ST. LOUIS -- David Freese woke up Friday morning in his home a few blocks north of Busch Stadium and made the short ride down to the ballpark, the same routine he kept for years with the Cardinals.
But this trip was different for Freese. He found his locker in the visitor's clubhouse. The longtime Cardinal and 2011 World Series hero returned to his hometown ballpark as a Pirate, his first time here as a visiting player.
"Coming back here has always been in my mind," Freese said. "To be on a team in the [National League] Central, a rival, a team that has done some great things the last handful of years, it's going to be electric.