Nolan Arenado‘s spring training has been so good, it’s been almost impossible for Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss to leave him on the bench – not to mention the fact that Arenado himself doesn’t want to take a day off. But there’s a 162-game regular season just around the corner and Weiss needs his Gold Glove and Silver Slugger third baseman more then than he does now.
“There comes a point where I just to tell him that he’s not playing,” Weiss said in his daily media briefing Tuesday. “He just likes to play. So if I give him an option in spring training, he’s going to choose to play.”
Fortunately, with an off day for the team on Wednesday, he didn’t have to worry about giving his star a choice (or bad news) the next day.
Arenado homered Tuesday in a 6-5 win over Milwaukee. The home run was his third of the spring, the hit his 23rd in 38 at-bats. He has 10 extra base hits and 11 RBI in 14 games. It’s easy to see why Weiss has a hard time keeping him out of the lineup.
“It’s tough do to as a manger because of the way that he changes the game – offense and defense. He’s the type of guy, even if he’s not locked in at the plate, he’s got a real good chance to win you a game on defense.”
But Arenado has been locked in at the plate this spring, as the numbers attest. Weiss told the media on Tuesday he just hopes its something Arenado can carry over into the meaningful games in April.
Weiss media session 03.22.16. Courtesy of Colorado Rockies.
“His confidence, I’m sure, is sky high. You’re hoping that that’s what carries over, is the confidence. If you’ve had a great spring, like Nolan has, there’s a pretty good chance that that confidence carries over.”
One thing that should certainly carry over is Arenado’s defense. The 24-year-old’s defensive prowess is well documented, and already earned him plenty of hardware… and plenty of comparisons to great defenders of the past. Weiss isn’t at all shy in his praise or comparisons.
“For me, he’s one of the most impactful defenders I’ve ever played with or probably against … I don’t know if I’ve seen anybody – at any position – impact the game like Nolan does. The only guy I could say that about was Andruw Jones. Up until Nolan, I thought Andruw Jones changed the game defensively more than anybody I had seen. And Nolan is on par with that.”
Jones was a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner with the Atlanta Braves before finishing his career as a bit of a journeyman with the Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox and Yankees. He was also exceptional with the bat, once leading the NL in home runs and earning a Silver Slugger.
Arenado appears on that same path – perhaps even a better one offensively. Arenado already has a NL home run crown and Silver Slugger to his name.
But to stay on that path, Weiss has to keep Arenado healthy and on the field. Even if that means taking him off the field – against his wishes – during spring training.
