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As we approach the end of 2019, it is always fun to look back on some of best highlights of the season. There were a number of fine defensive plays to choose from this past year. The problem is always narrowing them down to five, especially when you can easily pick that many from Lorenzo Cain’s highlight reel. In no particular order, here are five of the top defensive plays made by the Brew Crew in 2019.
September 28 vs. Colorado
The first half champ vs. the second half champ... who deserves the Catch of the Year ? #TheRundown@RaysBaseball | @Brewers
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 1, 2019
Even though this game did not go the way Brewers’ fans would have liked, the stakes were high. Milwaukee’s bullpen was unable to come through in this series, but Lorenzo Cain certainly did with this amazing catch to rob Garrett Hampson. The catch was so spectacular it made it for catch of the year on MLB Network.
March 28 vs. St. Louis
THE moment of #OpeningDay? Lorenzo Cain of the @Brewers breaks down his home-run-robbing, game-ending catch on #MLBTonight. pic.twitter.com/sRy5OrZA8f
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 29, 2019
Who could forget how Opening Day ended in Miller Park against the St. Louis Cardinals? LoCain took a home run away from Jose Martinez that ended the game in dramatic fashion. That catch seemed to suggest that the Brewers’ magic of 2018 would not end in 2019.
May 27 vs. Minnesota
Matrix catch by Jeremy Jeffress. Wow. pic.twitter.com/LZUhU5qvMJ
— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) May 28, 2019
Who knew that Jeremy Jeffress could impersonate Keanu Reeves from the Matrix and avoid an attack by Agent Smith in the form of Willians Astudillo. He did in amazing fashion, although his reaction was a little less cool than Neo’s would have been.
September 29 vs. Colorado
Remember this
— David Gibson (@DrDavidGibson) December 29, 2019
Arcia's slick sliding catch https://t.co/LYZYDzVTki via @MLB
This play might not make a lot of end-of-year lists, but the distance covered and degree of difficulty of this catch illustrate Orlando Arcia’s talent as well as any other play. There are a lot of major league shortstops that do not make this catch.
July 18 vs. Arizona
LORENZO CAIN MAKES THE CATCH.pic.twitter.com/GxXXG8AmlI
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) July 19, 2019
In the year that Lorenzo Cain finally gets his Gold Glove, a defensive plays of the year post should begin and end on one of his catches. Cain tracks this ball with a perfect line and with such speed, it is truly incredible. With no pause and tremendous athleticism, he leaps to rob Eduardo Escobar, who had already taken Zach Davies deep earlier in the game.
There were numerous other plays that could have easily made this list. I bet many of you have those web gems in mind, I know I do. Let us know which others you might have chosen, and have a happy New Year!