D’backs 3B Nolan Arenado joins FT

00:00:08
Speaker 1: He's actually in the intro there.

00:00:09
Speaker 2: Nolan Ironato joining us right now, new member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nolan, great to see you man, and has the off season going for you getting set up for a new spot.

00:00:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's going great, man, Thanks you guys for having me. I'm excited back in talking Stick for spring training, which is great and uh no, man, I'm excited. Great young team. It should be fun.

00:00:32
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I forgot right, you know, talking Stick pretty well.

00:00:35
Speaker 3: Confused, He's gonna get confused. He's gonna go in the wrong door. He's gonna park on the Rocky Side, and he's not gonna realize he has to go to the Diamondback. So he's gonna walk in the wrong door. He's gonna open the door and there he's gonna go. Wait, these aren't the Rockies, I remember, Sorry, strong door.

00:00:49
Speaker 1: I did drive by. I usually stop at the Starbucks right there, and then I kind of did go around the Rocky Side first, and I had to go make a big of big loop, so I did kind of toss of the old way I used to.

00:00:59
Speaker 3: So is that why you agreed then to go to the Diamondbacks Because they had the same spring training side is the Rockies. So you felt at home.

00:01:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, it felt close to home, you know, obviously being in Scottsdale for sure, But no, I mean I picked that team because it's, like I said, it's close to home being in Arizona. You know, I'm from Orange County. And then also it's a great young team with great young players, and it'll be nice to be surrounded by guys like that, and being a veteran player, you know, as you know, as veteran players, it's nice to be surrounded by a young group. It makes you feel younger and kind of just helps you boosts you up a little bit. And I'm excited about that.

00:01:38
Speaker 4: How tough was that was? This decision? Obviously, you know we hear rumors, but only you go through and actually know, like, oh, I was really thinking about these different decisions and how much, how long or how tough was it to weigh those different decisions.

00:01:53
Speaker 1: I mean it was pretty tough. I mean obviously, we built our you know, we built our family. You know, we had our babies in Saint Louis. You know, we had our family there and you know, we had a great house, great we lived in a great neighborhood. And you know, honestly, when I opted in in twenty two, I thought that would probably be where I ended, you know, I finished my career. But as you guys know baseball, things happened fast and things change and it just comes with the territory. And you know, I think with where they're headed, and I thought a fresh start for myself would be great also, So you know, I just saw it as an opportunity to go play show who I am and I'm excited for the season.

00:02:28
Speaker 4: Nolan, How does that work?

00:02:29
Speaker 3: Did the Cardinals come to you and say, hey, we got an opportunity for you or did you or did they get because you see in other sports, you don't really say it in baseball very often, right, You see it in some sports where they say, hey, we'll allow whoever quarterback to find his own trader. In the NBA will allow whoever to find their own trade. Did the Cardinals come to you and say, hey, if you can find a place you're happy, or did you give them a list of teams that you said, hey, I'll go to. Because you know, your situation is so unique where you said no to Houston from what we heard, right, and then Arizona came and you said, yeah, I'll go there.

00:03:01
Speaker 4: So how does that start? How does that conversation start?

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Speaker 1: Well, I started I like the end of the season, like right before the season ended. Me and him met and we talked about, how, give me a list of teams that you'd be willing to and I gave them the teams that you know i'd be willing to leave, you know, that I would move to. And it's just kind of like some of those teams are interested, some of them aren't. Some of them don't want to give up what they want, you know, all those things, the money and all. You know, it's a pretty complicated process, to be honest with you, but you know, honestly, having a full note trade cause is probably the greatest thing for a player to have. And I just thought, you know, I knew that I didn't play great last year obviously, dealt with some injuries, and I also didn't perform the way I wanted, so I could see how teams some teams didn't want me, So you know, I just wanted an opportunity to go somewhere, and Arizona showed interest pretty early, and I saw that as a place that you know, I've played in Chase Field for so long. Obviously playing with the Rockies, I know the NLS, and I felt very comfortable, and obviously moving my family there was kind of a no brainer.

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Speaker 4: It's playing third part of that and the part about Chase Field. I looked up your numbers at Chase Field your first two years. You were kind of since then, You're right, you kill it in Chase Field. See, I get it. You feel a little feel a little sexy in that sense. But playing third did that matter a lot because we heard we heard possibly a Padres moving to first base. And when you're having those discussions, do they say, hey, you know this team would want you, but it's as a first baseman and that's part of your decision.

00:04:32
Speaker 1: Well, there was definitely comfort in like playing you know, just sticking at third base and that's what I want to play. But I was very open playing first. I like it. I love taking grumble I mean, I love taking grumballs anywhere, but I love teaing grumballs. At first. I would do anything, you know, whatever they asked. I didn't mind, you know, Like I said, Arizona was just a place that showed the most interest and uh, it was obviously one of my yesses of the team listed that I sent, and uh so I just said, yeah, I mean, if you can get it done, then I'm good to go. So if Arizona would a told me me, hey, we need you to play first base, I would have been like, that's no problem. I would have no problem with it.

00:05:04
Speaker 4: I know what happened.

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Speaker 3: You wanted to live in the same city for spring training and the season.

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Speaker 4: That's smart.

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Speaker 3: That's like going to Arizona. Yeah, definitely, And so you can get home too if you need to get home in your class. But I mean, I know we're harping on this, but it's just such a unique situation. Last year, the rumors were you're going to Houston, and then you say no, and then everyone's like this, Nolan ar Not is a terrible human being because he doesn't want to go to Houston.

00:05:30
Speaker 4: He doesn't want to win. Right.

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Speaker 3: I've known you for a long time. I've known nothing about other than you want to win, and you're a great dude, and you want to compete and you teach young guys and you come to work every day. Do those feelings hurt you a little bit when you see that stuff? Because someone that knows you from the outside. I know that's not true. I know you want to win and I know you want to be on a good team.

00:05:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, obviously, I think I think when trade stuff like this comes up and you have a full no trade and you know, you obviously wish it doesn't come to the public, but it's just going to because you know, it's part of the business and it just you know, things get shared. I have the utmost respect for Houston. I've said this so many times. You know, they traded Kyle Tucker, Bregman wasn't going back. There was a lot of things that I was just a little hesitant at the time. And I respect all those players that are there and that organization. They're they're great. But yeah, man, I mean I didn't enjoy the things that people were saying about me, but you know, you kind of just block it out. You know, it's just one ear and out the other. I I know who I am, you know, you know me. I think my teammates know me so, and people are in the league know who I am. So you know, I try not to show nobody up or just spect me, but you know, it's my life and I have a family, and I got to make the decisions for it, and it wasn't an easy one, but it was the one I went with.

00:06:47
Speaker 4: You mentioned this several times. You get to go play with some young players who from Afar, since you're only played against them on the Diamondbacks, are you like, I don't want to see this guy play one hundred and sixty two games like this is this is legit. It's no shade to anybody else. But you have to choose which in your teammates you're gonna like more before you get there. So that's what I'm asking to do.

00:07:09
Speaker 1: Well, I mean Corbyn Carroll special, I mean I think when you he's one of the players that you play against that makes you pretty uncomfortable on a baseball field playing against him, because he could really run. He's gonna get the extra base, he's gonna steal bags, and he's got serious power. So like players like that, they're rare to come by. I think he's one of the top you know, I know he was a top ten, they voted him top ten, but I think he's like top five player in the game, position player, that's for sure. And I just think the stress he causes for other teams. If he hits a ground ball, you have to get rid of it quick. Extra bases. Like I said, stealing base is in power. It's just a pretty special player and I'm excited to watch him go about it his business. I've heard great things.

00:07:47
Speaker 4: You know.

00:07:48
Speaker 1: Obviously, I've played against Katel for a long time and he's special. And then obviously I'm excited to play the left side with Perdomo, who's an absolute stud. So, I mean, these guys are good. They got some great players, you know. Moreno's got a chance to be great. It's with great players. So but Corbyn Carroll, for me, is one of the best players in the game. So I'm excited to watch him.

00:08:05
Speaker 3: Damn, you should be on the PR team for the Diamondbacks right now. This got me pumped up. You got me pumped up to go. I mean, wow, I can't wait to go to Diamondbacks.

00:08:15
Speaker 4: Cam.

00:08:16
Speaker 3: Now, I'm super excited about this team because listen, hey, you guys get any kind of pitching. Perdomo is one of the most underrated people you mentioned him that you've ever seen. Look up his war for all those analytics moving out there, you won't be you won't believe it when you see a plus. The way he stood up for Marte last year was absolutely awesome when he had problems with his mom and people were wearing him out. Unbelievable, unbelievable. I want to go back to you, just here for a second. People are saying, you're you're on the you're on the decline, right, how do you fight that? I played till I was forty years old. My year thirty nine I had or thirty eight I had a great year. My year thirty nine four, turning forty, I absolutely stunk. It was my last year. How do you fight the decline that people say, Oh, his defense is falling off, he didn't have any power anymore.

00:08:57
Speaker 4: How do you fight that?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's not easy. I mean the fact that you played till forty is awesome. I don't think I'm gonna want to do that. That's hard to do. But you know your body when you play a lot of games, as you know, and you know better than I do, being a cat you could both of you guys being catchers. It's just the wear and tear on your body.

00:09:15
Speaker 3: You know.

00:09:15
Speaker 1: I took my defense really serious and I played hard on both sides of the ball. And I think there's some things in my off season training program that I had to change that I felt I was a little late to recognize that. I'm hopeful that will come into fruition this year. As far as like taking care of your hips a little better, making sure your lower back is feeling good, your core is strong. I mean I always kind of did that, but it was easier when you're younger. When you get older, it has to be like something you're super focused on. So I changed a lot of way I went about my business this offseason, changed my diet, and I feel better. I feel great right now. I've been working hard changing some things in my swing, and obviously I think those things that I think are going to be huge for me, because this offseason I felt really good, So I think, you know, I got to go out there and do it. Obviously, I could sit here and talk about all I want, but uh, there's some things I'm doing this off season that I don't usually do, as far as like challenging myself getting on the machine earlier, just just making myself a little bit uncomfortable in the cage and see if my swing breaks down, and trying to like make sure I can able be able to counter that when the season starts.

00:10:22
Speaker 4: Compare where you were the last two off seasons to where you are now. Do you feel like you're advanced, because at this is the point in the off season where every year ione's like I'm the best. I might not even make it out this year. Yeah. Where compares physically how you feel, because that's really the only thing that gets in the way when you get older is how do you feel you're playing through something the whole time, or your body feels like I'm resting, I'm ready to go.

00:10:49
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I think this is the first off season where I didn't stop working out when the season was over. Obviously getting hurt had a lot to do with that. You know, usually after a season, you know, you take like two weeks going vacation or whatever. Offseason. You know, we had a baby, so I didn't really have a whole lot of time to take a break, but I also made sure I didn't. I just kept lifting and kind of being in the gym every other day and kind of you know, like four days a week and just kind of just making sure my body feels good. And I think as I've gotten older. That's what I've needed to do. When I'm younger, I could take you know, two and a half weeks off and get in the gym and be like, all right, I'm pretty sore, but I'm good to go. Like I think, as you get older, you just can't take too much time away from the gym or working out or just sweating and you know, doing some things because I don't know, you just feel old when you just feel a lot older when you don't. So just those things. I've been really focused on that, making sure I'm not taking two days off. And it's really been I think it's been paying dividends. Is offseason and I'm hopeful that it'll be a great year.

00:11:46
Speaker 3: Hey, welcome to old age. And okay, yeah, it only gets worse. Okay, it doesn't, trust me. It doesn't get any easier. Even when you stop playing and you're sitting off stop. It crats when you sit at home and you're just like, oh, I've played for so long, I have so many gold gloves, and you're like, I don't want to go work out today. And then a month goes by in your and you look in the mirror, you get you know what, the worst is you'll see you'll get the you'll get the picture with your family and you're you'll have like a belly and you're like, I gotta get back in the gym. So don't ever stop doing that. I'm just telling you, just don't ever stop because that day, that day comes for all of us, except for maybe scoy Bron, who will be jacked until he's he's dead. Yeah, just understand that that day never never ever goes away. All Right, when you get the spring training, what's your role going to be on this team? Because it's not like the Diamondbacks are young, but they're also not ten year vets, kind of like some of the lot of the guys you had when you first got to Saint Louis. So is your role going to be a mentor to? I mean, Marte's got time, Corman Carroll's got time, a lot of these guys. If you don't have some time, right, these guys have a few years. So are you gonna be more of the leader type? Are you gonna be more sit back and watch and then wherever they put you, because that's it's it's a different team then, not young and not old.

00:13:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, I think you know obviously when I first get there, get to know a lot of these guys, you know, I kind of I went there last week to kind of try to get to know, you know, the coaches and some of the players, but definitely, uh, probably be a little bit more quiet, watch the way everyone works, get to know them, but you know, obviously be a mentor at them and and just be there. But also, you know, I have a job to do, and let's play a good third base. And I'm excited to play with these guys. You know, my expectations or they're always high, maybe higher than what they should be, but you know, I don't you know, that's the only way to go, I guess, and my expectations go out there and play and help this team win ball games.

00:13:37
Speaker 4: All right. No, when you were in Saint Louis, and obviously you already mentioned it, you opted in back in twenty two, did you see the team dynamic? Did you see it change that it was going to change as much as it did. And had you known that ahead of time, were you like, eh, maybe I wouldn't have stayed there or would it have been different? Everybody knew Yachty and Wayne, Right, we're gonna be gone. But did you think the ORG was going to change the way that it did.

00:14:05
Speaker 1: No, definitely not. I mean, you know, the Cardinals, I think, you know, I've seen twenty two was so much fun watching Albert do his thing, being you know, we were a really good team. Then obviously in twenty three we signed Wilson, who was a good signing, and you know, I thought we were just gonna be good. You know, I think the Cardinals have always found a way to be good, even when on paper it may not look like they're gonna be great, but they you know, we always found a way and they always did. And I think I didn't expect that this turnaround to be the way it has been. You know, I thought twenty three was obviously extremely tough. The first losing season and I don't know how many years, so that was extremely disappointing. But you know, I think, you know, it's just changes happened fast. I don't know, it's hard to even explained. I mean, it happened so fast. It was like twenty two won the division. You know, obviously we got we lost the Phillies, but we felt like we were really good that year twenty three going in, we thought we were going to be pretty good too, and then all of a sudden, you know, losing season and then everything kind of changed after that. But no, I didn't expect it for sure, and I was actually kind of surprised. I don't know if the new schedule got to us, and you know, you don't play the division all the time. I don't know if that was part of it, but you know, I'm not sure what happened.

00:15:19
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's okay, you're not You're not there anymore.

00:15:20
Speaker 4: We don't have to worry about the Cardinals anymore.

00:15:22
Speaker 3: Snakes now we're snakes now, all right, speaking of being a snake, And this is kind of a weird transition, so don't get mad at me. You played for Team USA twice, okay, Yeah, now you're on the other team. So you're like a trader because you went to Puerto Rico. So I know your mother. Your mother's Puerto Rican So I'm not I'm not getting on you at all. But it's pretty cool that you can play twice for USA Gold and Silver and now you get to go play for another team. That's pretty awesome, right.

00:15:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean obviously playing for usc USA was great. I've already had some pretty harsh dms coming at me by some people. But uh, you know what, you know, this will be the last time I get to do this, Yachtie asked me, and honestly, that fired me up. He asked me at the end of it last year, our end of last season, and it kind of fired me up. And I've been paring, preparing this whole off season for it, and uh, I'm excited, and you know, I'm excited to represent my Latin side that I have. You know, I got the Cuban side, I got the Puerto Rican side, and obviously my mom, so you know, I'm excited. My mom is super punk. But I'm not too concerned about everyone's feelings. Like I said, this will be the last time I get to do this, and I'm excited to open up in Puerto Rico and help his team win and play with some great players.

00:16:40
Speaker 4: Wait, wait, tell us about some of those d ms where any of them you're have any of your USA teammates been the ones that have reached out to you giving you a hard time? Or is this just all all narps?

00:16:51
Speaker 1: No? Yeah, yeah, it's just all random. I had one guy sent me him my USA Jersey. He threw it in the trash. I'm like, all right, And then I had a couple other people say I'm a trader, and I'm like, listen, I mean I didn't get asked to play for USA, and well, actually the USA team there's only a few guys on that team from the twenty three team, and uh, listen, I mean it's baseball. It's not a big deal. But I'm excited to play for Puerto Rico and if we end up playing USA, I think that'd be pretty cool.

00:17:23
Speaker 3: By the way, let's just first of all, don't read the comments. That's the lesson on FT today, because we've already had a Yeah.

00:17:29
Speaker 1: My brother, my cousins get get a laugh at it. They always send me like the funniest things when people rip me and stuff like that.

00:17:36
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's fun. As long as you can laugh at it, then it's fine. Then you can oh, yeah, for sure. But if you take him too serious, don't read the comments. But yeah, what you said, well, what you said right there was exactly the point. USA didn't ask you. And nobody says, you know, to yachty right because as Adam Wayne Wright once told us, YACHTI has a neck tattoo, and you don't mess with guys with neck tattoos, right, So if Yachty calls you and says you have to play, then you have to play.

00:18:03
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:18:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, you gotta listen, man, he's uh he's the kabayo man. You gotta listen to him when he talks, you listen. And uh. I love Yadi.

00:18:11
Speaker 4: Man.

00:18:11
Speaker 1: He's one of the best people of smartest people I've ever played with. And it was an honor for him to ask me, and the fact that he thought about me it fired me up.

00:18:18
Speaker 3: And by the way, before we let you go, first of all, I played with the Yaudia, I love Yadi. Also, I never realized you had such like the so Cal surfer guy accent. Like all the times I've had conversations with you, I've never really caught on to like the so Cal surfer, but with your whole vibe today I applauded. I I tipped my cab and I applaud it today.

00:18:37
Speaker 1: I mean, I just I mean, I didn't just yeah, I mean, I'm I just came on here and just yeah, man, I appreciate that. Thank you.

00:18:44
Speaker 4: No, it's it's it's cool.

00:18:45
Speaker 3: I wish I wish, I wish, I wish I had that that vibe, okay, instead of the superintense I can't get enough, you know, But the so cal vibe is something I guess.

00:18:55
Speaker 1: You grew up in the off season. Man, you know the O first haven't come yet and all that stuff.

00:19:02
Speaker 4: Sleep, you sleep a little bit more calm. I want to go back to ya.

00:19:05
Speaker 1: Sleeping great right now, I'm sleeping great. Right now?

00:19:08
Speaker 4: You play with YACHTI now you're gonna play for yachty. Do you think he can manage? Not? Can he manage a team? And like does he know the x's and o's, But can he do two interviews every single day for one hundred and sixty two days plus spring training? Where is that? Like? Is there something that's like ah, man, Like I don't know, Like he's just so intense and locked onto the field.

00:19:32
Speaker 1: Absolutely he can. Being around him, he is really intense. And I wouldn't be surprised if there are some bad questions being asking those interviews, he would let them know, like that's not a good question, but he would He would most definitely be really good at it. He knows he loves the game of baseball. He's the smartest man I've ever been around. He would absolutely be great coach. I really do believe that. You know, he's smart or he knows what people he wants to have surrounded by him. He's not someone that that I've seen so far, even because he's coaching in you know, Venezuela. He's coached, he's been trying to coach all the time. You know, he wouldn't surround himself with people that aren't smart either. He'd make sure he's surround himself with some of the best coaches to make sure he's constantly getting better and learning. Like he's like that, he's he's he's a special one for sure. I Mean I don't know, I wasn't all playing with him and like he was like managing while playing. I mean it was like he's so smart, like he was above and beyond everyone else. I Mean, he was thinking like the way coaches think now, Like you know, like I don't know how it was back in the day, but like teams are not afraid of walk guys now because they like they just love the matchup against you know whoever. Yeah, he's been doing that, Like he's been all over those things, like way before everyone else. He you know, he just thinks outside the box and he's the smartest baseball guy I've ever seen.

00:20:54
Speaker 2: No on last one, let's go off the field, so I'll give you the floor here wherever you want to go with this. But but I'd say you're a wine aficionado or a huge fan involved business wise, so just want to lay out whether that's you know, what your world and wine is like, or a favorite bottle or just your passion. We always like to get something off the field that you're really into, and I think that's the lay up.

00:21:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, Diamond and Keys our wine. We're really excited about it. I don't know. Yeah, you guys got that. Well, thank you. Well. I appreciate you guys doing that. Yeah, and uh, it's it's a great cab. Obviously I'm biased. I think it's the best cab out there. I know some great ones, but it's really great. And obviously teaming up with Klay Thompson and Joe Harden and Joe McLean, these guys that they work extremely hard on it and we think it could be really great. I would, Uh, if I see you guys in spring training, maybe I'll bring you guys a bottle. You guys can let me know, you can give me an honest critic. But we're really excited about it. We're just trying to keep it moving and get it out there. But it's it's very good and we're excited for the future. I love that. How can people get their hands on it? Can?

00:22:01
Speaker 2: Can you order cases?

00:22:02
Speaker 1: You got to be in stores for it. No, you can order cases online and stuff like that. Yes. Absolutely, Okay, I know my dad's watching. He's gonna order a case.

00:22:11
Speaker 3: That's I'll be expecting a case in my front door in about a week.

00:22:21
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean absolutely, if you and you could be honest, you can let us know what you guys think. We're we feel very good about it. But yeah, we will definitely get some bottles out to you guys.

00:22:30
Speaker 3: But by the way, hold on, before he goes, I have to ask him one question. He was the first guy that didn't wear his team colors on his batting gloves and his shoes. Because if when you remember you were at the Rockies, you had like the color shirt on that you have now on your cleats, right, it was like and I was like damn. I was like, damn, how come he gets to make all these cool colors, and I can only be black and white because like I was with the white Sox or black and gray, right, But now you're with the Diamondbacks and they have every color under the sun uniform teal orange had purple blue. So what color are you gonna pick to represent the Diamonds.

00:23:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm old school in the sense of like the bait because like when I first got called up, obviously you guys know, like the shoe had to be fifty percent black or like whatever the team color had to be. The base had to be black. It couldn't be like just some random color like it is now. And I'm kind of still like that. I'm not a big like white shoe. Like obviously the teal. I added the teal to the black because it made the Rockies color because purple and black kind of just looked the same, so that's why I added it. But with the Diamondbacks, I'm definitely gonna have teal in my cleats. I still have a black bassed shoe. I'm you know, I'm you know, I'm thirty four, Like I can't be wearing like neon colors out there. Like some of these young guys can who are nasty and they could fly. I mean, I'm just kind of old school like that. So the base would be good. But I'll have the teal and I'll make sure the flash is still out there though on the shoe. There you go, Hey, and I know.

00:24:03
Speaker 4: Where he's back.

00:24:05
Speaker 1: Tell them, Oh they know, well, I tell them all the time. We need it back. All right, Well, we'll be in camp.

00:24:12
Speaker 2: I just was told February twenty sixth, not me, but AJ will definitely be there, So stop by and AJ will pass the line on the show.

00:24:21
Speaker 1: Awesome, okp Polar Kevin Pillar will be there.

00:24:24
Speaker 2: Okay, there you go. Well, yeah, we enjoyed it. Thanks for the extended time and great to catch up with you. We'll see in camp.

00:24:31
Speaker 1: Thank you guys so much. You guys have a going all right, you too, have a good one. That's Nolan Iron not out diamond Back, third Basement. See you