Tuesday, July 01

ST. LOUIS -- The obsessiveness in Nolan Arenado’s game -- assuming batting stances on an elevator when the doors close and he can see his reflection, taking bats home so his pursuit of the perfect swing never ends -- comes from his father, Fernando, who pushed him relentlessly.

Arenado's athleticism and fearlessness -- whether it’s diving to his left to make a stop, ranging right and throwing to first from the coach’s box in foul territory or barreling into the stands after chasing a foul pop -- likely are a result of being the middle brother of three, part of a trio that was seemingly always drawing the ire of Fernando with their constant horseplay and roughhousing.

But the fire that burns deep within Arenado -- the one that still has him taking pitcher/hitter showdowns personally and has him striving for greatness even though his list of accomplishments is longer than a CVS receipt -- well, that came from Millie, Arenado’s Cuban/Puerto Rican mother from Queens, N.Y.

On Mother’s Day, Arenado is more thankful than ever for a mom who somehow gracefully blended a white-hot intensity with her unassuming, humble nature. Millie was never the "loud mom" or the overly braggadocios mother -- even though her son was the best player on every team he was a part of. And when high school-aged Nolan tended to be overlooked by recruiting rankings and some of the top travel teams in Southern California, Millie’s message was about as blunt as a ground ball to the gut: Work harder. 

As for fire that Arenado still plays with at 34 years old, that came naturally from a mother who served as his first baseman when he was taking grounders at third, as his rock when Minor League times were tough and as someone who would never cheer for another third baseman ahead of her own.

“My mom's super intense. She loves the game of baseball, she loves coming to my games -- well, she loves coming because of my daughter, to spend time with the family,” Arenado said, referring to wife Laura and 2 1/2-year-old daughter Levi. “But she's still super competitive and she doesn't like any other third basemen.”

Age, Arenado said, has somewhat cooled the fire that burns inside of him. But it still sparks from time to time -- and occasionally erupts -- to remind him of when he would use that energy to drive him and make him a more motivated player. The origin of that inner fire is undeniable, according to Arenado.

“When I was younger, I used to take things a lot more personal, like, ‘That pitcher really wants to beat me.’ So I took it very personal, and I think that's how my mom always looked at it,” Arenado said of Millie, a standout softball player herself after she had moved from New York to Southern California. “As you get older, you start to change a little, but I still get that [edge] from my mom, and I still have her intensity. The intensity is more from my mom's side.”

Recently, while Nolan was laying on the couch with Levi and watching a classic children’s movie, the star third baseman was reminded of a completely different side of his mother. As fiery and competitive as Millie could be when it came to the baseball careers of sons Fernando Jr., Nolan and Jonah, she could be equally as caring and loving away from the diamond. Nolan said one of the best memories of his childhood was the hours he and his mom would binge-watch movies.

“I’ll find myself laying on the couch with my daughter watching movies together, and I’ll think, ‘Man, my mom loved this movie so much way back when,’” recalled Nolan, who still considers the trip to the 2017 MLB All-Star Game in Miami -- along with proud parents Fernando and Millie -- to be one of his favorite baseball memories. “So, it's kind of cool laying there with my daughter and watching movies the same way that I did with my mom.

“It's a little different dynamic with my mom and my daughter than when I had all brothers, and we were a little crazier and getting in trouble too much. My daughter has my personality where she's a little hyper, but my mom loves that. She loves hanging out with her, playing sports with her and going for walks. You realize how important your mom is, but you don’t fully understand the levels of it. But then when you have kids, you realize, ‘Dang, she’s always here when I need her!’ So, I'm very thankful for my mom.”

How much of a difference-maker can catcher/designated hitter Iván Herrera potentially be to the Cardinals' lineup, now that he is back after missing more than a month with a knee injury? Well, he was the team leader in homers when his left knee buckled on April 6 -- and when he returned on Friday, he was still just one off the team lead (five, held by Willson Contreras and Lars Nootbaar).

Herrera’s bat is so valuable to the Cardinals that they hope to wedge him into the DH logjam while also easing him back into catching. Essentially, St. Louis wants Herrera hitting five or six days a week -- whether he’s catching or not.

To ensure that Herrera can get ample time at DH, the Cardinals made the bold decision to keep Pedro Pagés and Yohel Pozo on the roster as part of a three-catcher mix. Manager Oliver Marmol will be working creatively to get DH at-bats for Herrera, while also keeping Nolan Gorman, Alec Burleson and Contreras -- the other DH options -- sharp and fresh.

Herrera’s return meant there was no longer room on the roster for Luken Baker, who impressed the Cardinals with his ability to stay ready as a pinch-hitter. Baker’s right-handed at-bats -- a valuable commodity in a lineup loaded with lefties -- will now go to Pozo and, you guessed it, Herrera.

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