Economical Leake in midseason form for Cardinals; Maness hit hard by Minnesota

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Mike Leake doesn’t like being on the big stage.

That’s a problem for a pitcher, whose work takes place smack-dab in the middle of the diamond. Leake combats it by working rapidly.

Leake worked four innings, allowed no runs on one hit and struck out six in the Cardinals’ 5-3 loss to the Twins in a Grapefruit League game Monday at Roger Dean Stadium.

“I don’t like to waste time,” Leake said. “Being the center of attention isn’t always (enjoyable). But it came naturally for me to pitch, so that’s what I do.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Leake will be an infielder’s dream.

“He’s going to be a joy to play behind, for sure,” Matheny said.

Leake isn’t a strikeout pitcher, having recorded just 119 in 192 innings.

“That’s all deception,” Matheny said. “That’s all the ability to start a ball off the plate and bring it on or start the ball on the plate and run it off. He’s got a good, live style. When you can locate like that, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be able to (get strikeouts).”

Leake credited catcher Yadier Molina, who he was able to work to for the first time this spring after watching Molina’s pitch-framing ability from the Cincinnati dugout for years.

“Today I saw that big-time,” Leake said, adding that Molina excelled with the cutters and sinkers Leake threw to the Twins. “There was one low one he got called for a strike.

“If you don’t know a catcher, it’s always nice to throw to him. Some catchers, it takes longer to get in sync with. With Yadi, he seems to be one of the quicker catchers to get in sync with. I don’t see many troubles between him and me.”

Leake isn’t a huge strikeout fan, although he noted that most of the six he collected came relatively early in counts. He’s averaged 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings in his career.

“It’s more fun when you can get quicker outs,” Leake said. “I’m not trying to strike guys out. I would like to get quicker outs. The game has matured me to where I’m at right now.”

Piscotty plays

Two days after being plunked on his left elbow in a game against the New York Mets, right fielder Stephen Piscotty was back in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins.

Piscotty was 1-for-3 with a strikeout, wearing a pad over the elbow.

Holliday gets smoked

Matt Holliday, playing first base once again, had a fifth-inning smash by Jorge Polanco carom off the right side of his upper chest and roll away for a single.

“It was a tough play,” Matheny said. “He did a nice job keeping it in front of him. He stayed with it. Afterward, I thought it might have gotten him in the mouth. But it didn’t hit him in the face. It was all chest. He didn’t even look in at me. You’ve got to appreciate that.”

Maness roughed up

Reliever Seth Maness surrendered some hard contact in the fifth inning, allowing two runs (earned) on four hits. Maness’ spring ERA climbed to 6.75.

“Seth has been down here for a little while,” Matheny said. “Spring training’s not always his gig anyhow. It usually takes him a while to get going in the spring. Last year, I think he had a rough one. The season started, the bell rang and he was locked in.

“But he has a little catch-up to do to make sure he gets back to the right feel, because he’s a feel pitcher. When he isn’t getting a couple of those really close calls, borderline strikes, then he was getting more plate and that’s when he got hit hard.”

Another cut

The Cardinals trimmed another player from their roster after the game Monday, optioning outfielder Charlie Tilson to Class AAA Memphis.

St. Louis has 49 players remaining in camp, including 12 non-roster invitees.

Tilson, 23, had a team-best five stolen bases in eight Grapefruit League games.

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Economical Leake in midseason form for Cardinals; Maness hit hard by Minnesota."