Adam Wainwright says Jason Heyward doesn't want to be 'The One'

St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright appeared on the Bernie Miklasz radio show Tuesday to discuss what has been happening and what hasn't been happening for the organization to this point in the offseason.

Among the topics Wainwright addressed was outfielder Jason Heyward leaving the Cardinals to sign as a free agent with the rival Cubs and explaining his decision by saying he had concerns that the Cardinals were getting older and within a few years most of the core group of veterans now on the team would be gone.

While Wainwright was complimentary of Heyward, saying he was a great teammate, friend and person, he also put forth a theory about Heyward's decision to move to Chicago that wasn't at all complimentary. Wainwright said he doesn't believe Heyward wants to be 'The One, the cornerstone guy that you build a team around.'

When he signed with Chicago, Heyward said that Chicago's core group being much younger than the core group in St. Louis was a big part of his decision to switch sides in one of the best rivalries in baseball. He said he was looking forward to playing alongside young stars such as Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber for years to come.

The Cardinals offered Heyward more money and Wainwright said Heyward would have stayed in St. Louis if he wanted to eventually become the man for an organization and not just another spoke in the wheel.

"When you look at that money that was offered to him, there’s really not much more our management can do than offer him that contract," Wainwright said during his interview with Miklasz. "He knows that we’re going to be in a position to win every year. and what it comes down to is this: he didn’t want to play there after myself, and Yadier (Molina) and Matt (Holliday) were gone, on such a long contract.

"it really comes down to a personality trait to me. The person that we want to give that kind of money to, that big money to, he needs to be a person that wants to be the guy that carries the torch. He needs to be a guy that wants to be the person, that after we leave, he carries on the tradition. And that’s just a personality thing, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But we’re looking for that guy who wants to be the man.”