By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Utility player Ryan Freel's versatility in the infield and outfield attracted the Reds' interest. The Cincinnati Enquirer/MICHAEL E. KEATING

SARASOTA, Fla. - The experience of a lifetime brought Ryan Freel to tears, and nearly buckled his knees.

"It's an experience you can't really understand until you become a father," he said. "It's the most special gift that I've ever received."

Eight weeks ago today, on New Year's Day, the Reds utility player sat by wife Christie's bedside at a Jacksonville hospital as she delivered the couple's first child, Ava.

"This girl sleeps 20 minutes and then she's up for hours," Freel said of his daughter. "She's got some energy."

Just like her curly-haired daddy.

The same daddy who in September walked more than 3 miles from the Reds' hotel in Philadelphia to Veterans Stadium before a game - in a suit.

The same daddy who has won over many front office types, managers and teammates through hustle and an impervious desire to overachieve.

Because of those traits, and more, Freel has a legitimate chance to make the Reds' Opening Day roster if he can avoid the hamstring injuries that slowed him some last season.

"He's a guy who's going to get work at the infield positions and the outfield positions," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "That obviously makes him a pretty valuable cog."

It was a phone call from Miley before last season that helped lure Freel, who was in Venezuela at the time, to the Reds.

Miley had seen Freel, 28, during parts of five seasons as manager at Triple-A Louisville in the International League.

"It meant a lot to me," Freel said. "That call right there really had me sold on coming over here because I knew I had somebody in my corner."

Freel's versatility - he can play three infield positions and all three outfield positions - drew the Reds' interest and kept it.

"He's the type of guy if you called him in and said, 'Hey, think you could do some work behind the plate?' he'd probably jump back there," Miley said.

Four times the Reds recalled Freel from Triple-A Louisville last season. He started 33 of the 43 games he played in, and batted .285 with 12 RBI and nine stolen bases.

But the dream season wasn't without its negatives.

Freel spent more than one month on the disabled list with a torn left hamstring suffered in late May, and he later missed two weeks with a strained right hamstring.

"I know I've had some problems with my hamstrings," said Freel, who began working out in Sarasota more than a month before players were scheduled to report. "On the other hand, I never really maintained them like I probably should have.

"Coming out here and getting them back underneath me I thought would really help me out in the long run."

Hidden in those 43 games he did play in last season were two highlights. On Aug. 20, Freel became just the fifth player to hit his first career major league home run off Diamondbacks left-hander Randy Johnson.

On Sept. 24 against the Cubs at Great American Ball Park, he prevented at least two runs from scoring with a diving catch in the outfield.

"Actually, the foremost (highlight) was getting back up here to the big leagues," said Freel, whose only other major league experience came with the Blue Jays in 2001.

"Starting with the first day when Miley called, to coming up and then doing what I had to do on the field to open some eyes, I think it was a big turning point in my career."

But not as big as that gift he received on New Year's Day.

"Nothing compares to that," Freel said. "Being a father is absolutely the most important thing in all my life."

E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com