Lorenzo Cain: Team leader
Cain also has seemingly fit into an already tight team that jelled nicely in 2017. The Brewers celebratory gesture they do when they get on base–that seems to have come from LoCain. He also has World Series experience that is extremely valuable. He had his best season in 2015 helping the Royals to the crown.
The player the Brewers traded away to get Zack Greinke in 2010 also seems to have a great time playing baseball. His smile is infectious. This is a metric that can’t be measured, but it sure is better than the alternative. Guys just seem to gravitate to him.
Getting back to the MVP
A group of my friends tried to predict the Brewers MVP before the season. I knew that a lot of people would go for Cain or Yelich, since they were new. I chose Travis Shaw thinking that many would overlook the 2017 offensive team MVP. Shaw has put up great numbers, but he is a bit off from his breakout season.
I realize it is only June, but a lot would have to happen for Lorenzo Cain to take his strong hands off of that title. He has been that good.
Josh Hader will likely be an All-Star, and Cain will have an uphill climb to get there. The electric lefty is also another main reason why the Brewers have been successful in close games, along with Jeremy Jeffress. Lorenzo Cain just has the ability to affect games in almost every inning he plays.
Rest of the season
This past week I saw a lot of Cubs fans remark that the Brewers will fade just like every other year. Yes, these are the same fans that were recently “lovable losers”, but now they have become the arbiters of what it takes to win. I digress. My point is that this Milwaukee Brewers team seems to have a different feel than many Cubs fans are giving them credit for.
They were riding a wave in 2014 that most did not think would last. It didn’t and it led to the rebuild. They arrived a bit too early last season and did not have the experience necessary to compete. 2018 could be a different story.
Next: Mitch Haniger is the One That Got Away
If the Brewers can challenge the Cubs and actually win the division, my money will be on Lorenzo Cain being the difference. It should be a fun summer with a lot of “finger-waving” after big plays. Cain will most certainly be in the middle of it.