"There is no relationship anymore" - When Nolan Arenado vented frustration at Rockies front office amid trade offers
Before his days with the St. Louis Cardinals, Nolan Arenado was a core piece of the Colorado Rockies organization. He was selected in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft right out of high school.
Arenado was a bright spot for the organization. However, during the 2020 season, there were talks of trading the slugger. This did not sit well with Arenado, who agreed to an eight-year, $260 million deal with the club in 2019.
Arenado felt disrespected after he learned the team's GM, Jeff Bridich, was looking at potential trades. He took it as something that ruined his relationship with the organization and had some words for the public.
"I don't care what he says, there's a lot of disrespect around there. There is no relationship anymore. It's just play hard for my teammates and the fans" stated Arenado (via Fox News).
Nolan Arenado was with the club for the 2020 season but was eventually traded ahead of the 2021 season. The Rockies traded Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals for Austin Gomber, Elehuris Montero, Jake Sommers, Tony Locey and Mateo Gil.
Arenado has now enjoyed three seasons with the Cardinals, becoming the face of the franchise. Last season, he hit .266/.315/.459 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs.
Nolan Arenado was not the only star the Rockies would see depart
Nolan Arenado has seen a lot of success after being traded to the Cardinals. Over the last three seasons, he has yet to see his batting average dip below .255 or play in under 144 games.
While the Cardinals struggled mightily last season, they are expected to be a much better team this year. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt will headline this team as they enter the new season.
For the Rockies, the return has not been as great., Austin Gomber compiled a 9-9 record with a 5.50 ERA last season. Elehuris Montero also played a good portion last season, appearing in 85 games and hitting 11 home runs.
Two years later, the tenure was up in Colorado for Trevor Story, another key player in their organization. He would reach a deal with the Red Sox in 2022. This was yet another blow to the fanbase of an underperforming team.
It may be some time before they can get their feet underneath them. It will be tough for them to compete with teams like the LA Dodgers or the San Diego Padres with the roster they have.