Things will be different. Catcher Tony Cruz doesn't see any way for the St. Louis Cardinals to avoid it when pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring training Feb. 18.
Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan, mainstays in the St. Louis dugout for the past 16 seasons, will not be there when camp opens in Jupiter, Fla., nor will hard-hitting first baseman Albert Pujols.
La Russa retired after the Cardinals completed their World Series championship run, Duncan remains with the organization but will step away from his position to be with his ailing wife and Pujols will open spring training in Arizona as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
"I've learned a lot from all those guys. It's bound to be different, have a different feel, but the things I've learned from each of them will be with me for the rest of my career," Cruz said Monday when the Cardinals Caravan played to a standing-room-only crowd in the Quad-Cities at Modern Woodmen Park.
Cruz, who played in 38 games for St. Louis in 2011 and remained with the club following a September call-up, praised Duncan's ability to prepare pitchers and catchers for an opponent.
"He brought the right attitude to it every day, knew exactly what to say and do at the right time," Cruz said.
"When Tony told us he wasn't coming back, it was tough at first. He's one of the best ever. It will seem strange, not seeing those guys around, but that is part of the game. In baseball, it seems like things are always moving. As a player, you learn to adjust and move forward."
Cruz welcomes the chance to learn from new manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Derek Lilliquist, who both were promoted from within the organization.
"There is some familiarity, and I think that helps," Cruz said. "Mike is a good guy who has a ton of respect from everyone on the team, and Lilli learned from Duncan, so I think our pitching staff will be in good hands."
Cruz started eight games behind the plate last season for the Cardinals, but also played first base, second base, third base and right field during the course of the season.
That experience, and the experience gained as part of a playoff push which saw St. Louis earn its postseason berth as a wildcard entry on the final day of the regular season, are important to Cruz, who played third base for Quad-Cities in 2007 before beginning the transition to catcher the following season.
"It was incredible to be a part of that," Cruz said. "You gain so much confidence from experiencing a September and October like we had, understanding what hard work can lead to. It helps you understand how to compete at that level, but you also realize that this is a new season."
Two former Cardinals who were part of the Cardinals Caravan that visited Davenport expect Matheny and Lilliquist to adjust quickly to their new roles.
"Mike and I played together for three years, our sons played high school ball together, and he's a great competitor, a great leader," said Andy Benes, who spent five of his 14 major-league seasons with St. Louis.
"He's spent time in the minor leagues in the system so he knows the talent that is there, and has an understanding of the players who will be playing for him. It's a new era, but in Mike and Derek, they have hired people who know and understand the organization, and that will only help them."
That may prove to be as beneficial as anything, according to Rex Hudler, who spent three of his 13 major-league seasons with St. Louis.
"Mike and Derek have watched Tony and Dave work, and they'll benefit from that," Hudler said. "They'll make their own decisions, too, and they'll probably make a mistake or two along the way, that's baseball, but they'll always be able to draw on their past for guidance."
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