Nolan Arenado is almost certain to at least begin the 2020 season with the Colorado Rockies, and some remarks he has made recently indicate that was not the outcome he was hoping for. However, the star third baseman insists he is not going to let his personal situation impact the team.
Stephanie Aptein of Sports Illustrated reports that Arenado recently met with Rockies owner Dick Monfort to discuss the direction of the franchise. Though Arenado did not reveal any details of the conversation or confirm that it took place, he told Apstein in an interview that he now feels better about the future in Colorado.
“I have to be optimistic,” he says. “I’m not gonna be moping around. That doesn’t bring out the best in me or these guys. I don’t want to be a bad leader. I don’t want to complain anymore. It would be counterproductive.”
Arenado has said he wants to win, and it is difficult even for a good team to win if its biggest superstar is disgruntled. For a team that went 71-91 last season, the task would be even taller. Arenado obviously understands that. While he has expressed frustration with the Rockies and all but confirmed he wants to be traded, the 28-year-old says the ideal scenario would be winning in Colorado.
“I want to win,” Arenado told SI. “If we win here, that’s why I signed, right? To win here. But if we’re not gonna win, I’d rather play for a winner. I don’t care where it is. I’d rather win a World Series than have my number retired.”
In other words, Arenado is not suddenly going to change his mind about wanting out of Colorado if the team doesn’t make strides to improve. Monfort is said to have informed Arenado that the Rockies are open to adding pieces during the season, but time will tell if that is the plan.
Arenado said last month that he has felt “a lot of disrespect” from the Rockies, and the implication is that he was told the team would trade him if they didn’t take significant steps to improve their roster. More recently, Arenado explained that there’s a misconception that players who sign massive contracts don’t care about winning. He may have inked a $260 million deal with the Rockies prior to last season, but that does not mean Arenado is content with a team that doesn’t show a commitment to improving.
