Matheny is impressed with Peralta

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals hold their players to a high standard of conduct, and manager Mike Matheny is certain Jhonny Peralta will fit right in.

The Cardinals’ new shortstop was suspended last summer along as part of Major League Baseball’s investigation into the Biogenesis clinic. Peralta served a 50-game drug suspension and returned to the Tigers at the end of the regular season.

Several players around the majors expressed anger when Peralta signed a $53 million, four-year contract with St. Louis in November.

But Matheny sees a player who popular with his teammates and is working to make amends.

“Been very proud just from the outside of him being part of our club now and watched how he’s handled this. He’s been very remorseful but taking it like a man. He made a mistake. This is what’s happened. Now I’d like to move on. And I get that,” Matheny said.