors during camp is expected to arrive on Friday – longtime fan favorite Willie McGee. One of the areas the club wants McGee to address is stealing bases, and baserunning in general. The Cardinals had only 57 stolen bases as a team in 2011, the second fewest in the majors, and their success rate of only 59 percent was the worst in the majors. Only two players, Tyler Greene (11) and Albert Pujols (9) had more than six steals. “We’re going to have early and late sessions,” Matheny said. “I do believe we have some guys in here who can steal some bases. We’ve got some guys who can run. It’s about teaching a philosophy and being conscious of it.” Instructors Ozzie Smith and Lou Brock also will work wt those players later in camp when they arrive, Matheny said. Matheny does not see a connection between stealing more bases and hitting into less double plays, however. The Cardinals set an NL record last year with 169 grounded into double plays, the most in the majors. Asked how he would prevent that again Matheny joked, “hit more doubles.” “We had guys on base and guys hit the ball hard and the other team turned a double play. There’s nothing we’re going to do differently as far as that goes. If we were talking about how many strikeouts we had last year and cutting down on that, then we would have something to talk about.”

Off the field:  A couple of days ago pitcher Adam Wainwright remarked that he was not worried about icing his arm at night, he was worried about what time American Idol came on. It turns out he was serious – he is a fan of the show and knew it was on Wednesday night. “I’ve been watching it since season two,” he said. “I think the best singer this year already got voted off – the waiter from south Florida. They should not have sent him home.” Wainwright said he also is a fan of former pitcher Joe Magrane’s daughter, Shannon, as well as Phillip Phillips. It turns out Phillips is from the same home town, Leesburg, Ga., as a friend of Wainwright, country singer Luke Bryan. “I always root for the people from Georgia,” he said.

Quote of the day: “If we triumph in the little things of our common hours, we are sure to triumph in our lives.” The author is unknown.

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