Nolan Arenado sacrifices body, collides with tarp during tremendous catch

Few young players have more promise than Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado. While he's always been regarded for his strong bat, it's his defense that has made him a human highlight reel.

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There's a reason Arenado has won a Gold Glove in each of his first two seasons. He showed why those Gold Gloves were awarded to the right person Tuesday night against the Giants.

This is a tremendous play for a number of reasons. First off, that's not an easy catch to make. Arenado has to track the ball in the air and make an over the shoulder catch. On top of that, he knows the tarp and the stands are coming up on him quickly, but opts to sacrifice his body in order to make the play.

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He not only makes the catch, but manages to hold on despite a hard collision with the tarp. After all of that, Arenado still has the awareness to throw to third in an attempt to nab the runner.

If you weren't impressed already, Arenado's catch came at a crucial point in the game. The Rockies were leading 3-0 in the eighth inning, but the Giants put their first two runners on base. Arenado's play may not have prevented the base-runners from advancing, but he picked up an out when the team needed it. One run would score during the inning, but that was the extent of the damage.

So, join us in prematurely congratulating Arenado on taking home his third straight Gold Glove. When you make plays like that, it's just about impossible to give it to anyone else.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik