Nolan Arenado is feeling disrespected by the Colorado Rockies, according to reports. Jeff Bridich, the Rockies GM, told the Denver Post that He expected to begin 2020 with Arenado at third. And a once-promising, and still basically newly extended, relationship is on the verge of an inevitable breakup.
Detailing The Relationship
It’s been nearly a year since Nolan Arenado signed an extension. Colorado and Arenado forged a path into the new era of Rockies baseball. With an eight-year $260 million deal, Arenado essentially was signing on to be a career Rockie. For Colorado, Arenado’s been a monster offensively. And defensively he’s been a wizard. Many believed that Arenado would be a lifelong Rockie. But that may be nearing its end.
The Controversy
The Denver Post reported, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich stating Nolan Arenado trade talks are “off the table.” Throughout the industry Nolan could have been had for a premium package. But there’s more to the issues between Arenado and the Rockies. The problems are more about the direction Colorado is taking. And through MLB.com, Nolan would vent his feelings of being disrespected by the Rockies GM.
Statements & Quotes
Nolan Arenado to MLB-dot-com on #Rockies: “There’s a lot of disrespect from people there that I don’t want to be a part of. You can quote that.” https://t.co/fNAoFht0YF
— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) January 21, 2020
Just heard again from #Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado, who wanted to make sure his statement was clear: "I'm not mad at trade rumors. There's more to it than that." As my story said, he didn't comment on specifics of feeling disrespected but wanted to be clear it wasn't the rumors.
— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) January 21, 2020
The (above) story from Thomas Harding of MLB.com details the thoughts and sentiments that Nolan expressed.
Potential Solutions
There are three possible solutions to resolve this situation for the Rockies. But as with everything in life, it’s not that simple.
Option 1: Do Nothing
The first possible solution is to do absolutely nothing at all. This approach would be the worse option of the three. Doing nothing to mend or mitigate the situation will only cause more dissension within the Rockies organization. NOT RECOMMENDED
Option 2: Fire GM Jeff Bridich
The second potential outcome is getting rid of the General Manager of the Rockies, Jeff Bridich. This offseason, we’ve already seen one GM get removed from his position(Jeff Luhnow, albeit, for a much different reason.) But firing a GM is something that changes an organization at its core. The GM is the captain of the ship, the pilot of the aircraft in control of the direction of a team. Removing such an entity can step a team on a different path altogether. Sometimes, changes need to be made for the betterment of the franchise as a whole. But sometimes those changes do more damage than good. The relationship between a GM and his team is like a marriage. And if the marriage sours beyond repair, a change must ensue. 50/50 CHANCE
Option 3: Trade Nolan Arenado
In a move that would have been unbelievable only 18 months ago. However, it now seems like trading Nolan Arenado is going to be the best option for the Colorado Rockies. While Nolan has a full No-Trade Clause and can veto any trade. But moving Arenado to a contender with plus farm system can please both parties. Some ideal landing spots for the Third Baseman could be as follows.
- Atlanta Braves
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Texas Rangers
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- New York Mets
- San Francisco Giants
Some of the teams mentioned above are in a better position than others to acquire the stud third basemen. (Selfishly, I wouldn’t mind seeing Arenado in the Bronx as well.)
Discretion is the Better Part of Valor
Regardless of which side of the issue you side with, Arenado or Bridich, neither party should have spoken out. As this story continues to unfold and more news gets divulged, we will get a better idea of the whole situation. That being said, Nolan Arenado is among the best players in today’s game. And any team (the Rockies included) would be blessed to have Arenado.
