Jordan Hicks of St. Louis Cardinals Minimizes Tension in Locker Room with Bud Norris

Rookie reliever Jordan Hicks spoke of potential conflict reports in the St. Louis Cardinals locker room, saying his teammate and closest Bud Norris has his best interest in mind

"He has the best intentions for me "the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Thursday. "I think it's pushing me in the right direction, that's the best way to say it … It's a collective group that does it, you have to learn 10 times faster in the major leagues. You have to be stronger mentally than you've ever been before, it has to be done faster, I have no problem with someone who takes me, I have to do it, I have to listen. "

Wednesday 's report in The Athletic about Norris' role with the Cardinals since they joined the team for a one – year contract in the offseason. . Athletic has detailed Norris as a challenger to Hicks since his arrival, including publicly calling him.

But Hicks, who had declined to comment on Athletic, said that he understood what Norris was trying to accomplish.

"Bud is not bad at all," said Hicks at Post-Shipment. "He's waiting for me because he wants me to be a better player, and I know it's to make me a better teammate, it can happen."

Mike Matheny, director of the Cardinals, told The Athletic that Norris was successful. John Mozeliak, the president of the baseball team, told the Post-Dispatch that he had spoken with Norris and Hicks as a result of The Athletic Story

"There is a hierarchy in n & # 39; Any clubhouse, but we do not want where a young player feels that he is not welcome or that he can not be himself, which can not not happen, "said Mozeliak. "There are expectations, there are rules … Jordan learns and grows up, and everything is at this level."