The Atlanta Braves recent extension of Ender Inciarte had me all giddy inside. Then, it got me thinking, what were his best plays in the past season?
Having Ender Inciarte on the Atlanta Braves 2016 roster was not just fun, but it was down-right exciting to watch.
In an otherwise down year, the Braves didn’t disappoint when it came to theatrics, drama, or just heady baseball plays.
The team as a whole may have been less than desirable at times to watch, but you never wanted to miss a game. You didn’t want to miss something spectacular from the Braves now long-term fixture in Center Field.
Inciarte had plenty of stand out plays over the course of the season. However, for the sake of time, space, and all that stuff, I’d like to highlight the top 5 Ender Inciarte moments in 2016.
Be warned that these may not be in the order you would like or agree with. Make no mistake, though, all of them were spectacular, fun, exciting, entertaining, or any other adjective you want to use.
So, without further ado, my top five Inciarte plays of 2016.
(These are not just defensive plays. Base-running, and offense is included)
Ender’s Speed Kills Mets
On June 16th, in Flushing, NY, the Braves were attempting to extend a 3-game winning streak. They would get it thanks to some timely hitting and some outstanding base-running from Inciarte.
After a Tyler Flowers home run tied the game at 3, earlier, Ender led off the 8th inning with a hustle double. Then, he let his legs take over and give the Braves a lead and eventual win.
A double down the opposite field line set the table for the rest of the inning. With runners on 2nd and 1st, Inciarte tagged on a shallow, soft liner to right field.
Inciarte took advantage of a loafing Curtis Granderson to advance to third. His heads up play on the base paths wound up being extremely timely and beneficial to the Braves.
As fate would have it, Flowers was back in the batter’s box. During his at bat, a ball in the dirt got away from the Mets catcher. The baseball was far enough for the speed of Inciarte to steal a run.
Atlanta went up 4-3 and would hold off the Mets in the 9th to win their 4th straight game.
He Doesn’t Just Run Fast
In early August, the 6th to be precise, Ender helped Atlanta extend a 2-run lead against the St. Louis Cardinals in the “Show-Me” state.
Already up 7-5, many will tell you that against the Redbirds, two runs normally isn’t a typically safe lead, and given the Braves’ season thus far, you’d always like to have more.
After a Chase d’Arnaud single to shallow right center, Inciarte crushed a 2-run bomb to deep right field. That blast put the Braves up 9-5 and secure an easy 13-5 win.
This coming in the ninth inning, the Braves would actually put up a total of 6 runs in the frame. This wasn’t something the team did on a regular basis.
However, Inciarte’s 2-run shot, pretty much put the nail in the coffin for the Cardinals.
The Glove Work – Oh, That Beautiful Glove Work
Obviously, where Inciarte shined brightest, was in center field. His astounding defense earned him his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
And oh was it earned. Ender made play after play in Atlanta’s outfield all season long. Of course, a few plays stand out as being top 5 worthy.
One thing Inciarte did all year was rack up outfield assists. He gets such a great read and jump on the ball, he sometimes gets to the ball before it’s even hit.
The first one was against Cincinnati, in Atlanta. Observe …
And the second, well, let’s just say Inciarte humbles the NL East rival Nationals and Bryce Harper.
These were just a couple of the Inciarte diving double plays he turned this year. He made many, many more than this, and plenty that could go here, but these were my favorites.
Forget the situation or moment in the game. These are just flat-out fun to watch. Excitement just doesn’t seem to do it any justice for what you really want to say. I found myself saying “wow” a lot this year.
Robbing any hitter of any kind of hit in this fashion is always fun. It’s also even better when you can get 2 for 1.
And the Oscar Goes To …
Of all the spectacular catches Inciarte made this year, this one was of your common variety, run-of-the-mill “can of corn” … Or was it?
On May 11th in a game against the visiting Phillies, Inciarte became an actor. A performance so well sold, it could have won him an Oscar.
With Phillie catcher Carlos Ruiz on first and Freddy Galvis in the box, Inciarte would turn an easy pop fly into a double play.
Down by a run in the 6th, Inciarte ran over towards the flight of the baseball. As Inciarte raced over, he sold his fake perfectly.
With arms stretched out, as if to say, “I can’t find it, where is it?”, Inciarte baited Ruiz into going farther than he should have.
“The ‘New’ Catch”
In 1992, Braves center fielder Otis Nixon made one of the most amazing catches I have ever seen. In the old Fulton County Stadium, Nixon scaled an 8 foot wall to rob Pirate counterpart Andy Van Slyke of a go ahead home run.
It would forever be known as “The Catch” … Until now.
After you figure in the moment in the game, the situation, and what was at stake for the Mets, this catch has supplanted Nixon’s, at least to me.
Inciarte’s home run robbing of Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes cements the kind of season it was for Inciarte.
Bottom of the ninth, 2 on, 2 out, up by 1. It doesn’t get any more clutch than this …
The weight of the situation, what this could have meant for the Mets’ playoff hopes, it was a perfect storm for the Mets, and Ender Inciarte was the Lightning Thief.
Atlanta played the role of spoiler perfectly to close out the year. I can’t help but be excited for what’s to come in 2017.
Atlanta hasn’t seen a defender as electric as this since Andruw Jones. Andruw made some ridiculous grabs in his time as a Brave. The Spider-Man like, velcro-sticking wall grab he made was immortalized as a bobblehead.
Don’t be surprised to see this catch given the same treatment in 2017.
If I can’t make it, would someone be kind enough to snag one for me?