Years from now, what transpired in the baseball world on Jan. 29, 2021, will be remembered as the Friday Night Heist. The Cardinals held up the aimless Rockies for their best player, made Colorado fork over $50 million to cover their tracks and left behind an undisclosed bundle of mid-tier prospects for their troubles. Pleasure doing business.
Of course, the intricacies of the Nolan Arenado trade are far more complex than Wild West stagecoach robberies of Colorado lore. Among other things, the two teams still need to sort out: Arenado’s no-trade clause, his opt-outs (at least one, probably two), the deferred payments, a possible extension and the specific St.