9781422273777

BALLPARK GREATS PRO BASEBALL’S BEST PLAYERS

ARENADO GREG BACH NOLAN

BALLPARK GREATS PRO BASEBALL’S BEST PLAYERS

Christian Yelich Justin Verlander Max Scherzer Mike Trout Nolan Arenado

BALLPARK GREATS PRO BASEBALL’S BEST PLAYERS

NOLAN ARENADO

GREG BACH

MASON CREST PHILADELPHIA MIAMI

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4442-5

ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4434-0 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7377-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bach, Greg, author. | Mason Crest Publishers. Title: Nolan Arenado / Greg Bach. Description: Broomall, Pennsylvania : Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc., 2020. | Series: Ballpark greats: Pro baseball’s best players | Includes webography. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019035066 | ISBN 9781422244425 (Hardback) | ISBN 9781422273777 (eBook) | ISBN 9781422244340 (Series) Subjects: LCSH: Arenado, Nolan, 1991—Juvenile literature. | Hispanic American baseball players—Biography—Juvenile literature. | Baseball players—United States—Biography. | Infielders (Baseball)—United States—Biography. | Colorado Rockies (Baseball team)—History. | Rawlings Gold Glove Award. | Major League Baseball (Organization)—History. | Baseball third baseman. Classification: LCC GV865.A74 B34 2020 | DDC 796.357092 [B]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019035066

Developed and Produced by National Highlights Inc. Editor: Andrew Luke Production: Crafted Content LLC

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CONTENTS

Series Glossary of Key Terms 72 Further Reading & Internet Resources 75 Index 76 Author Biography & Credits 79

Chapter 1: Greatest Moments 7 Chapter 2: The Road to the Top 21 Chapter 3: On the Diamond 35 Chapter 4: Words Count 47 Chapter 5: Off the Diamond 61

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing themwith additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sportsmoments, andmuchmore! Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

menace: a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger propensity: natural tendency to behave in a particular way scintillating: shining brightly; brilliantly lively or stimulating venerable: revered, hallowed, famed, renowned

6

Chapter 1

Greatest Moments Dynamic in the Dirt Nolan Arenado’s first seven seasons in the major leagues have been marked by performances never seen before in the history of baseball, laying the foundation for a career that appears destined to some day wind up at the Hall of Fame. The Colorado Rockies’ third baseman has turned in more great plays than Shakespeare, as his highlight reel of impossible-to-believe acrobatics continues to grow and amaze. Thanks to footwork that would make a ballerina smile, Arenado routinely glides to his left to gobble up would-be base hits, and he is equally efficient diving to his right to make backhanded stabs of balls hit down the third-base line. To top it all off, he possesses a lethal arm capable of making throws few can and in the process, sending hitters back to the dugout muttering in disbelief. Whether he’s kneeling in the infield dirt, bare-handing a slow roller in the grass, drifting backward, going airborne, or off balance on one leg, Arenado’s spectacular playmaking has announcers around the league running out of superlatives to describe his plays.

7

Arenado won a Gold Glove his rookie season, becoming the first National League third baseman to pull off that feat ever. And he has won the award every season since, hoarding seven of the prestigious awards so far. To put this golden run into context, consider that Hall of Fame third basemen Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Wade Boggs never did that to start their careers. Robinson does, however, hold the record at the position with 16 straight. Arenado brings more than spectacular fielding to the ballpark, though. He is a genuine headache for pitchers with his game-changing power. Three times he has led or tied for the National League lead in home runs (HR), including in 2015, when he blasted a career-high 42 of them, and twice he has led the major leagues in Runs Batted In (RBI). During a glorious two-season stretch (2015 and 2016), he drove in 263 runs while bombing 83 homers.

The five-time All-Star and four-time National League Silver Slugger Award winner has been a consistent presence at the plate, hitting a sturdy .294, .309, and .297 from 2016 to 2018. Plus, he is proficient on the base paths, as his National League–leading 43 doubles in 2017 shows. He’s also just the second third baseman in major league history with at least 75 extra-base hits in four consecutive seasons.

Arenado entertains fans arriving at Coors Field not only with his bat but with his glove as well.

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Nolan Arenado

Greatest Career Moments

Here is a list of some of Arenado’s

career firsts and greatest achievements during his time in MLB:

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CHAPTER 1: GREATEST MOMENTS

Captures SEVENTH Straight Gold Glove Award Nolan Arenado began the 2019 season as the only infielder in major league history to start his career with six straight Gold Gloves, and thanks to another season of scintillating play, he collected his seventh award at the conclusion of the season. His streak is the second longest in major league history, trailing only former Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s 10 straight to begin his career. He is also the most-decorated fielder in the history of the Colorado Rockies. Outfielder Larry Walker has five Gold Gloves in his trophy case. Arenado was able to beat out finalists Anthony Rendon of the Washington Nationals and Josh Donaldson of the Atlanta Braves to win number seven. Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles holds the record for

consecutive Gold Gloves won by a third baseman with 16.

Nolan Arenado became the first infielder in major league history to begin a career winning seven straight Gold Gloves.

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Nolan Arenado

Voted All-Star Game Starter for the First Time

Arenado was well established in the league going into the 2017 season. He was coming off back-to-back seasons leading the National League (NL) in home runs and total bases and the majors in RBI. Despite this, Arenado had never been voted as a starter to the NL All-Star team. This was the season that changed. Of course, with the numbers he had been putting up the previous two seasons, Arenado had been selected to play in the last two All-Star games, but in 2017, the fans finally took notice and gave him what he deserved. Arenado did not disappoint. He had two at bats in the game, picking up a single both times in a 2–1 NL loss.

Arenado finished the season as strongly as he started it. He hit a career high .309 with 37 home runs and had his third straight 130-RBI season. He also had a career high in hits, leading the league in doubles.

Arenado picked up a couple of hits as a first-time All-Star game starter.

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CHAPTER 1: GREATEST MOMENTS

Hammers 200th Career Home Run

The first two months of Arenado’s 2019 season bore a strong resemblance to his previous four years, a terrific sign for him and Rockies’ fans everywhere, and a heaping pile of not-so-great news for opposing pitchers. Arenado had been a menace at the plate, hammering 158 balls out of the park from 2015 to 2018, and there appeared to be little chance that torrid pace would decline anytime soon as the 2019 season commenced. In a late May game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third inning and yanked pitcher Andrew Cashner’s first pitch deep into the left field seats for his 14th home run of the young season and—most impressively—number 200 in a career that continues to dazzle. The milestone blast,

which scored three runs to nudge the Rockies ahead 4–3 in a game they would eventually lose 9–6, was projected to have traveled 394 feet.

Nolan Arenado belted the 200th HR of his career in a 9–6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles during the second month of the season in 2019.

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Nolan Arenado

Sets Colorado Franchise Record with 28-game Hitting Streak During an April afternoon game against the visiting Chicago White Sox in the 2014 season, Arenado produced an infield single in the third inning of a game the Rockies would go on to win 10–5. The hit, which scored Carlos Gonzáles, turned out to be the start of a 28-game hitting streak that ranks as the best in the Colorado franchise’s history. It was also the longest hitting streak in the major leagues that season. During his hitting spree, Arenado batted a healthy .360 (40-for-111) with 11 doubles, four homers, and 20 RBI. He also scored 16 runs. Michael Cuddyer’s 27-game hitting streak in 2013 had been the previous best in Rockies’ history. Arenado’s streak ended in a 4–3 loss at Cincinnati

during the second week of May. He went 0-for-3 against Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto, and in the top of the ninth inning against Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton, with his last chance to keep

Nolan Arenado produced a franchise-record 28-game hitting streak during the 2014 season.

the streak alive, he drew a walk.

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CHAPTER 1: GREATEST MOMENTS

Hits First Major League Home Run Arenado couldn’t have picked a more fitting stadium, or opponent, in which to register his memory-making first major league home run. Growing up in Lake Forest, California—just 50 miles south of venerable Dodger Stadium (which has been the backdrop to some of the most goose bump–producing moments in baseball history), where his favorite childhood team played—Arenado stepped to the plate in just his second game as a major leaguer early in the 2013 season and sent a Josh Wall pitch over the center field wall for a two-run home run in the fifth inning. An inning earlier,he had collected his first major league hit, a single off Wall that loaded the bases in a game the Rockies would comfortably tuck away by a 12–2 margin. Arenado put the finishing touches on a night to remember

by adding another single in the ninth inning off the Dodgers’ Skip Schumaker for a three-hit game.

Nolan Arenado hit his first major league HR at Dodger Stadium against Josh Wall on April 29, 2013.

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Nolan Arenado

Leads National League in Home Runs for Third Time

Arenado had to share his first two National League home run titles, but 2018 was a different story—in more ways than one. The Rockies finished the season tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the West Division, forcing a one-game playoff in Los Angeles to decide the division winner. Heading into that game Arenado led the home run race, but he was just one dinger ahead of teammate Trevor Story. In the top of the ninth inning, with the Rockies trailing 5–0, Arenado blasted a solo homer off Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen for his 38th homer. He needed it to secure the solo home run crown because Story followed that at bat by hitting a solo homer as well off Jansen in Colorado’s 5–2 loss. In 2015, Arenado’s 42 homers tied Bryce

Harper for the National League lead, and in 2016, Chris Carter equaled his 41 home runs.

Nolan Arenado led the National League in home runs in 2018 with 38.

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CHAPTER 1: GREATEST MOMENTS

First Career Grand Slam It took Arenado a grand total of six major league games to do what most players never do during their entire careers: belt a grand slam. Arenado’s blast off David Price of Tampa Bay during his rookie season in 2013 would turn out to be one of five he has already collected in his young career. His propensity to put the ball in the seats when the bases are full has already put him just two grand slams behind Todd Helton, Colorado’s all-time leader with seven. In 2018, Arenado hit his first grand slam away from Coors Field in a 5–4 loss at St. Louis. He also hit a grand slam against the Cardinals in 2016. He tagged the New York Mets for a grand slam during the 2014 season, and in 2015, his 40th home run of the season was a grand slam off Brett Anderson of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam in his sixth game as a major league player, and he already has five of them in his career.

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Nolan Arenado