Every year we go back and look at some of the best plays of the season and this year, the Indians were particularly adept at finding creative ways to get outs. While there are still the incredible dives and throws, there are some truly rare events on this list that you probably have never seen before. Helping matters was the fact that the Indians had their best defense in a very long time, although if you’d like a return to nostalgia, take a stroll down memory lane and check out the top tens from previous seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) before seeing the most recent run of stupendous glove work.
For the sake of including as many plays as possible, we’ll start with five plays that didn’t make it and links to a couple plays that were too similar to others already on the list will be included as well.
Not Quite Incredible Enough
15. Francisco Lindor – 8/13 – Covering from First to Third
14. Giovanny Urshela – 8/29 – Double Saving Reflexes
13. Giovanny Urshela – 7/30 – Ranging Deep to LF for Catch & Throw Double Play
12. Michael Bourn – 8/3 – Probably the Reason He’s a Brave Now
11. Yan Gomes – 6/6 – Strike ’em Out, Throw ’em Out, Send ’em Home
10. Ryan Raburn – May 15th – Just STAHP Already!
[mlbvideo id=”116993283″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]To begin the list with a little levity, this wasn’t that great of an athletic endeavor, but did feature Ryan Raburn crashing full speed into an outfield advertisement that told him in text what the warning track should have told him in texture. While the runner did tag up to third on the play, who doesn’t want to see Raburn smash his face while robbing former Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.
9. Francisco Lindor – June 22nd – The Amazing Francisco
[mlbvideo id=”189429983″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]Lindor was without a doubt the Indians most exciting defender this year, but for the sake of not making this a list of his top ten plays, we’ll keep it down to just a couple. This one was an incredible full out dive to his right to snatch a line drive off the bat of Anthony Gose to end the inning.
8. Lonnie Chisenhall – May 1st – Like a Cat, He Is
[mlbvideo id=”96871583″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]Possibly the most athletic conventional 5-4-3 double play this year, Chisenhall snared this Edwin Encarnacion grounder while falling to his left, quickly got up and threw to second for the out. The double play ended the inning and preserved a two run lead against the eventual AL East champion Blue Jays.
7. Carlos Santana – June 12th – Not Caught Napping
[mlbvideo id=”159651783″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]There were a lot of moving parts during this play, starting with Rajai Davis attempting to steal third on the pitch. Yoenis Cespedes hit the ball weakly back to Danny Salazar, however, and the pitcher made the easy put out at first base. Davis wasn’t willing to accept a glorified one out sacrifice bunt however, and attempted to score on the play. Santana wasn’t caught off guard though as he rifled it home for the inning ending double play.
6. Giovanny Urshela – August 11th – A Taste of their Own Medicine
[mlbvideo id=”359686583″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /] Against the Yankees Brett Gardner, one of the fastest runners in baseball, Urshela made this fantastic grab and throw. The ball was weakly hit down the third base line and the Indians third baseman grabbed it right by the bast. With his momentum carrying him into foul territory, Urshela did a patented Jeter jump and throw against his old team to nab Gardner just in time.5. Michael Bourn – May 9th – Bourn to Fly
[mlbvideo id=”108178783″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]Last season, there were so many all out outfield dives that they could have made a top ten of their own. This year, the outfield defense was considerably less high flying thanks to the aging of Bourn and Brantley’s back injury, but there were still some of note. This was one of the best this year with Bourn going into full flight to rob Kurt Suzuki of a gap double.
4. Lonnie Chisenhall – September 10th – Lonnie Plays All Fields
[mlbvideo id=”469750183″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]Chisenhall may have completely revitalized his career by his second half play in right field, but that wasn’t enough for him on this play. Fielding an Anthony Gose single with runners on first and second, Chisenhall initially decided to throw home. The ball was hit too slowly to get him, however, and Carlos Santana smartly cut it off and threw to second for the out. Gose then got into a run down featuring four different players ending with Chisenhall running in from right to make the tag near second. By this time, Andrew Romine was headed towards home and Chisenhall threw to Yan Gomes at the plate just beating Romine. He was initially called safe, but review would overturn the call giving Chisenhall two assists and a put out on the play.
3. Jason Kipnis – April 24th – Great Plays are Made from Great Hops
[mlbvideo id=”87138383″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]There are a lot a things that can make a play great. Long range, a strong arm and leaping ability are all aspects, but great reaction time may be the most fun to watch. On this one, Kipnis is running up the middle to field a ground ball. Off the bat it already looks like it could be difficult to grab, turn around and throw to first, but instead the ball glances on the mound between the legs of Danny Salazar. Kipnis quickly jumps up to snag it, sets himself and throws to first with plenty of time to retire Yoenis Cespedes.
2. Ryan Raburn – May 31st – The Crow Takes Flight
[mlbvideo id=”139575683″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]While some of these plays involved some interesting scoring or odd scenarios, but when it comes down to it, pure athletic ability deserves consideration. I personally believe this type of play made by Raburn, and a similar one made by Chisenhall, are some of the most difficult to make in baseball. Raburn’s gets the bonus credit for the importance of the situation as the Indians were already down three in the fifth with another runner poised precariously on third base when Nelson Cruz took Danny Salazar deep into the gap in right center. This ball was tagged and if it fell, not only would the run score, but there would be another runner at second. Instead, Raburn made a Super Man style catch, jumping off one foot while running at top speed. Don’t try this one at home kids, just watch Raburn do what he does regularly. Somehow, this play was also number two on the 2014 top ten list.
1. Francisco Lindor – August 15th – Diving Around America
[mlbvideo id=”372886183″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]No Indians player made a bigger impact on the team’s defense than Lindor and he had many plays considered for the top ten, but this was possibly his best (it’s very hard to pick a favorite among such terrific options). With the Indians down two in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on first against the Twins, Trevor Plouffe ripped what should have been a single to left against a normal human infield. Instead, Lindor dove far to his right into the hole, knocked the ball down, threw it to second for one out and Kipnis returned it to first for the double play. If you’d like to see what would have happened without a runner on, enjoy this bonus play going the opposite direction on the road against Tampa Bay.
All videos belong to Major League Baseball and come courtesy of MLB.com.
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