All weekend at the 2016 Winter Warmup for the St. Louis Cardinals, players were asked about Jason Heyward's comments about an aging core in St. Louis and if they accepted it or not. Starting pitcher Adam Wainwright accepted the fact that he was "older and a little wiser" but wouldn't let it dictate his future performance.
"Nobody likes being called old right? They are right though. We are aging and becoming more wise. Learning our bodies better. Someone has to get old. The more people talk about it though, the more we laugh because we know guys like Matt Holliday will produce."
Is it fair to overlook the Cards young talent though? "It's fair because for years it's been Yadi, Matt and I. However, it's the same thing when it was Rolen, Eckstein, and Reggie Sanders. All those guys become old at some point and pass the baton at some point. That will happen with Grichuk, Piscotty and Wong."
Are Cards the underdog? "They beat us in the postseason. So they earned that right. It's not something we go home and write on the wall as motivation. We relish the chance to prove people wrong. Always have."
Waino isn't forgetting about the Pirates. "It's dangerous to just look at the Cards and Cubs and not the Pirates. Andrew McCutchen and that talented group over there."
What can the "older" group offer? "I still feel pretty young. Better than I did three years ago. I'm not looking at the end yet. I'm not retiring in the next year or two."
D
oes Waino still feel a push from young guys? "Oh yeah. It's fun competing. In weight room and in the field. Constantly competing."
Wainwright likes to think you can replace John Lackey's lost innings with him. "You are losing things but you are also gaining things. The jolt from Piscotty at the end of the year. Randal was leading the ROY race at one point. I want to see it."
Waino revisited the 2006 World Series team, another underdog, near the end. "If we could just get healthy and get in, we had a chance. We had Chris Carpenter. If we had to win one game, we had Carp. It was a special time. The team hadn't won since 1982."
When asked what goes through his mind when someone calls him old, Waino was succinct. "There is a little bit of oh yeah I'll show you that comes out."
Waino is very excited about Mike Leake. "He's one of the best athletes in baseball. He can handle the bat and that changes the approach of the other pitcher. He competes. I talked to Skip and Broxton. He's got more in the tank and just learned a new cutter."
Adam Wainwright doesn't support the DH in the NL and shot down the reasons for the implementation in the NL due to a pitcher like himself getting hurt while hitting. "My Achilles could have popped doing anything. It doesn't change my mind about baseball."
There isn't a straighter shooter than Wainwright. A lot of players like to hide things or not be as forthcoming in front of the media but Waino has nothing to hide. He relishes the Cubs challenge and has a rested arm and an attitude that few can match in the league.
PHOTOS: HD videoboards being installed at Busch Stadium
PHOTOS: 2016 Cardinals Care Winter Warm-up
