JUPITER, Fla. (KMOX) -- Understand, Jordan Hicks' "normal" is different that your normal. Or my normal.
Or anyone's normal.
Hicks, the former closer for the Cardinals, co-owns the record for the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history: 105.1 mph. (Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees is the only other one to do it.)
But Tuesday on the back fields beyond Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, the Cardinals rolled the Ferrari out of the garage and took it for a spin.
With a gaggle of onlookers - fans, media, front office personnel, coaches, teammates - watching his first bullpen session of spring training closely, Hicks... fired a couple of pitches out of the catcher's reach.
"Jitters," Hicks said.
Then he dialed it in. Featuring his signature fastball (although not all the way at full throttle yet) and good command, Hicks worked his way through a solid session and came out of it feeling good. That's normal... a feeling he hadn't experienced since before undergoing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2019.
Upon his return following surgery, he found himself battling inflammation. He even had a partial tear to deal with in his recovery. And he had to miss time as a result, just to make sure he came back fully healthy.
That is not the case now. He's healthy. And Hicks isn't feeling anything that would affect his range of motion, as in the past couple of years.
"I'm not regressing to anything," he said. "It's just normal."
Which could be bad news for opposing hitters, especially if Hicks is utilized in a multi-inning role in 2022.
Reminding ourselves, of course, that's it's just one session. Patience is required, as it has been for Hicks for the past three years.
"So far, so good," Hicks said, trying not to smile.
Normal feels pretty spectacular these days.