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Colorado Rockies: The case for signing center fielder Lorenzo Cain

By Noah Yingling

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 4: Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after scoring against the Detroit Tigers on a double by Melky Cabrera during the third inning at Comerica Park on September 4, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Royals defeated the Tigers 7-6. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 4: Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after scoring against the Detroit Tigers on a double by Melky Cabrera during the third inning at Comerica Park on September 4, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Royals defeated the Tigers 7-6. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 6: Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Kansas City Royals hits a RBI double in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners in game one of a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium on August 6, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 6: Lorenzo Cain #6 of the Kansas City Royals hits a RBI double in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners in game one of a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium on August 6, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

In 2015, he played in 140 games and he had 101 runs with 169 hits, 34 doubles, 16 home runs, 72 RBI, 28 stolen bases, a .307/.361/.477 offensive slash line, and an OPS+ of 125. He was an All-Star for the American League and he also came in third in MVP voting in the American League behind Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who won the award in 2015.

Last season, he played in 155 games with 86 runs, 175 hits, 27 doubles, 15 home runs, 49 RBI, 26 stolen bases, a .300/.363/.440 slashline, and a 112 OPS+.

You can obviously say that Cain is not as good as Blackmon in the power department but he is still somebody who gets on base a lot of the time. If he could hit in the top one or two spots in the lineup and move Blackmon to a more traditional power spot in the lineup or even put him in the sixth or seventh spot to get on for weaker hitters to advance Cain on the bases, runs will be more plentiful. However, discussing what the Rockies 2018 lineup (with or without Cain or other free agents) is something we can discuss for a later date.

Also, if the Rockies were to get Lorenzo Cain, he would be an elite defender.

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