The St. Louis Cardinals officially welcomed Nolan Arenado into the fold Sunday afternoon, giving fans their first chance to cheer for the team's newest acquisition. While it may not have been the packed house Arenado envisioned himself debuting in front of, the spectators on hand more than made up for it, giving the third baseman a standing ovation to commence his first at-bat.
Even if it's only Spring Training, the sight of Arenado in Cardinal red was more than enough to get the crowd on their feet. Rockies fans, you might want to avert your eyes (Clip via FOX Sports):
Nolan Arenado gets a warm welcome from @Cardinals fans đ
(via @FSMidwest)pic.twitter.com/1jE7lQnYE9
â FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 28, 2021
Officially acquired by the Cardinals at the start of February, Arenado will slide into a lineup that already features Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong. While the former All-Star had a sub-par 2020 season, compiling a slash line of only .253/.303/.434, St. Louis will hope that a bounce-back campaign will be more than enough to catapult the squad back into first place in the NL Central.
The trade for Arenado also marked another departure from the âdraft and developâ strategy that had long defined the Cardinals franchise. Though the organization has long espoused a conservative philosophy that focused on internal development, the Cardinals front office has pivoted in recent years towards a more active role in the trade market. The acquisition of Arenado is the second blockbuster trade St. Louis has pulled off in the last two years, with the move to steal Paul Goldschmidt in 2019 being the other.
For a franchise that considers itself to be among the league's best, the aggressive roster moves are a fitting display of the team's deep pockets. Should the Cardinals continue with their new-found approach, Arenado might not be the last star fans get to welcome.
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