Cardinals’ Arenado fitting in seamlessly with new franchise
Nolan Arenado arrived at spring training about a week before the rest of the St. Louis Cardinals’ position players, trying to get accustomed to the time change of Florida from his home on the West Coast along with learning his way around his first new team in a dozen years in pro baseball.
Turns out the time change has been every bit the challenge of the new organization.
“I was hurting there for a while,” Arenado admitted, “but I’m good now.”
The Cardinals hope he can be great.
They were quiet almost the entire offseason, the grand sum of their moves amounting to the re-signing of ace Adam Wainwright and a couple smaller transactions. But that all changed in the weeks before camp, when they got into serious talks for what became a three-team deal with the Rockies and Mets to land the star third baseman.
Suddenly, the Cardinals had pulled off one of the biggest acquisitions in baseball, solidifying their lineup with a five-time All-Star, threetime home run champion and eight-time Gold Glove winner while making them one of the favorites to win the NL Central.
“For sure, it’s been great,” said Arenado, who was finally joined by the rest of the roster for the first fullsquad workout of camp earlier this week. “If anything, I don’t know what some of their faces look like (because of masks), but other than that it’s smooth sailing. We’re talking outside in the tents, sitting 6 feet apart but still communicating, talking about the game, and I love it. The coaches are challenging me with new drills, new things to try and I really like that.”
KELENIC, AGENT EXPRESS FRUSTRATION WITH MARINERS >> Top Seattle prospect Jarred Kelenic and his agent believe the 21-yearold outfielder has been kept off the Mariners’ major league roster because of his refusal to accept a longterm contract offer.
Kelenic and agent Brody Scoffield told USA Today they believe Kelenic is being punished. Scoffield said it was made clear Kelenic would have made his debut during the shortened 2020 season had he signed the deal.
“It was made crystal clear to Jarred — then and now — that his decision not to call him up is based on service time. There’s no question that if he signed that contract, he would have been in the big leagues,” Scoffield told USA Today.
WHITE SOX STAR ABREU TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 >> Chicago White Sox slugger and reigning American League MVP Jose Abreu has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be away from the team for a few days.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Abreu is “completely asymptomatic.” Abreu thinks he contracted a mild case in January, Hahn said, adding that’s “reinforced by the presence of COVID antibodies in additional testing.”
Abreu hit .317 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs in 60 games last season, leading the White Sox to their first playoff berth since 2008. TWINS PROSPECT LEWIS OUT FOR SEASON >> Minnesota Twins shortstop Royce Lewis, considered the organization’s top prospect, has a torn ACL in his right knee that will sideline him for the 2021 season.