If Wednesday’s spring training game against the Yankees was supposed to be a “showcase” for Nolan Arenado, then let’s just say the curtains never really opened. Arenado, who has been swirling in trade rumors with the Bronx Bombers all offseason, brushed off the idea that his performance was meant to impress anyone in pinstripes.
“I didn’t come here for that,” Arenado told reporters, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Day 3 of spring training. That wouldn’t be a good day to showcase myself. I’m not ready for that.”
And boy, did his performance back him up. Arenado went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, putting on a showcase only if you’re scouting for guys who can confidently walk back to the dugout. If this was supposed to dazzle the Yankees, well, consider them undazzled.
Arenado’s coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, and while he’s still got three years and $74 million left on his contract, the Cardinals have long been rumored to be willing to eat some of that money to move him. Of course, Arenado also has the right to void any trade, so if this was truly a showcase, maybe it was more of a performance art piece about free will.
And speaking of trade rumors, can we talk about the buzz surrounding a potential Arenado-for-Marcus Stroman swap? I mean, sure, why not? Let’s throw in a pet llama and season tickets to a bag of fresh grapefruit while we’re at it. Arenado couldn’t showcase his swing, and now he’s supposedly being measured against a pitcher whose entire job is to make hitters look like they’re showcasing nothing? This rumor mill needs a new filter.
At this point, it’s spring training. Everything is possible, nothing is real, and if we’re lucky, maybe the next rumor will be Arenado for a time machine and a winning Powerball ticket.
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