Cards' Kile rebounding well from shoulder surgery

JUPITER, Fla. -- Working his way back from last October's arthroscopic surgery, Darryl Kile threw 30 pitches Sunday after spring-training warmups and got favorable reviews from St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan.

"He threw well. He's throwing better each time," Duncan said of the 33-year-old right-hander rebounding from the surgery that cleared some loose debris from his throwing shoulder. "He's making strong progress."

Kile was among a number of Cardinal players who arrived here several days before training camp officially opened Saturday and had thrown four or five times before Sunday.

Kile will work on the side again Tuesday and could pitch to live hitters Thursday, when the rest of the Cardinals put in their first full day of practice this spring.

Duncan said Kile could be ready for the start of the season -- if not, "then not too far into the season."

"I'm just trying to do what they tell me to do to get ready, building my endurance and my arm strength," Kile said. "It's no different than any other spring. My job is to be ready to take the ball every five days, make my 35 starts, pitch about 220 innings. I'm happy with where I'm at."

Kile pretty much reached those goals his first two years with the Cardinals. Last season, he made 34 starts, going 16-11 over 227 innings with a 3.09 ERA. In 2000, he won 20 games for the first time in his professional career, posting a 20-9 mark and a 3.91 ERA with 34 starts and 232 innings.

"With Kile's intensity, it's hard sometimes to hold him back," Duncan said. "We'll do what we can to get him ready for the season. Ideally, we would like him to be able to make three starts down here. If not, then some simulated games, working in a controlled environment, something between batting practice and the intensity of a game."

Kile, a California native now living in Colorado, in 1997 closed out his seven seasons with Houston by going 19-7 with a 2.57 ERA. After two seasons with Colorado, he was traded to the Cardinals in November 1999, along with relief pitchers Dave Veres and Luther Hackman for three pitchers and an infielder.