ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Many who have been around the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse in recent years figured it'd be just a matter of time before Harrison Bader would be awarded a Gold Glove. That time came this season as he was among the five Cardinals players to win the award.
Bader spoke to KMOX and Cardinals broadcaster Mike Claiborne and his Claibs Online Podcast partner Joe Roderick after winning the award as the best center fielder in the NL. They asked him if any play he made in particular made him think: If this doesn't win me the award, then nothing will.
The highlight above is the play he says really sticks out. It was against Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs on July 22 in the seventh inning of a 2-2 game at Busch Stadium.
"Hoerner hit a short popup into center field and I kinda came in at a funky angle and it hung up there just enough," Bader says. "When I dove my glove kinda turned over itself and I somehow hung on. I ran a really long way for it, I think I covered about 100 feet for so. Making plays like that and reeling it in, like you said man, if that's not gonna win it, then well, I'm leaving it all out there the best I can."
Speaking of stand-out plays against the Cubs, Bader was also reminded of his part in the wild phone-number double play he was part of in September:
"If there's anywhere on a baseball field I do not belong it is on the infield on defense," Bader says. "The fact that I even touched the ball that close to home plate on defense is still crazy to me. I'm just happy I didn't launch the ball over Nolan's (Arenado) head."
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After winning the award on Sunday night, Bader says he heard from two special mentors of his: Cardinals coach and 1985 NL MVP Willie McGee, and Bader's former Cardinals teammate Tommy Pham.
"It's so humbling. Guys taking time just to congratulate me, to send that message, it means the world," Bader says. Willie has known me single A-ball and double-A. Pham, me and him go way back. Just both of them, I want emulate them and how they go about their business and how much confidence they have in their own games. Those guys have been big brothers to me ever since I stepped in pro ball."
Watch the full interview, here:
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