Which Cardinal is the best vacation buddy? Babysitter for your kids? We asked them.

Spring training is an important time for setting proper expectations for players in the coming season, figuring out who can be trusted to deliver in which spots, and carefully calibrating the right amount of trouble to give your teammates on a given day.

To that end, several Cardinals players and their manager were willing to participate in this year’s spring training survey of crucial questions that may or may not have needed a serious answer.

Oli Marmol, Nolan Arenado, Harrison Bader, Dylan Carlson, Corey Dickerson, Tommy Edman, Dakota Hudson, Miles Mikolas, Lars Nootbaar, Nick Wittgren and a special guest were this year’s contributors.

Who would be the best and worst teammate to join on vacation?

• Mikolas: “Jordan (Hicks) would be tough. I don’t know if he could stick to the schedule that I want to stick to. He’s kind of on his own schedule. You know, tour bus leaves at eight, you got to be up on the bus. He’s a late sleeper.”
• Arenado: “Worst guy, probably Harry (Bader). He’s a little too much for me. In a good way ... (best), probably Goldy (Paul Goldschmidt), because he’s pretty quiet and so am I. We’d probably just sit there and be awkward and enjoy what we’re doing.”
• Nootbaar: “Best maybe (Andrew) Knizner because he’s pure entertainment, but also worst might be Knizner as well. I was gonna say Two Eight (for best), maybe Nolan, but you know what? I didn’t crack his list, so he ain’t gonna crack mine, you know what I mean? Now he’s getting closer to the worst.”
• Bader: “If I’m trying to do anything fun and sight see, the best one would be Knizner. He’s down for anything. The worst one would be Paul (DeJong). Just because it’s easy to pick on Paul.”
• Marmol: “That’s a tough one. Not doing this one.”

Which one of your teammates who doesn’t have children would you trust to babysit your kids?

• Hudson: “(Ryan) Helsley. I’ve seen him. He’s got a niece.”
• Wittgren: “I don’t think (Drew) VerHagen has kids.”
• Dickerson: “I don’t know who all doesn’t have kids.”
• Mikolas: “I don’t think anyone in this locker room would be dangerous. I think we’re all smarter than that. That being said, I’d like to see Bader watch kids. Yeah, Bader and Hicks. I think they might be safest with a guy like Tommy Edman though.”
• Marmol: “I would go with ... (a long pause, during which he chuckled at and mentally discarded several candidates) ... I would go with Edman.”

Who’s someone an average fan may not recognize on the street today but will a year from now?

• Edman: “Dickey right here (gesturing to Dickerson, listening from close by). After he hits 40 bombs this year, everyone’s going to be yelling his name on the street.”
• Nootbaar: “Steven Matz, no doubt. Knizner was just saying he’s like a quiet superstar, but maybe in St. Louis he’s not as recognizable.”
• Bader: “I’m gonna say (Jake) Walsh. Walshie.”
• Arenado: “Probably, like, (Nolan) Gorman, somebody like that who’s gonna be a stud. (Tyler) O’Neill.”
• Mikolas: “Dakota Hudson. Or Adam Wainwright.” (Mikolas clarified Wainwright is recognizable in St. Louis, but maybe would pick up a national profile.)

Who was your favorite professional wrestler when you were a child?

• Hudson: “Triple H.”
• Mikolas: “We didn’t do wrestling. (Hudson leans over to Mikolas and whispers ‘say Rey Mysterio’). I’ll just throw Hulk Hogan out there because he’s a big wrestling name. That Andre the Giant documentary was super neat.”
• Dickerson: “Stone Cold Steve Austin.”
• Edman: “Pro wrestling? I haven’t *ever* watched wrestling.”
• Carlson: “Good question. I’ve gotta say, probably, The Rock, I guess.”

What was the first concert you ever attended, and how old were you?

• Arenado: “Switchfoot, back in the day. I was probably eight or something. With my dad.”
• Carlson: “Florida Georgia Line. Eighteen. Never really went to any growing up.”
• Dickerson: “Shinedown, in high school.” (Dickerson chimed in with “Celine Dion” during Edman’s interview before walking his answer back).
• Wittgren: “Jon Bon Jovi. I think I was like 10.”
• Former Cardinal Andrew Miller: Via text message, in the midst of congratulations on his retirement: “Sister Hazel or Charlie Daniels.”
• Marmol: “Brian McKnight at the House of Blues. I was 16. (I took) my wife. It was our first year of dating. I was 16, she was 18.”

Which road trip do you circle every year when the schedule is released?

• Nootbaar: “I’ll enjoy going to any new place that I haven’t been to, for sure ... Oh, I can’t wait (for Boston and Toronto). Watched a game in Fenway when I was younger and I’ve never been to Canada.”
• Dickerson: “Honestly, I’ve never liked to know who we’re playing. Always liked Atlanta. And then some west coast things, like going back and playing in Colorado or LA and San Diego, playing in my old division.”
• Hudson: “I know we’re going to Toronto. That’s one. I’ve hardly traveled out of the country.”
• Carlson: “The first one’s always a good one, you know? Get the season going. We play the AL East this year so there’s some cities in there that will definitely be intriguing, no doubt.”
• Edman: “I always like going back to San Diego. We like going to Chicago. Miami is nice, as long as it’s not in July or August.”
• Marmol: “My wife likes taking some of the trips. The Denver trip, the San Fran trip.”
• Arenado: “Chicago’s a great one. Milwaukee now because they’re really good. It’s always fun to go there. And then obviously, going home to LA.”

This story was originally published March 25, 2022 at 1:08 PM.