Kids Press Conference: Winter Warm-Up 2024 | St. Louis Cardinals

Lars Nootbaar, John King, and Andre Pallante answer questions asked by kids at Winter Warm-Up 2024.

Are we ready to introduce our players I was going to say we’re missing a key ingredient to a press conference our players we’ve got two of them to start out we may be adding a third here in a minute please welcome to the stage John King and Lars [Applause]

Nbar all right Emily and Company are out there with questions I’m going to shuttle my mic over to the players here and we will get going my name is Christian I’m 11 years old and this is for a new bar what professional athlete inspired you growing up as a kid what professional

Athlete what professional athlete what was it what professional athlete inspired you growing up as a kid oh I think for me growing up in La Kobe Bryant was a big one for me you know I think his work ethic and uh how he went about his business he was

Somebody that kind of inspired me so I’d probably say Kobe Bryant thank you for sharing hi my name is James I’m 11 years old and this is tar Nar what M Mo player would you enjoy playing with the most you’re going to make me pick between my teammates that’s kind of

Tough um I think I’ll give you I I’ll give you a different answer I’ll go Albert Pool I think because growing up he debuted in 2001 I was born in 19 1997 and so my whole entire life basically he was the best player in the big leagues

And um for me to be able to play with him watch him and you know build a relationship with him it was pretty cool so I’d probably say Albert PS hi my name is Adeline and I’m seven years old this question’s for new how did you get so much subscribers on [Laughter]

Instagram hey adelyn how are you doing um that’s a great that’s a uh that’s a great question um all you got to do is be teammates with SH Otani go play in Japan and then next thing you know you’ll wake up and you’ll have a million

Followers so that’s all you got to do that’s all it takes I’m Lizzy and I’m 10 years old and this is for both of you what player would you play with non-cardinal dead or live was it Dead or Alive any player you want to play

With oh I think Nolan Ryan would be a good one uh growing up in Texas just watching him and how he went about his business and he’s arguably the best pitcher of all time I think that would be mine hey uh I’m Phillip and I’m 14 uh this is

For both of y’all what is your off day routine off day routine it depends on where we’re at I like to wake up early I’ll read my Bible I’ll uh get a cup of coffee um if we’re on the beach or by water I love going down by the water um

Walking around Town exploring hanging out with the guys we usually do like a team dinner too on our off days and and that’s always a lot of fun my off day routine a little bit different I like to I like to sleep in a little bit you know we don’t we don’t

Get a lot of rest so I like to sleep in a little bit but yeah same thing with him you know you know I like to hang out um give my body a day to recover you know when I was younger you’d always be working I mean you’re still working work

Working the offseason but during the season you like to give your body a break so for me I’m sleeping in um get my body a break and then you know like John said hopefully going out getting a nice dinner relaxing a little bit kind of taking your mind away from baseball thank

You um my name is Parker I’m 11 and my question is for both of you what do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t playing baseball another great question um I worked in I worked I was a manual laborer in 2020 so I have a little bit

Experience doing that so maybe something like that um I always think that if I wasn’t playing baseball I’d have my degree one semester away so still working for that um but maybe like a athletic director something like that something in sports I really do enjoy being around Sports and you know kind of

Helping the youth place play you know so that’s probably something I’d do and I like work kids I I’ve uh I used my first job was in Usher at a uh Minor League Stadium down in Houston and uh I was in charge of like the uh the kids

Area um so there’s like a bounce house and like a little like throwing section and stuff um but I gave lessons a lot in high school college and then when I was in the minor leagues um so I would think something in coaching all right thank you

Guys hello my name is kayen I’m 13 years old and what would you guys be um wait what is your favorite thing to do in St Louis on off day favorite thing to do in St Louis o see I’m new to St Louis I got traded in August I think my favorite

Thing I think seeing the arch for the first time was I think the coolest thing I’ve done yeah for me I like seeing the Arts is cool I like going to the zoo Forest Park in general you know I like I like going over there and then also um you

Know if Nolan or Goldie invites me Andre Palante welcome if Nolan and Goldie goes in invites me to uh to go play golf with them I like doing that too hey Palante answer the question what’s your favorite thing about St Louis to to do um come to Cardinal

Games thank you guys on the off day oh uh eat barbecue all right thank you guys we had a good Rhythm before Palante came up here but my name’s Harrison and I’m 9 years old this one’s for Lars Lars can you tell us about world the World Baseball

Classic yeah that was um just you know to adeline’s question that was kind of what helped my Instagram out but um it was uh it was an unbelievable experience I got to play in front of my family that I’ve never played in front of in Japan

Got to play with a lot of amazing teammates um and I built a lot of great friendships over there um that was the coolest part you know about it for me was was kind of the whole experience winning it was great coming back here and playing against

Nolan and Goldie wo and miles in the championship that was awesome but um now after it’s over I’m still friends with a lot of those guys and so that’s probably the coolest part and um watching Otani take batting practice was probably the other coolest part also when you’re done can you sign my

Baseball I think we could probably make that work I think we could probably make that work thanks hi my name is Nolan I’m 8 years old and what is it like playing with Nolan arado and Nolan Gorman maybe you’ll be our teammate one day too Nolan um I’ll let these guys speak on

Behalf of that for me I’ll say for Gorman it’s unbelievable I was able to play with him in the minor leagues and and uh watch him develop and you know watch him hit a lot of home runs but playing with Nolan arnado is special but um offensively we always see it but

These guys can kind of attest to the defense and him saving them some runs yeah it’s nice when uh I try to keep the ball on the ground and anything hit to the left side knock on wood I usually don’t turn around and look I

Just know it’s going to be an out um so that’s nice from marinado and then to watch Gorman hit all those home runs um has been really special to watch yeah same thing uh it helps me get on TV because when aado makes his amazing plays sometimes I’m on the mound

And I get to see me for a little bit um and then Gorman we got to play together in double A and 21 so I got to know him really well and he’s a great teammate lar n Bar my name is Sophia and I’m 9 years

Old L new bar what is it like to feel like when you hit a home run what does it feel like when I hit a home run yeah it feels it feels amazing I don’t even I don’t feel my legs running around um I don’t do it very often I’m going to try

And work on hitting on doing that more this year but so when I do it it’s it’s an amazing feeling um hearing the crowd you know get excited about it you can just feel that energy and um I mean truthfully we we got the best fans in

Baseball so when you hear them Roar it’s it’s a special feeling so I really love doing it thanks so my name is Nick and I’m 9 years old what have you done to get ready for this season so this can be for anybody what do you do to get ready for the

Season so we’re all in our hometowns right now and we’re all training and uh talking to the coaches and stuff staff and the guys and seeing what we got to work on and doing that every single day to get better to help us uh have a a great season this

Year yeah it’s a lot of training a lot of hours in the gym and uh at the baseball field you know improving the small things that you can do to help yourself just be a little bit better I’m kayen I’m 10 years old what was it why Ken your first baseball this

For you n sorry one more time um what was it like hitting your first baseball hey I can answer this one too well I was four years old uh it wasn’t moving it was on a te and I’m pretty sure it just I actually hit the T

But the ball rolled forward a little bit and I was thrown out at first base it was pretty cool experience this is why we’re pitchers I can’t remember the first time I hit a baseball I I just remember in t-ball in the last game of the season I

Lined out to the third baseman off the tea I’ll never forget it I remember the guy’s name Brian Guerrero he just crushed me that year so that’s something that I’ll never forget but uh but yeah I don’t remember the first time I ever hit

One um my name is Carson and I’m 8 years old and this is for w new what is it like in the MLB what is it like in the MLB it’s pretty it’s pretty cool um I enjoy it uh it’s it’s it’s a lot of fun

It’s a lot of hard work though um I think I think a lot of times people think that it’s just you know a lot of uh Glitz and glamour but you know a lot of the time um you know we’re working hard and we’re hard on ourselves but but

Um I think you know even with all that I think we can stand up here and say that um we have the best job in the world and so if you like baseball um I would advise you to work as hard as you can so

One day you can play in Bush Stadium and uh and have our jobs thank you hi I’m Jacob and I’m 11 years old and this is for new bar where did you come up with your celebration the the one from last year or the pepper grinder one the pepper

Grinder the pepper grinder one I get a lot of credit for that and um unfortunately he’s now a rival he’s on the Rangers but Andrew kizner the backup catcher for us he uh he actually came up with that when we were in Toronto in

2022 so um he he he was like the class clown he was the jokester and he was always coming up with our celebration so Andrew kizner is actually the one that uh that came up with that celebration okay hi my name is Grayson I’m 12 years old this one’s for

Palante what is your pitching routine like in the off like off season or like noname days uh well getting ready for the season the offseason I kind of separated into three blocks um I usually take a couple weeks off from throwing um and then after that I start throwing

Building up the long toss and I throw a ball as far and as hard as I can for about 3 to four weeks oh never mind my bad on a game day uh show up to the field and I usually work with the trainers a little bit to get

The flexibility in my arm and my uh my lower body going um and then it’s uh shagging all the home runs that Lars hits and batting practice um and then usually it’s kind of just staying mobile and staying moving on game day or until the game starts and then just watch the

Game and get ready to start moving the bullpen when uh the starting pitcher looks like they need some assistance all right and can you sign my jersey hey what was that can you sign my jersey after this of course send it up here my name is Ben and I’m 9 years old

This one’s for all of you what inspired you to play for the major leagues um I started playing baseball when I was really young it was something that my dad dad and I connected with uh over the years um I took it serious but I didn’t

Really know if it was going to be a career I think until College it started taking off I really learned uh work ethic and discipline um and it’s not about trying to make it somewhere I think it’s just challenging yourself to get the most out of yourself every

Single day can I do this this and this every day to accomplish my goals and if you stack those little days over time it becomes you know maybe a lifelong dream Lars has got to uh leave so let’s have a a nice hand for Lars but uh stay here

Because uh Andre and John are going to stick around for a while thank you Lars thank you guys so much thank [Applause] you my name is my name is reys and I’m 9 years old and this one’s for both of you how many years have you been playing in the

MLB what was that how many years have you been playing in the MLB oh I’ve been playing like parts of Four Seasons so I I had a interesting debut year I came up in 2020 the co year so I made my debut in Seattle with no

Fans and it was so weird so crazy uh but parts of Four Season Seasons uh I came up I debuted with the team on opening day in 20202 2022 so I’ve had two years in the big leagues and uh every single day is as good as the first one it’s all the

Best experience of my life can you guys sign my jersey after this you know it my name is Cory Wilson I’m 9 years old this one is for John King what is your favorite Park to pitch in ooh I like the older Parks I have to say

One Bush Stadium I never pitched in Bush Stadium till I was a cardinal so we never played the Cardinals I was the Rangers for three seasons so that was like an awesome experience just the atmosphere of the crowd the the stadium the backdrop of the arch is awesome um

Away from Bush Stadium probably finway Park I like the history of it and just it’s kind of surreal being on that field and seeing the green monster behind you and just all the history that’s been there okay can you sign my ball I got you hi my name is Murphy

Um I’m 8 years old and this is for John King what was it like to get traded it was a weird experience it was pretty crazy I I was drafted by Texas in 2017 so like that was the only organization I knew um so when I got that call that day um

Two days later I was pitching at Bush Stadium for a whole whole new team whole new crowd all new teammates but uh the transition was great these guys in the locker room especially this guy sitting next to me they they really made an effort to make me feel like I was part

Of the team really quick and it really helped me get comfortable and have confidence and in where I was my name is Hudson and I’m 8 years old what is your favorite baseball movie for Everyone movie movie uh mine’s definitely The Sandlot um it’s probably one of the best movies in general I think and uh I’d say my favorite scene of that movie is when they’re making the s’mores I was going to say sand lot tube I I’ll change it up I’ll say League mine is

Two I’m Casey I’m 14 what is your favorite snack in The Dugout in The Dugout o we have these high chewes you ever had them oh those are my favorite uh so for both the last two seasons I’ve been kind of the youngest

Guy on the team so when we go out to the bullpen it’s my job to bring all the snack snacks um so I’m very well versed in a lot of them but I would say my favorite is probably just plain licorice hello my name is Lydia and I’m

11 what do you do in the off season to stay Healy we work out so we we take a few weeks off at the end of the season to kind of like recover our bodies cuz it’s such a long season uh both mentally and physically uh and then we all have like

Trainers or places we train to work out work on arm recovery for pitchers just keep our body loose and and healthy get ready for the season uh I think uh for me I like the big thing for helping me stay healthy I think is we have a lot of equipment at

The field field like ice baths and saunas and small stuff like that you’re able to do that just kind of helps your body increase blood flow for the out of recovery so I really like the ice bath thank you my name is Diego I’m 14 uh why did

You guys or why do you guys pick your jersey numbers we why did you guys pick your jersey numbers JY so uh I showed up to Bush jum and they had the number on my jersey already and that became the most important number of my

Life see for me mine’s 47 so I I took Jordan Montgomery’s uh jersey number um it was just gifted gifted to me so um but I’m going to do the most of that number thank you my name is Matthew and this is my my name is Matthew and my age is seven d

For both for you what was your favorite NFL team growing up mine was the Houston Texans and how about that game yesterday huh up uh I didn’t really have too much of a favorite team but uh this year was my first time playing uh fantasy football

And so uh I really fell in love with a lot of the players on my team um so I had we had a good amount of Cowboys players so I know that’s not very popular but yeah yeah hi my name is Hannah I’m 11 years old and what was your guys’s favorite

Major league baseball team growing up mine’s a very unpopular opinion and my or I guess back I grew up in Houston so mine was a Houston Astros I know uh I grew up in uh pretty much Anaheim California so the Angels it was cool I got to see Albert play thank you Alber

Yeah hi my name is Tristan I’m 12 years old and this is to both of you what is your superstition something you do before every game you have one right yeah you so with mine I have a few but one when I’m going onto the mound and when

I’m coming off the mound I’ll never step on the first base or third base line yeah I also you can’t step on lines that’s that’s pretty much the common theme um I would say uh I told our Bullpen coach just make sure you say something looks really good when I’m out

There getting warm that’s kind of my super I need that a little bit of confidence boost before I go on the field also Andre can you sign my baseball most certainly I can my name is Noah and I’m eight and my question is um for Andre Palante who is

Your favorite MLB player of all time favorite MLB player of all time so as a kid is different than it is now after getting to play with uh some of these players Adam way W became my favorite player he was one of the best teammates I ever had and uh it’s going

To be sad not have him around this year can you sign my cap after okay we’re uh w we got time for two more questions so my name is lo and and I am 6 years old and my question is for both of you what’s your favorite color cardinal

Red and I’ll say uh that the Cardinal cream I think those are my favorite [Applause] uniforms okay last one hi my name is Claire and I’m seven wait eight years old and this question is for both of you do you have any pets actually so I grew up with German

Shepherds and uh funny enough my mom just uh rescued a German shepher she’s 3 months old from Dallas where I live so she’s at my house right now and I’m taking care of her until the season I never had any uh like my pets were all when I was really young and I

Had a goldfish and I named it crazy uh because it just swam all over the place and then before that I had a bird named Charlo and I like the bird so much better than my sister I started calling uh my sister Charlo act hoping she would act more like the bird very

Good well uh those were some great questions we sure appreciated it and uh if we didn’t get to you maybe next year thanks to John and Andre for your for your time thank you guys