Just some days into camp and Craig Counsell has already lauded Nico Hoerner’s protection and his means to “make changes in a short time,” however the first-year Cubs supervisor could not have imagined something like this.
Depart it to a Gold Glover to show what regarded like a routine play into something however.
Throughout ground-ball drills at camp on Monday, the second baseman charged a sluggish chopper. As he tried to scoop it, the ball bounced off the heel of his glove after which his physique. No person would have blamed Hoerner if he merely let it go. It is spring, in any case. As a substitute, he snagged the ball on a bounce off the grass, took a few steps and — hut, hut, hike! — whipped a no-look rope between his legs to first base.
“I feel what Nico has performed early in his profession, the way you step into the league and is so strong proper off the bat, is difficult to do,” Counsell mentioned.
As for Monday’s play, there was no runner, so we’ll by no means know if it could have resulted in an out. Nevertheless it’s solely February and he is already turning heads.
“It is sort of how Nico is wired,” Counsell mentioned. “He is a really clever participant. … His protection is particular.”
