ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The story of how the St. Louis Cardinals acquired All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies may become one of the greatest tales in team history. And we just learned a great little detail about it from the president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak...
He was the guest on Thursday's Garage Happy Hour with Tom Ackerman and asked Mo just how long it took to make that deal (or steal as some may call it) happen. This particular deal, he says, began around November 2020, and he says a week or so before Christmas last year he took call while his high-school age son was sitting next to him...
"I never said specific names or anything, but he's like, 'What's that about?' And I was like, 'Oh, just talking with another team,'" Mozeliak says. "Because he's a huge fan, he's like, 'That's Nolan Arenado, isn't it.' I'm like, 'Might be.'"
Then, probably realizing the gravity of what might happen if rumors start to get out, Mozeliak says he turned to his son and said, "Let me tell you something kid. What you just heard, you didn't hear. And what might happen, who knows?"
But the story of this trade, involving his son, gets better.
About a month prior to that overheard phone call, Mozeliak says he was driving his son and a friend, who happened to be wearing an Arenado Rockies jersey. Jokingly, Mo's son asked what his dad thought of the player and if the deal might happen this offseason.
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"I go, 'That's a nice jersey, great player,'" Mozeliak says. "'There's 50 million reasons why this will probably never happen.' And ironically, that's kinda was the number."
He's referring to the $50 million the Cardinals will receive from the Rockies in the Arenado trade.
Who knows how long it will take to learn more details, but we know the whole story is going to be a great one.
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