Outside The Confines: Nolan Arenado is worth how much?!

The easy joke (and you guys know I’m no stranger to making the easy joke) is to say the St. Louis Cardinals got Nolan Arenado for a handful of change and some unwrapped mints they found in the GM’s couch, because that’s certainly the way fans and writers seemed to react to the news as it hit.

Arenado, a five-time All-Star and defensive wunderkind, has spent his entire eight-year career in Colorado, but for at least half of that time has been plagued by rumors of an impending trade. At last, that trade happened on Friday evening, and the Rockies... well, the Rockies basically paid the Cardinals to take him.

The deal saw Arenado heading to St. Louis, along with $50 million. In doing so, he waived his no-trade agreement, suggesting what many had believed for some time: that he was ready to leave the Rockies. In return, the Rockies didn’t even touch any of the Cardinals top ten prospects (you can read more about the deal in the top links below.)

Needless to say, seems like perhaps more teams should have been lined up to get one of the best third basemen in baseball.

• Matt Martell looks at the ludicrous return the Rockies got in return for one of their biggest stars, and by ludicrous I do not mean ludicrously good.
• David Schoenfield breaks down what the Cardinals might be able to expect from their new superstar.
• Nick Groke suggests Arenado is just the latest in a long line of star players who have burnt out in Colorado. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Ben Clemens takes an analytical look at the Arenado trade.
• Kim Ng stands alone in her field as the first woman — and person of color — to take a GM role after a long line of white men got the jobs before hers, writes James Wagner.
• It looks as though Masahiro Tanaka wanted to stick around with the Yankees, shares Pete Caldera.
• The Blue Jays are all in on this season and might suddenly be the most fun team in the AL East. Michael Baumann takes a look at their bold new strategy to spend big.
• We all have regrets. Will Leitch looks at one current player every club wishes they could have back.
• Sometimes the numbers mean more than we know.

• Aside from the Arenado trade, the big discussion point in baseball right now is the potential for a delayed start to spring. Buster Olney looks at what a delayed start might mean for everyone involved.
• Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich give the details on what the MLPBA and MLB are trying to hash out with the most recent proposals for 2021. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Michael Rosenberg thinks everyone — including Curt himself — is wrong about Curt Schilling.
• Craig Edwards, whose work we’ve shared a lot here, is saying goodbye to FanGraphs for a new opportunity.
• Trevor Bauer was supposed to be the hottest free agent this hot stove season, and yet no one seems to be biting yet. Mike Axisa looks at the truth of rumored landing spots, and whether Bauer will get that payday he longs for.
• Ryan Hockensmith has the story of CC Sabathia’s honest and difficult road to sobriety.
• Martenzie Johnson looks at how a court-martial almost ruined Jackie Robinson’s career.
• Start ‘em young

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.