JUPITER, Fla. • With his cast off, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina could be as much as two weeks away from catching, but he hopes with all of spring training ahead of him to be ready for opening day.

"That’s what I want," Molina said. "That’s my goal, obviously. We have to wait. We have to see, obviously. I’m going to try to do my best to be in the opening day lineup."

The Cardinals catcher was one of at least a dozen players to participate in informal workouts Monday at the team's facility here in Jupiter, Fla. Molina had the cast removed from his left hand 1½ weeks ago, and he continues to wear a splint. Molina said he'll be able to have the splint removed within two weeks, and at that point may be able to do some catching.

Catching will likely come before hitting, he said.

Molina tore the the ligament in his left thumb while applying a tag at home plate against the Chicago Cubs late last season. He rehabbed the injury and attempted to play through the pain in October. He conceded Monday that he was in significant pain -- and eventually he surrendered to surgery after the season ended. One surgery was not enough. The thumb did not respond to the initial operation, and Molina had to have the surgery redone, pushing back his return.