Colorado Rockies video: MLB Network’s top 100 plays of 2017 announced

In 2017, there were no shortage of fantastic defensive plays and with the Colorado Rockies having one of the best defensive teams in baseball with the likes of Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and DJ LeMahieu, there was no shortage of Rockies plays on the list.

MLB Network recently showed their top 100 plays show on the air. Most of them were defensive plays and in that area, the Colorado Rockies were well represented in the list.

First off, for the Rockies, they were featured early as Rockies rookie left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland had a play that was number 98 on the list. It was from July 23 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Freeland ranged to the third base line to field a chopper and he made a jump throw to first that Mark Reynolds dug out of the dirt. You can watch it in the video below, courtesy of MLB.com’s videos of the segments of the show.

Play Number 64

The Rockies were featured next at number 64. This play took place on June 15 against the San Francisco Giants. Trevor Story went to his right into shallow left field to make a diving catch, nearly rolling over his wrist in the process. He was visibly shaken up a bit but received a hearty round of applause from the 40,747 people in attendance at Coors Field.

Nolan Arenado’s first installment on the countdown

Number 58 on the countdown was the first, but definitely not the last, for Nolan Arenado. This took place on August 22 against Kansas City in Kauffman Stadium.

A high chopper was hit to his right, towards the third base line. Arenado’s momentum carried him into foul territory and into the third base coaching box. He then proceeds to make a jump throw over to first baseman Mark Reynolds, who has to go into foul territory to receive the throw from Arenado.

As Drew Goodman, the Rockies television play-by-play broadcaster for AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, noted, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (who is a pretty good runner) was still out by two steps.

Charlie Blackmon makes an apperance

Numebr 38 on the countdown was Charlie Blackmon. The moment happened on August 1 against the New York Mets. Blackmon had to go very deep as the ball was at the wall and he leaped into the wall and he caught it.

Had he not caught the ball, it would have hit high off the wall. It was Asdrubal Cabrera who hit the ball, who doesn’t have lightning fast speed but, depend on the carom of the ball off the wall, it easily would have been a triple and potentially an inside-the-park home run.

Nolan makes another appearance

Number 28 on the list is Nolan Arenado’s second play featured. This one took place on July 24 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong hits a flare to Arenado’s right, along the third base line. Arenado dives and leaps to make a spectacular play to end the inning.

#NolanBeingNolan

Nolan is, yet again, featured at number 10 on the countdown. This moment is not for his defensive prowess but the history he makes and how he delivered in the clutch. On Sunday, June 18, the Rockies were facing the San Francisco Giants. The Rockies were looking for a four-game weekend sweep of the Giants. Entering the ninth inning, Nolan was 3-for-4 with a single, a double, and a triple. Down 5-3 entering the inning, DJ LeMahieu would drive in Raimel Tapia with an RBI single off Giants closer Mark Melancon to bring the score within one run.

Next up, with one out, would be Nolan Arenado. He would just need a home run to win the game and complete the cycle and he would waste no time in doing both. On the first pitch of the at bat, he launched the ball deep into left field stands for a walkoff, three-run home run and the cycle was complete.