John Gant enjoys trying to hook some redfish, trout and maybe a snook, if he's lucky, in Florida. Dylan Carlson uses free time to relax with a good movie. John Brebbia is adjusting to a new passion in life: his 7-month-old son.
But it's that time of year to get back in the routine of baseball. That meant another trip to Florida for Gant, minus the fish.
"Just got done at Jupiter a couple weeks ago, enjoying some good weather," Gant, a right-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, said Friday prior to the Cardinals Caravan at Missouri Farm Bureau Center. "I think it's so beneficial just to get down a little early and start working out in the facilities and just get a leg up on things."
It seems Carlson, a first-round pick in 2016, is always getting a leg up.
"I like watching movies, just hanging out," Carlson said about his offseason hobbies. "But it's still all work. I'm still trying to add to my game any way I can."
Carlson, who along with Gant, Brebbia, pitcher Austin Gomber, former pitcher and director of scouting for the Cardinals Randy Flores, and former pitcher Brad Thompson, met with a couple hundred fans during the caravan to answer questions and sign autographs.
It was a bit of a break from the normal offseason routine of a morning workout, a hitting session and a fielding session for the outfielder that grew up around the game with his former high school coach and father, Jeff Carlson.
"I'm really excited that the organization thinks highly enough of me to send me to an event like this and I'm really honored to be here," Carlson said.
Carlson is soft-spoken, a trait that could change if he spends more time with Flores, who pushed the microphone into Carlson's face to make sure the crowd could here the 21-year-old explain why six-time all-star Prince Fielder was his favorite player to watch.
It drew some laughs from the fans, as did when Thompson joked everyone he faced during the 2006 World Series was cheating while answering a question about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
While he said the numbers would prove that to be true, he got both Detroit Tigers he faced out during Game 2. Although, he did take the loss in Game 4 of the NLCS against the New York Mets, allowing a three-run home run to Carlos Delgado.
Gant, Brebbia and Gomber are hoping to have their own chance to take the mound during the World Series and win a ring.
If that becomes the case, Gant and Brebbia might not have to worry about keeping their faces warm.
"He always goes clean shaven before the first game and then rides his beard out the whole season," Gant said. "I told him I was going to start it off with him this year. I don't know how far I'm going to get, but I'm going to start it with him."
What will it take for Brebbia's beard to avoid the razor through the fall?
"A lot of teamwork, a lot of camaraderie and just coming together as one unit," Gant said.