When it comes to the St. Louis Cardinals, there is one player who is having a breakout season. One that the league has taken notice of. It is none other than Lars Nootbaar. The 27-year-old is smashing a career high and has missed just two games so far. And he has that kind of confidence that makes you go like, He is just warming up. He has become one of the most dependable men in the outfield, both at the plate and in the field.Nootbaar is somehow like the star that St. Louis was waiting for. However, this moment right now didn’t come suddenly or even easily. Before the sold-out stadiums and the cheers, he faced disappointment at every stage of his baseball career, starting from draft day. Teams just swiped past him round after round. And he had given up so much, from academics to hours in the batting cage for baseball—yet his name was off the board.Then, finally, one fine day, the Cardinals came knocking and gave him a chance in the right round. But little did he know when he said, “Just take me,” the struggles had only just begun! And his reveal about the reality of how MLB stars don’t get to start on a bed of roses might just shock you.Nootbaar’s first season in the minors was, in his words, “terrible.” He admitted that 2018 was a mental struggle. He was not just fighting the players; he was fighting himself, and it was his brother who helped him get his focus back. That time, he made a vow to grind no matter what. And well, that grind came with him struggling with freezing games and even living in a garage because he couldn’t afford the DoubleTree. In a podcast with Mookie Betts, Nootbar admitted that his then-manager was like, “Hey, we got a garage for you.” So I was like, “All right, perfect.” But that was not all; the garage had nothing—nothing-no air conditioning, no TV, just a bed and a shot at something better. Not to mention the 16-hour bus rides Nootbaar had to take. There was also a time when he said he lay on the floor of a bus for warmth, just trying to get a couple of hours of sleep. But he doesn’t look at those moments as moments of weakness, and that says a lot about his character and grit. He mentioned, “It’s funny to think about now…but it builds character.”Well, after this, he did get promoted, but housing was not handed to him. He’d rather share a cheap hotel room with people unsure of whom to ask for help. “I didn’t want to be the guy crashing with someone I didn’t know,” he said. He toughed out the rough time. And only now is the result speaking for itself.St. Louis Cardinals bet on Nootbaar—and it’s starting to look geniusThe Cardinals made a bold call this offseason—they let Paul Goldschmidt walk after he had a solid year, to the New York Yankees. No doubt, that move got them a lot of backlash. But little did fans and insiders know that maybe just maybe the Cardinals were hyped about another player making noise—Lars Nootbar. Now, don’t be mistaken, he is not in the MVP talks yet. But he is showing signs that he could grow into that level.At 27, he might not stand out among young talent and established stars. But as the Cardinals navigate through the topsy-turvy trade possibility, his performance shows that he might not just stay but be untouchable. This season, he has a slash line of .250/.356/.403, eight home runs, and 12 doubles. Even beyond the batter’s box, his defensive progress has been solid. Plus, unlike Goldy, he doesn’t need to carry the entire team alone.Nootbaar can turn to grow into a bigger name, along with emerging names like Masyn Winn. Plus, with their manager Oliver Marmol still carving his own path, there is a potential that a new era for the St. Louis Cardinals can start. Plus, it’s not just that right now, playoff experience is something the young roster needs. And Nootbaar, with his feet hovering between veteran and youth camps, might be the one to help out the team.For a transitioning Cardinals team, maybe Nootbaar’s form, consistency, and the grit he endured from the time he started in a garage in Palm Springs are what they need. What do you think about him? Let us know.The post Forced to Live in Garage, American MLB Star Shares Shocking Financial Struggles in Emotional Look Back appeared first on EssentiallySports.