Today, an arbitration panel announced that it would overturn an impending 50-game suspension for Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun. Word leaked back in December that Braun had tested for a high level of testosterone two months earlier. As part of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program, the first offense for such a test would be a 50-game suspension.

But Braun appealed the suspension and now is the first MLB player to successfully do so. If you want background information and reaction from MLB, Braun and the Players Association, I encourage you to read this piece by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy.

This is a huge ruling given that there was no such precedent for a successful appeal. It also make the NL Central race much more interesting. The direct effect on the Cardinals is this — Braun will be available to play in the first six games that the Cardinals-Brewers play this season. Had the suspension been upheld, Braun would not have been in uniform for those first two series.

Indirectly, this also, quite obviously, makes the Brewers much more of a threat in the division. Losing Braun for nearly one-third of the season would have had a significant effect on a Milwaukee club that already lost Prince Fielder.

As you dissect all the Braun news over the next few days, keep in mind that we never should have known about his initial positive test. Braun had the right to that news being kept silent before and through the arbitration process. Had that confidentiality not been compromised, no one ever would have known about the positive sample. Ever. Thus, it’s also unfair to assume that he did anything to give himself an unfair playing advantage.

Braun said, through a statement, that he will address the media on Friday.

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Today marked the final day of workouts without (at least officially) all position players. While several position players have been practicing for some time now, the first official full squad practice will happen on Friday. The only two position players who I have not spotted are Lance Berkman and Eugenio Velez. The expectation is that both will be here on Friday.

Both Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal took their first swings on these Jupiter, Fla., fields today. Their workouts were light, but all position players did take part in batting practice and some fielding drills.

Other news, notes and observations:

• Allen Craig took another step forward in his rehab work when he played catch well after the rest of the team’s workouts had ended on Thursday. Craig, who underwent right knee surgery in November, had been limited to non-baseball activities before this.
• Give credit to David Freese for how he is handling his newfound fame. For 15-20 minutes on Thursday he stopped to sign autographs for fans gathered near Field 2. He started at one end of the fence and slowly worked his way down so that he got every single person that was there. It wasn’t until Freese  signed for everyone that he took his glove and headed out to the field to shag flyballs during batting practice. Freese certainly cannot be expected to dedicate this much time every day to signing autographs. But it is a glimpse into how gracious he has been for all the support.
• Lance Lynn (left hamstring tightness) and Jordan Swagerty (right tricep tightness) both threw bullpen sessions today after skipping their scheduled ones on Tuesday. As manager Mike Matheny had said, neither ailment was serious. Swagerty said he threw about 25 pitches during the session and felt great.
• Another seven pitchers threw side sessions during today’s workouts: Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook, Joe Kelly, Trevor Rosenthal, Sam Freeman and Tyrell Jenkins.
• Matheny’s decision to mix veterans and Minor Leaguers in groups during workouts is having an impact. Today, for instance, Westbrook and Kyle McClellan sat down with Jenkins to demonstrate a grip on a pitch. Know that these youngsters are soaking this all up.
• Matheny indicated that when determining how much playing time to give players in Grapefruit League play that he will ask his veteran players for input. There is no reason to push players like Berkman, Beltran during spring if their bodies don’t need the extra stress.
• Infield coach Jose Oquendo worked with infielders in small groups on Thursday. He hit grounders to Kolten Wong and Pete Kozma for a bit before Skip Schumaker and Daniel Descalso took their turn with Oquendo.
• Two fields were used for batting practice today, and Matheny threw BP to what could be described as the “B” group — those players not yet established in the Majors. Shane Robinson, Erik Komatsu and Matt Adams were among those to hit off Matheny.
• Catchers worked on taking relay throws from the outfield and then applying a swipe tag. My favorite catchers drill is always the pop-up one, though I haven’t observed catchers working on pop-ups yet. You have to understand that this drill was especially entertaining over at Pirates Spring Training in Bradenton because of how windy that area was.
• You won’t be finding any more Quotes of the Day down here. Matheny has taken them off the workout schedules and will instead verbalize the quote to the team during the morning meetings. Check out today’s notebook over at cardinals.com to read the reason behind Matheny’s change in policy.
• Also, today’s notebook looks at a unique connection between Daniel Descalso and Jeremy Lin. Yes, you can’t even escape Jeremy Lin here. My apologies.
• In case you missed it yesterday, here is more on Tyler Greene’s perspective as he tries to earn a spot as the team’s everyday second baseman. Greene talks candidly about a moment that he believes will end up becoming a key turning point in his career.
• There will be no Roy Oswalt in St. Louis… at least not in the immediate future. Oswalt’s agent, Bob Garber, released a statement on Thursday noting that Oswalt will not sign now but that he intends to pitch later in the season. That full story can be read here.

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– Jared T., Highland, Mo.

I’m told the Cardinals will have their World Series ring ceremony on Saturday, April 14, which would be the day after their home opener. There will be a ceremony, and it will take place before the 12:05 p.m. CT start time. I would anticipate that La Russa will be in attendance.

As for the players who are not still on the club, they will get their rings one way or another. Oftentimes, a player who has left to go to a different club will get his ring when he plays the Cardinals later in the season. That way the ring can be delivered in person. Of course, that doesn’t always work since the Cardinals don’t play all 14 American League clubs.

Several members of the organization said that they have already seen the design of the rings and that the look, as expected, is quite impressive. The design has not yet been disclosed to the public.

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The latest arrival to Cardinal camp showed up just before 2 pm ET on Wednesday. That newbie, of course, would be No. 3 Carlos Beltran. Many of his new teammates were already gone by the time Beltran stopped by, though he’ll be back at the complex on Thursday for further introductions. He did manage to impress some fans, though, by signing autographs before departing.

We should be spotting Lance Berkman and Rafael Furcal sometime on Thursday, too, as position players are required to report by the end of the day.

Some news and notes from today’s workouts:

• Every morning manager Mike Matheny and his coaching staff (which is especially large right now with so many guest instructors and Minor League coaches involved) sit down to meet and discuss a different topic. Today’s, for instance, was bunting. Since taking this job, Matheny has gone above and beyond to show receptiveness to input from anyone who has something to say.
• Speaking of groups and meetings, Matheny noted that he expects a sort of ‘players’ council’ to be formed by some of the club’s veterans this season. The group will serve several purposes. It will be a sounding board and also a forum for leadership. The group will set expectations for the team and will then take responsibility for making sure those expectations are met. Matheny was a part of a similar council when he was a member of the Cardinals.
• There was a pretty neat sight out on one of the practice fields today, as 36-year-old Alex Cora took time to talk with 2011 first-rounder Kolten Wong. The two, along with infield coach Jose Oquendo, were working on some double play drills, and at one point, Cora took over the discussion with Wong. While Cora is most definitely here to earn a spot on the Major League club, his experience and perspective can be invaluable for some of these younger players.
• You’ll find more on this in today’s cardinals.com notebook, but look for reliever Mitchell Boggs to increase the use of his change-up this spring. He threw the pitch only 1.3 percent of the time in 2011.
• Lance Lynn, who missed his scheduled bullpen session on Tuesday, did not make it up by taking the mound today. Still, the minor left hamstring tightness does not appear to be a red flag at this point.
• Another 15 pitchers did throw today. That group included: Kyle Lohse, Kevin Siegrest, Adam Reifer, Maikel Cleto, Jason Motte, Adam Ottavino, Chuckie Fick, R.J. Swindle, Boggs, Scott Linebrink, Eduardo Sanchez, Marc Rzepczynski, J.C. Romero, Victor Marte and Nick Greenwood.
• One of the most entertaining to watch is Motte. There are a lot of players who, at this point in camp, are working their way up to throwing at 100 percent velocity. That’s normal. Watching Motte, though, I get the impression that he is incapable of anything less than giving everything. It’s Feb. 22, and he was going full throttle with every pitch.
• Matheny joined his coaches in throwing some batting practice to position players this morning.
• In case you missed the story yesterday, here is a piece on Kyle McClellan and his perspective after an offseason of uncertainty. Know that while he was preparing to be traded, he’s very happy to still be here.
• In today’s former Cardinal news, here is more regarding a report that Edgar Renteria is leaning toward retirement.
• One thing that always impresses me during Spring Training is the amount of work that the catchers put in. By consequence of their position, they typically put in the most time on the field. Like all position players, they take batting practice and take part in fielding drills, such as fielding bunts or throwing out runners. In addition, though, the catchers also have to handle pitchers during the bullpen sessions. As a result, this group is usually the last to wrap up their day’s workout.
• One other topic addressed by Matheny today was the Cardinals’ stolen base deficiency in 2011. No, not all of these hitters are going to become prolific basestealers overnight. But Matheny does see lots of room for improvement for those who have been blessed with the gift of speed — a gift I would know nothing about. There will be an increased focus in baserunning this spring, and Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee will be arond to help with that instruction.
• Matheny’s quote on today’s schedule: “If we triumph in the little things of our common hours, we are sure to triumph in our lives.”

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What do the Cardinals plan on doing with their extra 40-man roster spot?

– David S., St. Louis

It is never a detriment to have an open spot on the 40-man roster, and for the Cardinals, it means that they have flexibility to add without simultaneously subtracting. It’s common for teams to add players (particularly via free agent signings) during Spring Training; should the Cardinals do so, they’d be able to put this player on the roster and not have to worry about the consequences of taking someone off.

And if the team doesn’t need the roster spot for a free agent or trade acquisition, it could come in handy at the end of camp. If the Cardinals decide to put any non-roster invitee on the team’s Opening Day roster, that player has to first be put on the 40-man roster. That’s when it’s nice to have an opening. If you look at that non-roster list, it is made up mostly of prospects who are targeted to begin the year in the Minors. However, there are definitely a few candidates — Scott Linebrink and Alex Cora among them — who could make a serious push for a big league roster spot.

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There was no better sight (at least in my unofficial opinion) at Cardinals camp today than the one that unfolded around Adam Wainwright. Think back 365 days to the news you read, news about Wainwright cutting a BP session short because of some arm discomfort. A few check-ups later and Wainwright was done for the season.

Exactly one year later, Wainwright was at the same Jupiter, Fla., complex, though throwing off a different mound. Still, the ease with which he threw was impressive. So, too, was all that surrounded him.

Bullpen sessions are typically done in groups of three or four. Wainwright was scheduled to throw alongside Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal today. However, Wainwright got on the mound as the previous group of three was wrapping up. And when those three had, Wainwright was left alone. Miller and Rosenthal just stood back and watched, letting Wainwright have his moment. It wasn’t until after Wainwright had finished that the two Minor Leaguers took their turn.

It seemed, too, that just about everyone was on hand to watch Wainwright. Red Schoendienst sat on his golf cart the entire time. Skip Schumaker, Matt Holliday and Chris Carpenter were among the players who took a seat and played spectator. Front office folks and media and coaches were everywhere. And when Wainwright finished the session, he gave 23-year-old catcher Cody Stanley a hug.

All of it was a sight to enjoy.

In other news and notes from camp…

• Holliday, David Freese, Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay were among the position players who took the field on Tuesday. They all took batting practice, and Holliday and Freese had quite the media obligations to attend to after workouts. Freese better be prepared for the media crush to continue for quite some time. Such is the trade off for being the World Series darling.
• In addition to Wainwright, another 12 pitchers threw bullpen sessions. That list includes: Carpenter, Tyrell Jenkins, Joe Kelly, Jake Westbrook, Kyle McClellan, Fernando Salas, Miller, Rosenthal, Jaime Garcia, Brandon Dickson, Sam Freeman, John Gast.
• Two pitchers initially slated to throw on Tuesday — Lance Lynn and Jordan Swagerty – both sat out for precautionary reasons. Lynn felt some left hamstring tightness during conditioning on Monday, and the staff told him to wait an extra day before throwing. Swagerty felt discomfort in his right arm. Manager Mike Matheny described both ailments as minor.
• The catcher-pitcher pairs for these bullpen sessions today differed from Day 1. Yadier Molina, for instance, caught Carpenter and Wainwright on Sunday. Today, he caught Jenkins. This is all by design. Matheny wants all the catchers to get comfortable with all the pitchers so that there are no rhythm issues once games start.
• Third base and infield coach Jose Oquendo spent some extended time working with young infielders Kolten Wong, Pete Kozma and Ryan Jackson on a side field this morning. The focus of the session was making feeds to second to begin a double play.
• There were a couple of notable faces spotted at camp today. Former Major Leaguer Dennis Eckersley showed up, though the purpose of his visit was just to say hello to some people. He was not involved in any instruction. Former Cardinals president Mark Lamping, who was recently named president of the Jacksonville Jaguars, also stopped by.
• Another noteworthy observer was Melvin Roman, who just so happens to be the agent for Molina, who is in the final year of his contract. Molina talked at length on Sunday about his willingness to re-open contract discussions if the Cardinals are interested.
• Matheny’s background is obvious during these workouts, as he really makes it a point to interact with the organization’s young catchers. He’s quite familiar with many in this group, too, after having worked with them in the past.
• Matheny’s quote of the day on today’s schedule read as follows: “If you are not willing to out work and out think everyone on the field, you might want to find another job.”
• Infielder Alex Cora, who signed a Minor League deal earlier this month, was also at the complex today. Cora said that he is prepared to step in as needed at any of the four infield spots — yes, he even brought a first baseman’s glove, though he joked that when he plays first base, it basically means he is placed out there to stand. Cora will have to show that versatility in order to make a spot for himself on the team. In talking with Cora, the 36-year-old veteran seemed quite confident that he’d carve out a roster spot for himself, even though he started just four games after the All-Star break last season.
• Asked if the Cardinals will be extra cautious with Freese this spring because of the third baseman’s injury history, Matheny did a nice job dancing around a direct answer. It does sound, though, that the Cardinals could rein Freese in just a hair, as they don’t mind being overly cautious. I wouldn’t expect the limitations, though, to be all that noticeable.
• Two more days until position players are required to report. Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal are among those who I have yet to see in the clubhouse.
• Let me also direct you to a few links on cardinals.com. Here you can read about Tony La Russa’s arrival in Tigers camp. Also, MLB.com columnist Richard Justice stopped by Cardinals camp yesterday and then penned this piece about the outlook of the franchise. And in case you missed it on Monday, here is a look into Shelby Miller’s maturation process.

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I was there for Game 7 of the World Series to see Allen Craig catch the final out in right field. I later heard that he immediately had it authenticated and then put it in his back pocket. Where is it now? If Craig still has it, what is he planning to do with it?

– Christopher S., West Lafayette, Ind.

In the seconds after Craig caught that final out, he shoved it into his pant pocket for safe keeping. The ball, however, never made it to his home. Craig heard from someone after the game that Tony La Russa was interested in keeping the baseball. So when La Russa gathered the team into the weight room and told everyone that he would be retiring, Craig knew he had to hand it over.

Craig had this to say about that decision: “I thought, ‘I’m not going to be the guy who keeps the ball.’ That’s just not going to happen. I gave it to him and was glad to do it. I had the thrill of catching it, so that’s all I need. I got to catch it. He can have it.”

Where La Russa has decided to showcase the ball in his home is now the unknown.

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I had to laugh during my 12-minute commute this morning when, in some panic, the radio commentator warned of today’s forthcoming cold front. Yeah, it only got into the low 70s today. Perhaps these full-time Floridians need a dose of perspective when it comes to their weather analysis.

I mention this not to rub in the fact that I was again in short sleeves, but more so to note that the weather has been tremendous since the start of camp. There will eventually be those obligatory rainstorms and a few summon-the-sweatshirt days, but so far sunny skies have draped Spring Training here in Jupiter.

Today’s schedule was much like Day 1… only flip-flopped. Those pitchers who threw on Sunday did not throw off the mound on Monday. Instead, they spent time engaged in fielding drills, bunting drills and conditioning work. With Day 2 wrapped up, all 30 pitchers have now thrown their first Spring Training bullpen session. You should be encouraged, too, that none of those sessions were cut short for any reason.

On Cardinals.com this afternoon, you’ll find a notebook led with information about Allen Craig’s recovery. Use this link to access that story. There will also be feature on top prospect Shelby Miller for you to enjoy. I was curious about these maturity issues I’ve heard some about, and Miller candidly addressed them.

As for other news/notes of the day…

• One of these days I’m guessing manager Mike Matheny will get tired of the questions about how he can possibly follow in Tony La Russa’s footsteps. For now, though, the new skipper appears to be embracing the role of successor. He noted on Monday that he actually texted La Russa before the first pitchers/catchers workout to thank him for his impact in his life and his legacy within the organization. There was obvious sincerity in the gesture.
• Mark Jon Jay down as the latest position player to arrive. Most of the veteran position players have yet to show up in camp yet, though their first official workout isn’t until Friday.
• Both Skip Schumaker and Tyler Greene were out on the field taking infield grounders with Jose Oquendo. The pair make up two-thirds of the second base competition.
• Scott Linebrink threw 45 pitches in his first bullpen session as a Cardinal and reported feeling great afterward. Signed to a Minor League deal on Feb. 10, he was the final name added to the camp roster.
• The full group of 15 pitchers to throw on Monday is as follows: Kyle Lohse, Kevin Siegrist, Adam Reifer, Maikel Cleto, Jason Motte, Adam Ottavino, Chuckie Fick, R.J. Swindle, Mitchell Boggs, Scott Linebrink, Eduardo Sanchez, Marc Rzepczynski, J.C. Romero, Victor Marte, Nick Greenwood.
• Yadier Molina caught both Motte and Lohse.
• Matheny appears to have been having a very active role in these early bullpen sessions — that makes sense, too, given that he is a former catcher. He’d gather each group of throwers today before and after their sessions for a chat.
• Well after workouts were completed, Matheny took the practice field to spend time with his kids. He had noted earlier in the day that his family was in town and had gotten used to seeing him only for dinner.
• Albert Pujols arrived in Arizona to participate in his first day of Spring Training work with the Angels. After the team’s workout, Pujols was ushered into a room in a nearby hotel to hold his first press conference. For more on what he said, go here.
• One addition that Matheny has made to the daily schedules is the insertion of a Quote of the Day. As often as I remember to do so, I’ll share it with you in this forum. Today’s quote read as follows: “If you are not willing to out work and out think everyone on the field, you might want to find another job.”

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With pitchers and catchers already reporting, does this mean that Roy Oswalt is out of the picture? Or is there still the possibility he signs with the Cardinals?

– Logan B., Fayette, Mo.

GM John Mozeliak was asked yesterday about the possibility of still adding Oswalt and he danced around the question by saying that the Cardinals are never closed for business. That doesn’t mean, though, that Oswalt is a priority for this club. Oswalt appears to have put himself in a pinch by remaining A) picky on the team’s he’s considering and B) somewhat firm on his salary desires. Should Oswalt, who has said before that he would like to pitch in St. Louis, come down on his asking price, there is still a chance that he could end up as a Cardinal. Signings are common during Spring Training.

Perhaps Oswalt will wait a little bit longer before settling (on location or salary) to see if those inevitable spring injuries improve the market for his services. And if he really still has his eye set on St. Louis, remember that the Cardinals have the leverage since they don’t have to add a starting pitcher. That will not help Oswalt’s bargaining power.

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Forgive the title if you think its corny. My hope was that it would grab your attention (mission accomplished on that front) and also be a way for you to recognize that this signified a daily spring wrap-up of sorts. Every day, after I’m done writing everything that will be featured on cardinals.com, you’ll find a ‘Bird Seed blog entry with any leftover nuggets I deem interesting enough to share.

Only a few hours ago, manager Mike Matheny ushered his 2012 Cardinals onto the Jupiter practice field for the first official spring workout. All 38 pitchers and catchers participated, and several position players were in uniform, too. Position players are not required to report until the end of the day on Thursday.

Adam Wainwright’s 33-pitch bullpen session highlighted the afternoon, and you can read more about his progress back from Tommy John surgery here. (Hint: It’s been really good). Also noteworthy from today’s camp were these comments from Yadier Molina regarding contract discussions. The cliff notes version reads as follows: There were discussions. Now there aren’t. And Molina is willing to open talks back up if the team initiates.

Other items of note:

• I’ve gotten a lot of questions asking how workouts under Matheny will differ from Tony La Russa. Keep in mind that I don’t have sufficient perspective to answer this. I watched how various managers ran spring camp in Pittsburgh, but I never saw how La Russa went about things here. So coming up with differences and/or similarities is going to be a challenge.
• That said, one thing Matheny did point out today was that he is making a deliberate effort to integrate veterans and youngsters throughout camp. From what I’ve been told, this is not something that La Russa did. These groupings, which were endorsed by the veterans, have already had an impact. Pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins glowed when he talked about how Chris Carpenter called him ‘buddy’ during today’s workouts. Things like that stick when you’re 19 years old. You can read more on this in today’s notebook.
• Marc Rzepczynski was the last pitcher to arrive in camp, though not by choice. His plan was to arrive on Friday, but he pushed back his flight after coming down with pink eye and bronchitis. He assured me, after I shook his hand, that he is completely healthy now. I pray he’s telling the truth.
• Though much of the day’s focus was on pitchers and catchers, position players who are here already also took part in workouts. Over on one of the far fields, third base coach Jose Oquendo worked two-on-one with Minor Leaguers Zack Cox and Matt Carpenter. The Cardinals intend to keep Cox, who was a first-round pick in 2010, at third despite some external grumblings about how Cox could fit better at second long-term. Carpenter is projected to be the starting third baseman in Triple-A, though he should also get some spring work at other infield positions to improve his versatility.
• Carpenter and Cox are among a large group of young position players to report early. As Matheny said to one of them yesterday, “Good decision.” Never too early to make an impression.
• Four of the Cardinals’ five projected starters took the mound on Sunday for bullpen sessions. Kyle Lohse, the only one of the group not to, will throw on Monday. Chris Carpenter’s session appeared to go just fine, though I got my first taste of how competitive this guy really is. When he was not happy with a pitch he threw — and remember, this is Day 1 of Spring Trianing — he’d yell at himself. No joke.
• Chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. was among the front office members roaming around the fields on Sunday.
• The following 15 pitchers threw their first bullpen sessions on Sunday: Chris Carpenter, Lance Lynn, Tyrell Jenkins, Joe Kelly, Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller, Trevor Rosenthal, Jordan Swagerty, Jaime Garcia, Brandon Dickson, Sam Freeman, John Gast, Jake Westbrook, Kyle McClellan, Fernando Salas.
• The following 15 pitchers are scheduled to throw their first bullpen sessions on Monday: Kyle Lohse, Marc Rzepczynski, Adam Reifer, Maikel Cleto, Adam Ottavino, Chuckie Fick, R.J. Swindle, Jason Motte, Mitchell Boggs, Scott Linebrink, Eduardo Sanchez, Kevin Siegrest, J.C. Romero, Victor Marte, Nick Greenwood.

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