"It's not the same, obviously, but it's a good example about something here that could have been a distraction that ended up getting taken care of. It was definitely the way Mark handled it," La Russa noted. "But you choose what you want to think about. The fact is we're here to get ourselves ready to be as good as we can be. Anything that gets in the way of that ... our mission is to not let it happen."

Mozeliak is expected to address media members today, but it remains unclear whether he will address the team's negotiations with Pujols.

Lozano might address the matter on behalf of his client later this week.

ESPN has assigned a crew to Cardinals camp for this week. A crush of national media also is expected to descend upon the complex in numbers greater than last February's McGwire watch.

Such attention easily could extend to placing the team's season within the context of its star player's contract status. Regardless, La Russa said he is confident the team's fan base will view the stories separately.

Asked if both parties could be hurt by attention that could divide the fan base, La Russa asserted, "I don't think either side can get bruised because they've got too many points going into this thing."