Cardinals will likely lose Finley

ST. LOUIS -- Chuck Finley almost certainly won't be part of the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation next season.

Today is the last day for free agents offered arbitration to re-sign with their former teams, and general manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday there's been no movement.

Jocketty said that's mostly because Finley has been involved in a child custody dispute with his former wife.

"Tomorrow is the last day that we're eligible to sign him and that's not going to happen," Jocketty said. "I've had no discussions the last week. Chuck is still trying to put his personal life in order and I think that's first and foremost in his life right now."

If he doesn't sign with the Cardinals by Thursday, he can't rejoin them until May 1.

In any case, Jocketty said he believes the Cardinals have enough pitching without the left-hander who finished the season as the No. 3 starter.

St. Louis has Matt Morris, Woody Williams and offseason acquisition Brett Tomko at the top of the rotation. The last two spots are up for grabs among Jason Simontacchi, who won 11 games as a rookie, often-injured Garrett Stephenson, and Cal Eldred, who signed a minor league deal.

In any case, it'll be five right-handers.

"Obviously you'd like to make it as deep as possible, but if you look at where we were last year at this time it's not that much different," Jocketty said. "With Morris, Williams and Tomko and the other guys we have to choose from, I think we have to be satisfied.

"I still think Cal Eldred might be a guy, if he's healthy, who could be a big contributor."

Confident about Williams

Jocketty said the team was only somewhat concerned about the health of Williams, 36, who was dogged by pulled side muscles last season.

"I'm sure you can say there's some uncertainty with Williams, but we feel pretty confident he's completely healed," Jocketty said. "He's started to work out, he's started to throw and he feels good."

The Cardinals finalized deals with right-handed relievers Joey Hamilton and Al Levine on Monday, completing a rebuilding job in the bullpen. Jocketty said he didn't expect the team to make any more deals before spring training.

"Unless something drastic changes here in the next few weeks, I'm not sure we're in a position to do much else," Jocketty said. "I'd like to, if possible, add another starting pitcher but I'm not sure that it's possible and I'm not sure that it's critical."

Jocketty said either Hamilton or Levine could be the fill-in closer if Jason Isringhausen isn't ready at the start of the season after offseason shoulder surgery. But Jocketty said the team was hopeful that Isringhausen could be ready.