KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Kyle Lohse will leave his new curveball in Florida when the season starts. “We tried it. That’s what spring training is for, to mess around with pitches,” Lohse said Tuesday after pitching five innings in his fourth spring start for the St. Louis Cardinals. “But if you don’t have confidence in something, you’re not going to be able to execute it. “It was a good pitch in the bullpen, but when I got in the game I couldn’t control it.” Lohse has gone back to his old curveball grip, and it worked well in a 6-1 exhibition victory over the Houston Astros. Coming off a 14-8 season that ended in a World Series start, Lohse gave up three hits Tuesday, including Chris Johnson’s second home run. Eric Komatsu, a Rule V acquisition from Washington, had three of the Cardinals’ 12 hits and scored twice.

Immediately after the game, the Astros acquired left-handed pitcher Kevin Chapman and a player to be named later from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Jason Bourgeois and catcher Humberto Quintero. The Cardinals announced after the game that pitchers Chuckie Fick, Sam Freeman and Adam Ottavino had been optioned to Triple-A Memphis, and pitchers Trevor Rosenthal and R.J. Swindle, infielder Ryan Jackson and catcher Steven Hill have been reassigned.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton coach Greg McDermott called North Carolina coach Roy Williams to say there was no intent to injure point guard Kendall Marshall when Ethan Wragge fouled him in Sunday’s NCAA tournament game in Greensboro, N.C.

Marshall had surgery on his broken right wrist Monday, and it’s uncertain whether he’ll play Friday against Ohio in the regional semifinals. The Tar Heels (31-5) are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest.

McDermott said Tuesday that Williams is a “good friend” and that he wanted to let the Tar Heels’ coach know that he was sorry Marshall was hurt.

The Bluejays have been criticized by some Carolina fans and analysts for being overly physical, perhaps dirty. McDermott said people who watched his team through the season wouldn’t describe the Bluejays as “physical.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One of the hallmarks of the Iowa program under coach Kirk Ferentz has been the continuity of his staff.

Not this season.

For the first time since Ferentz took over before the 1999 season, the Hawkeyes enter spring ball with two new coordinators; Phil Parker on defense and Greg Davis on offense.

After back-to-back 4-4 finishes in the Big Ten, Ferentz says it was time to shake things up. Ferentz says the staff changes allowed the program to re-examine what it’s doing on both sides of the ball.

Iowa’s spring practice runs through April 14, when they host their annual open scrimmage in Kinnick Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs were in contact with Peyton Manning from the start, but general manager Scott Pioli said the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback had formulated a list of likely destinations early on.

Manning wound up agreeing to a $96 million, five-year deal with Denver.

Pioli said during a conference call with Tuesday that Manning was “up front about what he was doing, some of the visits he wanted to take, and we initially weren’t a part of that.”

Matt Cassel is expected to return as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback next season. Kansas City recently signed former Denver backup Brady Quinn to provide depth.

Pioli refused to get into details about his conversations with Manning and his agent, but he did say that Cassel was aware that discussions had taken place.