'I'm in the right place': Arenado arrives at Cards camp

JUPITER, Fla. -- Following months of speculation that Nolan Arenado had played his final game as a Cardinal, the All-Star third baseman arrived on schedule to St. Louis camp Sunday morning.

¡°I think the one thing about this place [is] I'm very comfortable,¡± Arenado said. ¡°I know it, and that's going to help me get ready for the season. And I'm in the right place. I feel ready. I feel I have a lot to prove. I'm very excited to take the field.¡±

Entering the offseason, the Cardinals announced plans to reset their ballclub with the intention of giving younger players a pathway to prove their readiness.

That plan openly included attempting to trade Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and six-time Platinum Glover, who still has three years and $74 million remaining on his contract.

MLB.com has reported that Arenado gave the Cardinals a list of six teams he'd waive his full no-trade clause for.

St. Louis thought it might have a deal in December to send Arenado to Houston, but with the Astros not being one of those teams, the slugger nixed the arrangement.

Earlier this spring, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he expected some awkwardness this spring when Arenado arrived in camp.

Both Arenado and Mozeliak agreed that a phone call between the two a couple of days ago smoothed any potential hard feelings prior to Arenado's arrival.

¡°Matter of fact, I joked, 'When I see you, I want to hug,'¡± Mozeliak said.

Mozeliak received his hug on Sunday -- report day for Cardinals position players -- as did manager Oliver Marmol.

¡°I'm very excited to see him,¡± Marmol said, ¡°And what I can tell you is he is focused and he is ready. Things that were coming out of his mouth were awesome to hear. He's in a good place.¡±

The inability to trade Arenado complicates the Cardinals' reset plan. The upside is that having Arenado remain in St. Louis -- should that happen for a full season -- would likely help produce a better record than an Arenado-less Cardinals club.

¡°I think, simply put, with Nolan on our team, we feel we're a better team,¡± Mozeliak said.

Arenado has launched 341 home runs during his 12-year career, but only 42 of them came during the past two seasons. His production fell to a .272 average with only 16 homers and 71 RBIs last season. The home run and RBI totals represent his fewest in a full season since 2014.

Like most baseball players, Arenado spent the offseason in the weight room. He emphasized building fast-twitch muscles, intent on rediscovering his once-prolific power stroke.

¡°I mean, I got after it,¡± a noticeably trimmer Arenado said. ¡°I did what I felt was the right thing for me, and I'm hopeful that it comes into fruition pretty quickly here in Spring Training. My plan is to play a lot of games in Spring Training and just be ready to go Opening Day.¡±

Trading Arenado would have opened additional playing time for younger Cardinals. Slugger Nolan Gorman would have shifted from second base to his more natural spot at third, while Brendan Donovan would likely have eschewed his utility role for a more permanent spot at second, freeing left field for Lars Nootbaar. The potential combination of Michael Siani and Victor Scott would occupy center, with Jordan Walker in right.

Gorman will play some third base during Spring Training and will likely spell Arenado at the hot corner during the season. Mozeliak said Gorman could also see time at first base, at least during the spring.

Still, Mozeliak remains interested in finding a trade partner for Arenado.

¡°If something comes up and it makes sense, I'll certainly get with [Arenado] and we'll talk about it,¡± Mozeliak said. ¡°But it's not something where I'm getting up every morning and chasing the waiver wire, or chasing injuries, or chasing things like that.¡±

At least for the moment, Arenado seems content, if not pleased, to remain a Cardinal.

¡°I've got a family now, and to be willing to pick up my family and move them, it has to be something that is worth it,¡± Arenado said. ¡°And so, that's kind of why the list was fairly small. And I don't see myself really changing that list ever because, like I said, I've got a family now.¡±