Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter is throwing again and feeling good as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

"I just started tossing on Monday," Carpenter said yesterday at the 12th annual Cardinals Winter Warm-Up. "I haven't had any problems so far. I haven't had any soreness, but I know it's still going to be a long process."

Carpenter, who had surgery in July on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, said his early routine consists of about 25 to 30 throws from 60 feet. He said he is trying hard not to overdo anything.

"Everything so far is good," Carpenter said. "The shoulder feels strong and the elbow feels good. It's been fun so far."

Carpenter, the 2005 National League Cy Young Award winner, was scheduled to meet with team physician George Paletta yesterday before returning to Florida tomorrow to continue his rehabilitation program.

The operation usually requires 10 to 12 months of rehabilitation.

The Astros and reliever Geoff Geary agreed to a $1,125,000, one-year contract. The 31-year-old right-hander went 3-2 with a 4.41 ERA in 57 games for Philadelphia in 2007.

Francis Joyon broke the around-the-world solo sailing record, finishing in 57 days, 13 hours, 35 minutes, 6 seconds -- more than 14 days faster than Ellen Macarthur's 2005 journey. The 51-year-old Frenchman finished the circumnavigation off the French Atlantic coast soon after midnight.

Alicia Williams of the United States ran the fastest women's 400 meters in the world this year with a time of 53.33 seconds at the 13th annual New Balance Games at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York. Andy Baddeley of Britain ran the fastest men's mile in the world this year, winning in 3:59.29. Chanelle Price of Easton High School in Pennsylvania set the girls' national indoor record for 500 meters when she clocked 1:10.30. The old mark was 1:11.44.

Ruslan Chagaev wore down Matt Skelton over 12 rounds last night in Duesseldorf, Germany, winning a unanimous decision to retain his WBA heavyweight championship. Chagaev (24-0, 17 KOs) posted a one-sided win against Skelton (21-2), the 40-year-old British Commonwealth champion.

American Bode Miller finished second in a World Cup downhill race, but complained to organizers about the course after teammate Scott Macartney crashed and suffered a brain contusion in Kitzbuehel, Austria. Didier Cuche of Sweden won in 1 minute, 52.75 seconds and moved atop the overall World Cup standings. Miller, who had a strong finish on the bumpy Streif course, shared second with Mario Scheiber of Austria.

• Lindsey Vonn soared to victory in Cortina D'Amprezzo, Italy, pulling within one World Cup win of matching childhood idol Picabo Street as the top American downhiller. The Minnesota skier finished in 1 minute, 36.70 seconds -- 0.83 seconds ahead of triple world champion Anja Paerson.

Andreas Prommegger and Nicolien Sauerbreij won parallel giant slalom races in the snowboard World Cup on in La Molina, Spain. Prommegger outpaced fellow Austrian Anton Unterkofler to win the third of eight parallel giant slalom races this season. American snowboarder Tyler Jewell was third.

Norfolk defeated host Wilkes-Barre Scranton, 4-0, as Admirals goalie Jonathan Boutin stopped all 24 shots taken by the Baby Penguins.

• The Wheeling Nailers fell to the host Elmira (N.Y.) Jackets, 7-1. Forward Aaron Clarke scored the lone goal for the Nailers.

John DeGroat was named the American Conference player of the week for the second week in a row in the Continental Basketball Association.