SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Nolan Arenado asked questions. Lots of them. A staggering amount, according to his agent.
Once the 27-year-old third baseman acquired the answers needed, it became clear to Arenado he didn’t need to experience the allure of MLB free agency. He wanted to be in Colorado if the Rockies were willing to make the kind of commitment worthy of keeping the four-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove winner.
“At the end of the day, my heart was here,” Arenado said Wednesday, a day after agreeing to a $260 million, eight-year contract.
Arenado chose the certainty and potential of the Rockies over the uncertainty of a free-agent market that has been hard to predict the past couple of seasons. He is sticking with the team that first drafted him in June 2009 in the hope of following former Colorado first baseman Todd Helton’s path and being a fixture in Denver for his entire career.
“Believe me, I educated myself a lot on what I really wanted, and I just felt like this was the best thing for me,” Arenado said. “I love playing with this group. I think we have a great group. I really believe we can win. I wouldn’t make this decision if I didn’t believe that.”