HONOLULU, Hawaii — "If anyone is looking for a 2x gold glove winner send me a dm"
That's how now former Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong captioned his celebratory Gold Glove Instagram post on Tuesday after it was announced he had won his second consecutive award at his position.
The Cardinals declined Wong's 2021 option worth $12.5 million last week, but said they were keeping the door open to possibly bring back one of their most consistent producers from the past two seasons.
That door looks to be quickly closing, if it's not all the way closed already.
Wong talked with Rob DeMello of KHON in Hawaii after winning his second Gold Glove, and in typical Kolten Wong fashion, he spoke his mind.
"Kind of looking back on my career with the Cardinals, I gave everything I had. I left everything on the field with them. I wanted to win a World Series and it just didn't happen. But after kind of being let go and whatnot It kind of opened my eyes to see there's other teams out there that really respect me, really want me to be a part of their team and help that team grow," Wong told DeMello. "And in a later stage of my career that's kind of want I do. I want to be the guy to show kids how to play the game the right way, how to win championships, how to be in the playoffs, how to get to the playoffs, and I hope the next team I play for can see that."
So what does Wong want in a new team?
The 30-year-old told DeMello he just wants to "continue to do his thing," mentioning how Cardinals manager Mike Shildt let him do just that, giving him the keys to second base, and letting him take ownership of it.
There is quite a bit of uncertainty around baseball heading into this offseason, given many owners' desires to reduce payroll in part, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But Wong said he's already heard from some teams and doesn't want to rush a fit.
"It's kind of up in the air. I'm not in a rush. I've had conversations with teams already, so I know I'll have a job next year so it's one of those things where I'm trying to find the right fit and somebody who really wants to be a part of their team," Wong told DeMello.