Cain’s joyful play making an impact
PHILADELPHIA – Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell was asked Saturday if Lorenzo Cain has as much fun on the field as it appears from his constant smiles and animated gestures.
“He enjoys himself,” Counsell said of his gregarious centerfielder. “The big thing with me is he’s very comfortable in his own skin. And he loves to compete. You put those things together. He’s got a great smile. Why not use it?
“That’s who he is. He’s just being himself.”
Cain’s competitive nature came forward in the eighth inning of the Brewers’ 12-4 romp over the Phillies on Friday night. Nick Williams hit a pop up to shallow center, a play shortstop Orlando Arcía usually makes with the greatest of ease because of his superior range.
Cain could have stayed back and watched but he backed up Arcía, and when the ball popped out of his glove, was there to make a sliding catch in what was scored a 6-8 play. Cain bounced up and doffed his cap toward the Brewers’ dugout with a big smile on his face.
“The competitive part of him is really fun to watch,” Counsell said. “The way he treats every at-bat, every pitch, it feels like it means everything to him. It shows up in the results.”
Circus catches aside, Cain, in addition to newcomer Christian Yelich, has transformed the Brewers’ outfield defense. The Brewers coveted their onbase skills atop the batting order but also knew they would greatly improve play in the field, which was, shall we say, a bit leaky in recent years.
Cain already was credited with saving 11 defensive runs above average, putting the Brewers on pace as a team to save 100 or so runs per year. A great centerfielder makes the corner outfielders even better, which has been reflected in rightfielder Domingo Santana’s improved defensive metrics this season.
“This was certainly part of (general manager) David’s (Stearns) thoughts (in acquiring Cain and Yelich), the value they add from the defensive end,” Counsell said. “They are Gold Glove outfielders. We added two Gold Glove outfielders. That’s the simplest way to put it. They make your team better.
“They get us outs. On this road trip, they both have made some great plays. There was a day in Cleveland that Christian made three very nice, defensive plays in left field that kind of went unnoticed. But they were really hard plays. He’s doing it pretty routinely, as well. They add outs.”
Counsell agreed that Cain and Yelich are so graceful and fluid in their actions in the outfield, they often make tough plays look easy and therefore don’t get proper credit.
“When Lorenzo is making catches in the gap, he’s always on his feet (instead of diving) and makes it look easier than it is," Counsell said. "Christian, just getting to balls in left field, in front of him, he makes a little sliding catch that makes it look easy. But they’re hard plays and plays we know a lot of outfielders aren’t making.”
Another thing members of the Brewers media have discovered is how difficult it is to find Cain at times, particularly if they want to talk about something great he did on the field. Cain keeps a very low profile in the clubhouse and often is loathe to talk about his accomplishments.
“I respect that about him,” Counsell said. “That’s him being himself. That’s what’s kind of unique about him. In a lot of ways, there’s some shyness to him. It doesn’t feel like that on the field; he doesn’t play like that. But it’s a ‘just interested in doing my job’ mentality.”
HUMAN YO-YO: Right-hander Brandon Woodruff has become accustomed to finding his way from wherever Class AAA Colorado Springs is to wherever the Brewers are playing. On Friday, that meant getting from Sacramento to Philly as he joined the big-league club for the fourth time this season.
“We played a night game in Fresno, then bused to Sacramento and got there around 2:30 in the morning,” said Woodruff, who will start the series finale against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon. “I went to the airport at like 7 in the morning, so I had about four hours sleep. I got here about the fifth inning (Friday night). It was a long day.”
Woodruff made sure to get a good night’s sleep before coming to the ballpark Saturday, and said he’ll be well rested when he takes the mound Sunday. As for the constant bouncing up and down this season, he said it comes with the territory of being a young player.
“It’s part of the process of just getting going with my career,” said Woodruff, who is 2-0 with a 6.05 ERA in eight outings (three starts) with the Brewers. “I just have to hang in there with it, and make the most of it.”
Woodruff said he has talked with lefty Brent Suter, who was on the same up-and-down schedule in the first half of last season before finally sticking with the Brewers.
“He gave me some advice,” Woodruff said. “It is what it is, and you have to do your job. You can’t complain about being in the big leagues. You have to go through it; it’s all part of it.”
Woodruff 's stay this time could be a short one as well. First baseman Eric
Thames is expected back from a thumb injury soon and Woodruff could go back down to open a roster spot.