Springing into action already
Cain reports early after disappointing year
Fifth in an 11-part Brewers positionby-position series. Today: Center field.
PHOENIX – Seeing a position player mixed in among all the pitchers and catchers at the start of camp isn’t altogether unusual.
Unless you’re talking about Lorenzo Cain.
In his first couple years with the Milwaukee Brewers he’d roll in on or around report day, ready to go. Standard operating procedure for a player boasting his status and resume.
But there Cain was when the clubhouse doors opened in Maryvale on Wednesday, and every day since as he seeks to turn the page on an injury plagued 2019.
“I’m here to put some work in,” he said. “I feel like I had a disappointing season last year, and I feel like I need to do everything possible to get it right.”
Indeed, Cain’s second season in Milwaukee was a far cry from his first, with injuries playing a large role in his slide.
After serving as a catalyst atop a potent lineup in 2018, Cain saw his key offensive numbers dip dramatically. He hit just .260 while reaching base at a .325 clip, compared to a line of .308/ .395. He did hit 11 home runs and drive in 48 runs, but that’s not really his game.
Ever the prideful veteran, Cain never made excuses for his offensive slide despite an injury to his right thumb he suffered in early in the season that eventually caused him to seek relief in the form of a cryotherapy shot in it to deaden the nerve in late June.
Injuries to his left knee and ankle later in the season also contributed to his struggles at the plate. Even still, he managed to avoid the injured list while gutting his way through 148 games (134 starts in center field) – seven more than in 2018 and second-most in his 10-year career.
And, perhaps most important, Cain still managed to make a major impact by logging 20 defensive runs saved and making several home-run-robbing catches to earn his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
“A lot of stuff bugged me last year – OBP, average. Every category except on the defensive side of the ball bugged me last year,” said Cain. “That’s why I’m here early. Things have got to change. I’ve got to get better, I’ve got to play bet
ter.”
Manager Craig Counsell wasn't necessarily surprised to see Cain report so early.
"He's always motivated. He's just in really good spirits starting out, healthy," he said. "The big thing for me is he battled one of those baseball injuries where it wasn't like, ‘I'll miss a couple of weeks and it'll go away.' It was one of those lingering baseball injuries that are frustrating. It took a lot out of him, it did.
"The only thing he can control is come back and put it behind him. He's in a good frame of mind as we start."
Cain committed to a major change before he even arrived in Arizona by lightening the load on his 6-foot-2 frame.
“I'm usually not the best eater in the offseason. I completely changed the way I ate this offseason,” he said. “I wanted to come in a little lighter this year, try to keep the speed as long as possible.
“They always say you get bigger, get stronger, add power, but with my game, I'm going to get you 10-15 (home runs). I would rather keep my legs as long as possible than (increase) the power.”
The new diet, along with the customary rigorous offseason training program he undertakes back home in Norman, Oklahoma, has him looking noticeably sleeker.
“I came in last year at about 220, 222. This year, I'm at 210. I trimmed about 12 pounds,” he said. “Stress off the lower body, especially the knee. Everything is feeling great right now, but we know it's about keeping it that way.”
Which isn't exactly easy for a guy with a major sweet tooth.
“I'm a big cake and ice cream guy,” he said with a grin. “I've got to realize I'm not as young as I used to be, so it doesn't fall off me like it used to. I've got to have something before I go to bed at night and it was usually cake and ice cream every night.
“My wife, she makes me protein balls. That's the biggest thing I've changed. Of course, the grilled chicken, the rice. Since we've been out here it's been a lot of True Food Kitchen, healthy food. It's difficult because I'm not the best eater, but I feel like it'll be well worth it.”
Cain will turn 34 years old on April 13. He regularly jokes about how chasing his three young sons around on a daily basis tires him out, but at an age where many players begin needing more days off he has no plans to scale back his playing time if he has anything to say about it.
“You know how I feel about that,” Cain said. “I want to be out there every day. He's the manager. If he wants to give me a day off here and there, I guess I'll have to accept that. At the end of the day, I'll be fighting to get in the lineup, for sure.”
If Counsell wins the battle and is able to get Cain a few more rest days here and there – a plan he's used to good success with Ryan Braun in recent seasons – Christian Yelich, Avisaíl García and Ben Gamel are all able to play center when he's out.
How all those pieces fit together when Cain in the lineup remains to be seen. But having too much outfield talent isn't something he or Counsell is necessarily worried about.
“I think we'll find a way to make it work,” said Cain. “You're going to have injuries. It's going to happen, and you try to avoid it as much as possible. But if injuries do happen, we've got guys ready to step in and ready to go.”