Bader explains why hearing name in trade rumors was 'worst nightmare' situation

75756A5E-120A-4932-810C-2FD980DB785E

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - One of the victims of the Twitter storm caused by rumors of who the St. Louis Cardinals were losing in the trade with the Tampa Bay Rays was outfielder Harrison Bader. And he says the way he found out was "every player's worst nightmare." 

Basically what happened was that he was on a flight to Los Angeles, so his phone was on airplane mode and when he switched it off, he was flooded with "60 or 70 messages" from family and friends saying he had been traded. 

Finally, he saw his agent's message which reassured him he wasn't leaving Cardinals nation.

Earlier this week John Mozeliak told KMOX that he hopes Harrison Bader "seizes" CF this spring. @aybaybader was asked if he still feels like the #STLCards starter:"I'm the starting centerfield, it's my position and I'm going to take it." #CardsWarmUp pic.twitter.com/etwOe86O4B

— KMOXSports (@KMOXSports) January 18, 2020

After "a few missed heartbeats," Bader says knowing he wasn't one of the outfielders being traded to Tampa Bay in the deal for touted pitcher Matthew Liberatore reassured him that the Cardinals still have confidence in him. 

"I'm very thankful for every day that I do get to wear the uniform that I do want to wear and that's obviously a Carinal one," Bader says. "They obviously still have confidence in me to patrol center field and do what I'm supposed to do and do what I'm perfectly capable of doing." 

© 2020 KMOX (Entercom). All rights reserved