Steve

Cox

Cox, who was out of baseball last year after the Cardinals cut him in March, isn’t getting an invitation to spring training. He could be Triple-A Durham’s first baseman.

Both players were signed to non-guaranteed, one-year deals in the offseason. “It didn’t look like they were going to make the club,” manager Tony La Russa said. “So we wanted to give them every chance to catch on elsewhere.” Both players should receive minor league contract offers from other teams. Cox, back from Japan, was 4-for-13 with two doubles this spring. Butler was 3-for-9.

Cox hurt his knee in the spring and played in just 15 games for the BayStars last season. No word yet on if he plans to return to MLB in 2004.

Cox, released by his Japanese team last month, could be a cheap solution at first base for St. Louis. However, the team figures to continue to pursue a left fielder for the purposes of moving Albert Pujols to first. Cox, 29, hit .262 with a 757 OPS in 378 games for Tampa Bay before signing with the Yokohama BayStars prior to last season. His deal gets paid at an annual rate of $375,000 if he’s in the majors and $125,000 if he’s in the minors.