JUPITER, Fla. — After spending most of the offseason reliving October 2011 for the cameras, magazine reporters, marketing campaigns, and, briefly, President Obama, third baseman David Freese will be relieved to officially start 2012 this weekend.
"You've got to prioritize," Freese said. "Once camp starts, I'm playing baseball."
Freese, the Cardinals' breakout star of the World Series championship run, participated in his first informal workout of spring training Tuesday. He and outfielder Matt Holliday arrived in Florida on Monday afternoon, and they joined center fielder Jon Jay as new participants in the position player drills. Position players do not begin official workouts with the team until Friday.
Freese said he has one more 2011-related function this week — a promotion for a video-game console — and that he purposefully stopped scheduling such appearances for anything after the first full-squad workout.
"My focus has to be on getting myself ready," he said.
Before taking the field for batting practice Tuesday, Freese signed his contract for 2012. The Cardinals are finalizing deals for all of their 40-man roster players who have less than three years of major-league experience. A club official confirmed Freese and Jay signed Tuesday. Freese agreed to a one-year, $508,000 deal. Jay also signed his deal, worth $504,000 for 2012. The major-league minimum for 2012 is $480,000.
The Cardinals could have all of the contracts completed within the week, including those for Marc Rzepczynski, Lance Lynn and Mitchell Boggs.
A year ago, Freese reached spring training under a "handle with care" warning. His two surgically rebuilt ankles kept him from going full-speed early in camp, and his playing time was carefully measured for his protection. Having tested his ankles all winter, Freese is hopeful he'll advance without restrictions this spring. Manager Mike Matheny struck a more cautious note.
"I know that (the medical staff has) been watching him very carefully, watching his progress, and there are some in-depth tests they put him through to see where he is and where he should be," Matheny said. "How can we keep him right is the question. Do you handle somebody with care? Whenever there is a flag, that caution flag, you've got to stop and say, 'What do we do here?' You don't just want to throw him into the mix ... when maybe you should be a little smarter."
Freese, who has yet to play 100 games as a starter in the majors, set postseason records for RBIs and total bases with his clutch showing in the World Series. He then went on a whirlwind tour that included late night and daytime talk shows, the Country Music Awards, a sitcom cameo and several national profiles. He said he packed a lot into November to clear December and January to get ready for spring training.
From here, 2012 takes over.
"I've been looking forward to this moment, to just get on that field and worry only about baseball," he said Tuesday. "The less you've got going up in your dome, the better."
LYNN, SWAGERTY SIDELINED
Reliever Lynn and prospect Jordan Swagerty had to skip their scheduled bullpen sessions Tuesday because of aches that Matheny classified as "minor." Lynn strained a hamstring during agility work and is considered day to day. Swagerty felt discomfort near his right elbow, and he could miss a second bullpen session as the Cardinals work to tame inflammation around bone spurs in that area. Swagerty played catch Tuesday but has been instructed not to tax his arm with too much, too early.
LAMPING VISITS
Former Cardinals president Mark Lamping will begin his new job, president of the Jacksonville Jaguars, on Monday, though he's already braced for the questions that will greet him about the team's viability and stability in the north Florida market.
"I'm moving to Jacksonville to stay in Jacksonville," Lamping said during his visit to Cardinals' spring training. "I'm very confident that the franchise can be extremely successful in Jacksonville. ... The idea that the franchise can become much more of a regional brand, I think, can mitigate in a major way the fact that Jacksonville is one of the smaller markets (in the NFL)."
Lamping served as Cardinals president from 1994 to 2008, an era that saw the hiring of Tony La Russa, new ownership and a new ballpark. He spent the past four years as the CEO of MetLife Stadium, overseeing the completion, marketing and opening of the new home for the New York Giants and New York Jets. Lamping said the opportunity to work for a team, especially one in the NFL, lured him to Jacksonville and to new owner Shahid Khan's staff. Khan, an Illinois businessman, made a bid to purchase the Rams.
"From my perspective ... it's a geographically desirable place," Lamping said. "I'm really optimistic and I have become very, very impressed with Shahid Khan and his vision for the franchise."
EXTRA BASES
Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright drew a crowd for his second official bullpen session of spring. The other pitchers in his group let him throw by himself as teammates gathered. Skip Schumaker and Holliday each stood in the batter's box to see firsthand the righty's stuff a year after elbow surgery cost him the 2011 season. ... Alex Cora reported to camp Tuesday afternoon. The veteran will vie for a bench spot with the Cardinals, though he acknowledged that he didn't have too many offers this winter. "As soon as we heard the Cardinals were interested," he said, "I said this is the place I want to go." ... Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley, a regular visitor during La Russa's tenure as manager, came by the complex Tuesday.
