The more chaotic and disrupted the St. Louis Cardinals are right now, the better it is for the Cubs, who are trying to win these last two games in St. Louis. For example, rumors about Nolan Arenado being traded seem like a nice distraction.
So when I saw this tweet after the Cardinals lost to the Cubs last night, I got a big smile:
If #STLCards are not trading Nolan Arenado, they are handling it very poorly. Front office has ghosted, leaving Arenado to speak on reports and rumors tonight after game. He initially declined, then came back and talked. He’s a pro, but he’s frustrated. Bad spot for him to be in.— Ben Frederickson (@Ben_Fred) July 29, 2023
I went to find some of those quotes, and sure enough, it doesn’t sound like the Cardinals’ front office is doing anything to help put Arenado’s mind at ease or help him deal with these questions.
Via the Belleville News-Democrat:
“I’m just here to try to help the team win, and I’m here to help the Cardinals win while I’m here,” Arenado said after Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. “Whatever happens happens. It’s hard for me to sit here and speak on some of these things.
“I think the Cardinals, those guys are smart up there. I think they’re looking at every way to make this team better, and that’s just kind of how I see it.” ….
Asked if he would prefer for the organization to foreclose on the possibility of a trade by publicly stating a refusal to move him, Arenado quipped, “it’s gonna be closed off on Tuesday, so I’m just trying to get through the weekend, play these next two games as hard as I can to try to help us win.”
I’m just trying to get through the weekend.
Definitely the attitude you want your big money star third baseman to have.
UPDATE: Thanks in no small part to the swirl of rumors that Arenado had to put up with, I’m sure, the Cardinals are making a public statement:
BREAKING: John Mozeliak says the #stlcards are 'not trading' Nolan Arenado. They are focused on 'future success'.
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 30, 2023
News @stltoday: https://t.co/OmAJgJ04ny
I say … good? I mean, Arenado is a fantastic player, but I’m not sure the Cardinals are actually better off keeping him at this point.
