Scott Cousins will now be wearing No. 6 for the Marlins, a tribute to his favorite player growing up: former Giants first baseman J.T. Snow.

Why the switch? He wants new teammate Aaron Rowand — another former Giant — to keep his usual No. 33 when spring training begins. Cousins is already in Florida well ahead of the Marlins’ first full-squad workout under new manager Ozzie Guillen set for Feb. 26.

Cousins spent the winter rehabbing injuries to his lower back and hip in San Francisco only a few miles from AT&T Park, where his home-plate collision with Giants catcher Buster Posey on May 25 cost the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year the remainder of the season. Cousins’ injuries were unrelated.

He said he’s healthy now.

Cousins, who grew up a Giants fan in Reno, Nev., said he took the initiative to offer Rowand No. 33 when he signed a minor-league contract in December with a chance to win a job as a backup outfielder. And that way, Cousins could wear Snow’s number instead.

Rowand certainly appreciated the gesture.

“I’ve talked to him,” Rowand said in a text message. “Great guy.”

•  Marlins tickets: Combine a rare visit by the New York Yankees with the allure of a new ballpark and it all adds up to this: The Marlins have sold out their April 1 exhibition game against the Bronx Bombers. It took fewer than four hours Saturday to sell out what tickets remained.

As of 2:15 p.m., when the Marlins sent out a release, only 5,000 tickets remained for their April 2 exhibition against the Yankees at Marlins Park. The two games will be the first played between major-league teams at the new facility.

The Marlins limited capacity to the April 1 game to 25,000 seats. No more than 30,000 tickets were being sold to the April 2 contest.

Clark Spencer

Around the majors

•  Cardinals: So long, Albert Pujols. Happy trails, Tony La Russa. Timeout, Dave Duncan.

The World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals have had plenty of upheaval. Now they enter spring training looking for a new No. 3 hitter and breaking in a rookie manager and pitching coach. Time for the newcomers to step forward.

Before meeting with reporters, just steps from the closest of six practice fields at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Mike Matheny jokingly checked to make sure this was where La Russa usually held court for 16 springs. Armed with a cup of coffee instead of facemask and shin guards, the former four-time Gold Glove catcher confessed to feeling a bit strange.

“Is this the spot?” Matheny said.

Pujols’ name never even came up during Matheny’s wide-ranging 18-minute opening media session.

“It’s going to be different,” pitcher Kyle Lohse said. “But it’s a business, and we have 25 other guys who’ll pull together to win as many games as we can.”

•  Cubs: Theo Epstein and his supporting cast in Chicago are busy installing the “Cubs Way” with his new team. Don’t ask him to explain it in a few words, either. It’s not that simple for the former Boston Red Sox executive hired to guide the Cubs out of their role as baseball’s loveable losers.

Epstein said there were “outstanding” organizational meetings in Arizona this week to develop the specifics of the “Cubs Way.” He said it will amount to few hundred pages.

As the new Cubs president for baseball operations put it: “Playing hard is a big part of it, but playing the game the right way and teaching it consistently are as well.”

Pitchers and catchers reported to the team’s spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday.