Colorado Rockies: The 3 emotions around Nolan Arenado's tough words

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LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 23: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies reacts to a strike during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Nolan Arenado, the All-Star do-everything third baseman for the Colorado Rockies, raised some eyebrows with some of the comments he made to Nick Groke of The Athletic in this article. For many Rockies fans, Arenado potentially leaving the Rockies when his contract expires at the end of the 2019 season is a numbing thought.

Considered the best in the game today at third base by many, there is no guarantee that Arenado will spend his entire career in a Rockies uniform. Knowing that teams with deep pockets such as the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and (yes) even the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants could make a run at Arenado, keeping the 27-year-old Silver Slugger and Platinum Glove winner happy is important for the Rockies if they want to keep him around.

However, it’s apparent in some of Arenado’s quotes, that his level of happiness could boil down to playing for a winning team. That has not been the Rockies in Arenado’s years, save for a way-too-brief postseason appearance in last year’s Wild Card loss in Arizona.

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With the 2018 team fighting to get back to .500, let alone compete for a division crown and postseason berth, Arenado’s quotes come at a difficult time for the Rockies. A gamble on an expensive bullpen seems to have backfired through the first half of the season and those late-game losses could come back to haunt the Rockies when the postseason picture is finalized.

I talked to several friends who read Arenado’s quotes and asked them for their opinions. There were plenty to go around, trust me. However, I think some of their thoughts encapsulate what many Rockies fans are feeling right now.

Using their comments, I broke down the emotional response of the Colorado fan base to Arenado’s quotes into three categories. Let’s take a look at each and what might happen if those emotions play out with Arenado leaving or staying.

DENVER, CO – MAY 09: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies throws out Andrelton Simmons #2 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the sixth inning at Coors Field on May 9, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The most common theme I heard from friends and colleagues was despair. That Arenado was leaving the franchise and there was nothing that the Rockies could do about it. That this season of struggles had cemented Arenado’s mind on his future … and it wasn’t in Colorado.

Let’s start by saying that there is no guarantee that this will happen. There is no guarantee that Arenado is so beyond frustrated that he is ready to give up. On the contrary, Colorado coaches and players will tell you there is no one who works harder on his craft than Arenado. If something isn’t going right for the Rockies and he can control it, he will work in the cage or on the field to correct the action.

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But what if he can’t correct it because he can’t control it? Arenado can’t control where Bryan Shaw throws his cutter or Jon Gray’s inability to stop a potentially big inning from becoming, in reality, a big inning. That is where Arenado’s frustration lies. He can work as hard as he can to be as good as he can, but when others can’t do their jobs, it sometimes negates what even Arenado can do.

Does this mean Arenado is leaving? No, but a level of frustration has clearly built up. Is this new? Hardly. Think back to Arenado exploding on Nick Hundley in the dugout a couple of years ago. You remember that, right?

Colorado general manager Jeff Bridich still has time to pull some strings and do everything he can to show Arenado he’s committed to winning with his All-Star third baseman manning the hot corner. That needs to start now as the trade deadline draws near.

CHICAGO, IL – MAY 02: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies runs the bases after hitting a two run home run in the 1st inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Surprisingly, I heard a lot about anger toward Arenado as well when talking to friends. Comments such as, “He can leave if he doesn’t want to play for Colorado” or “We don’t want someone on the team who is only looking ahead to when he can leave” were said. Of course, I vehemently disagree with this.

I liken it to when Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to chase an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors. Durant was criticized (and still is) for joining a super team to get a ring. However, Durant’s goal was winning an NBA title and he has succeeded in that while raising his own stature when the conversations of NBA greats is brought up.

Arenado’s goal is winning and playing in the postseason. It’s not selfish or crazy to consider, and I would venture to say that every player in that clubhouse wants the same thing. All of us want to put ourselves in the best possible position in our careers and Arenado may decide to do just that by going to a team in a major market. If it happens, he may well not only increase his chances of winning a World Series, but also scoring a major money deal while playing on national television much more than he currently is.

So if you had the chance to make an unbelievable amount of money and be at the top of your profession, would you? I don’t know of too many friends who have stayed at the same job for their entire career.

Again, let me state, there is no inkling that Arenado is leaving after next season. Yet I am finding a lot of people very upset with his comments already. My advice is simple: Don’t get mad about something that there’s nothing to get mad about. Save the hot takes for the end of the 2019 season … and see if they’re even still applicable then.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies poses on photo day during MLB Spring Training at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 22, 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The third emotion is fear. It’s the fear that Arenado is leaving and there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. This is different than despair. Those in despair are assuming it’s going to happen. Those in fear think it might.

Is there a fear that Arenado could leave? Absolutely. I wrote about it before the season began when rumors began to swirl about how the Baltimore Orioles could shop Manny Machado. Could the same scenario happen with Arenado next season if he decides not to re-sign with the Rockies? Absolutely.

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The fear of the unknown is a strange thing for all of humans. The fear of what has happened before will happen again is an irrational but rationalized concept for sports fans. Rockies fans are no exception. Last season, the Rockies made the big play or got the big hit to win the close games. Fans believed they were going to win, much like the 2007’s squad incredible run to Rocktober. This season, if it’s late in the game, Rockies fans have little faith in a good outcome thanks to an underperforming bullpen and Colorado’s lack of offense as the game goes along.

Believe this though … Colorado wanted to make Arenado happy heading into the season and that’s one of the reasons why Carlos Gonzalez was re-signed. Remember the photo of pure joy? The Rockies did what they could to show Arenado they cared about his happiness. There is no doubt the Rockies will continue to do that as this season and the 2019 campaign rolls on.

Here’s the bottom line. Is Arenado leaving? No one knows the answer to that and won’t for some time. Will Colorado management do everything they can to keep him? Absolutely. Arenado is a generational talent that any franchise could build a team around.

Next: Ranking the top five third baseman in Colorado franchise history

My advice, Rockies fans? Enjoy the ride. Enjoy Arenado playing for your team right now. Enjoy every amazing play in the field and every ball that is crushed over the fence. Enjoy the present because none of us knows what the future holds.

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Colorado Rockies: The 3 emotions around Nolan Arenado’s tough words

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