Baez impresses Baez

[Aaron_Kennelly]

"I knew there was nobody at third, and the shortstop had to beat me to the bag at third base plus he had to catch the ball," Baez said. "As I was getting close to the bag, I saw his eyes go up and the pitcher was backing up. I just kept going because the ball, it went right between us."

 

Did Baez think Cain had to hurry his throw?

 

"I think they do because they know I'm not afraid to take another bag," Baez said. "When they speed up, they make some errors."

 

one time when i was in high school i hit a ball into the left field corner and when i got to second i saw there was nobody at third. i was instantly thrilled about how smart i was for being the good baserunner who noticed things like that so i ran to third. the third baseman who was out in shallow left field immediately saw what i was doing and jogged back to the bag and i was out by 20 feet and my coach took me out of the game for being an idiot. i can’t even imagine what it must feel like to see stuff like that and be right.

 

In that case, you should have used a Javy Slide. Pretty simple.

[Sammy Sofa]

"I knew there was nobody at third, and the shortstop had to beat me to the bag at third base plus he had to catch the ball," Baez said. "As I was getting close to the bag, I saw his eyes go up and the pitcher was backing up. I just kept going because the ball, it went right between us."

 

Did Baez think Cain had to hurry his throw?

 

"I think they do because they know I'm not afraid to take another bag," Baez said. "When they speed up, they make some errors."

 

one time when i was in high school i hit a ball into the left field corner and when i got to second i saw there was nobody at third. i was instantly thrilled about how smart i was for being the good baserunner who noticed things like that so i ran to third. the third baseman who was out in shallow left field immediately saw what i was doing and jogged back to the bag and i was out by 20 feet and my coach took me out of the game for being an idiot. i can’t even imagine what it must feel like to see stuff like that and be right.

 

I can top this in the shame department.

 

I tried the same thing during a middle school game and actually just barely made it, but I did the worst "slide" of all time to cap it off. Not really a slide so much as a flying belly flop that completely knocked the wind out of me. I tried to play it off like I was OK and stood up to dust myself off, but then...I'm still not even sure what happened. The 3B coach asked if I was OK, and, still trying to catch my breath all I could do was nod and unleash the loudest damn fart I've ever managed. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a foghorn this sounded like; it was like a delayed reaction to the belly flop and all of the air inside of me was blasting out of my ass. There's zero chance the people in the stands didn't hear it. The ump and the coach are trying their damnedest to not laugh, the third baseman is losing his mind, and my damn dugout is going nuts. Meanwhile, I'm finally doubled over with my hands on my knees trying to breathe again.

 

I was not good at baseball.

Edited September 6, 2018 by Sammy Sofa

[jersey cubs fan]

When I was a freshman I got called up to the sophomore team and hit a double. Then I got picked off 2nd with some [expletive] like this on the very next pitch.

 

 

To clarify, I was only called up as part of a rotation of guys needed to fill the roster after a bunch of sophomores cut kicked off the team for drinking on the bus to a road game.

[imb]

 

one time when i was in high school i hit a ball into the left field corner and when i got to second i saw there was nobody at third. i was instantly thrilled about how smart i was for being the good baserunner who noticed things like that so i ran to third. the third baseman who was out in shallow left field immediately saw what i was doing and jogged back to the bag and i was out by 20 feet and my coach took me out of the game for being an idiot. i can’t even imagine what it must feel like to see stuff like that and be right.

 

I can top this in the shame department.

 

I tried the same thing during a middle school game and actually just barely made it, but I did the worst "slide" of all time to cap it off. Not really a slide so much as a flying belly flop that completely knocked the wind out of me. I tried to play it off like I was OK and stood up to dust myself off, but then...I'm still not even sure what happened. The 3B coach asked if I was OK, and, still trying to catch my breath all I could do was nod and unleash the loudest damn fart I've ever managed. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a foghorn this sounded like; it was like a delayed reaction to the belly flop and all of the air inside of me was blasting out of my ass. There's zero chance the people in the stands didn't hear it. The ump and the coach are trying their damnedest to not laugh, the third baseman is losing his mind, and my damn dugout is going nuts. Meanwhile, I'm finally doubled over with my hands on my knees trying to breathe again.

 

I was not good at baseball.

 

 

ahahahhahahhahhhaah what the horsefeathers

[Sammy Sofa]

I thought I painted a pretty clear picture.

 

I was not good at baseball.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

https://deadspin.com/javy-baez-was-in-the-brewers-heads-1828854717

[Transmogrified Tiger]

https://deadspin.com/javy-baez-was-in-the-brewers-heads-1828854717

 

 

After the game, Báez explained that he knew the first throw was coming because the catcher didn’t give any signs. The catcher did put down signs before the second throw, but Báez was still able to sniff out his intentions. “After the first one I looked at him again, and he tried to act like he was giving signs, but I saw he was so fake about it, so I just stayed there,” Báez explained.

 

Hook it to my veins

[UMFan83]

I've run out of ways to describe how awesome Javy is. He is God's gift to Cub fans

[Aaron_Kennelly]

They should have a broadcast focused solely on Javy and then after every decision he makes, he explains why he did what he did.

[Banedon]

I've run out of ways to describe how awesome Javy is. He is God's gift to Cub fans

 

Now lets go back and find all the posts where people wanted to trade him and shame them appropriately.

[minnesotacubsfan]

They should have a broadcast focused solely on Javy and then after every decision he makes, he explains why he did what he did.

 

or, all the players on the opposing teams as to why they failed to stop his awesomeness. Not that Javy should remember any of their names.

[CyHawk_Cub]

I've run out of ways to describe how awesome Javy is. He is God's gift to Cub fans

 

Now lets go back and find all the posts where people wanted to trade him and shame them appropriately.

 

Endless shame for those that wanted to trade him for a horsefeathering pitching prospect.

[Brian707]

They should have a broadcast focused solely on Javy and then after every decision he makes, he explains why he did what he did.

 

 

Pitch this idea to the Cubs new tv station. They will have a lot of downtime especially in the off season.

[sneakypower]

Now lets go back and find all the posts where people wanted to trade him and shame them appropriately.

[imb]

I mean Javy becoming this player without ever learning how to take a walk has to be an almost impossible outcome.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I mean Javy becoming this player without ever learning how to take a walk has to be an almost impossible outcome.

 

"El Mago"

[Derwood]

I mean Javy becoming this player without ever learning how to take a walk has to be an almost impossible outcome.

 

He really is a Road To the Show character come to life

[Sammy Sofa]

I mean Javy becoming this player without ever learning how to take a walk has to be an almost impossible outcome.

 

He really is a Road To the Show character come to life

 

Pretty much; he's essentially proved everyone wrong, including the people that didn't think he was gonna bust or shouldn't be traded. If you can find me one person who said something, like, "Baez is going to inexplicably bend the game to his will and ability and really not change much at all," it would be a [expletive] miracle.

[David]

I think the closest anyone came to that was the much maligned hipster dork Jason Parks's comments

[Regular Show]

I mean Javy becoming this player without ever learning how to take a walk has to be an almost impossible outcome.

 

He really is a Road To the Show character come to life

 

Pretty much; he's essentially proved everyone wrong, including the people that didn't think he was gonna bust or shouldn't be traded. If you can find me one person who said something, like, "Baez is going to inexplicably bend the game to his will and ability and really not change much at all," it would be a [expletive] miracle.

 

Yeah, no one saw him becoming an MVP candidate. I made a post advocating for Baez to become the starting SS and how I think he has a higher upside over Russell last year. It was not a popular opinion and Duke and Cubswin11 and others were telling me why Baez was unlikely to become a 4 or 5 WAR player and how Russell has more potential and blah blah blah. I still think Baez can be just as good as Russell on defense btw.

 

I'll try finding it. I remember mentioning Russell and trying to flip him to some team in the offseason to get a "Trea Turner + Joe Ross" type package back and people literally thought I wanted the Cubs to flip Russell to get Trea Turner...

 

Anyway, I was and will always be a big Baez supporter and thought he could become an All-Star someday and I believe I wrote that, but no way did I see him becoming this good this soon. Cubs need to lock him up after this season or at least try.

 

EDIT: I still think he has untapped potential and an even higher upside. All about drawing walks and becoming more patient and I think he will gradually start drawing more walks, but he'll never be a high-OBP guy. I will admit that.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, but his value now isn't because he became a better defender than Russell; nobody called what actually happened. The idea that he would click was basically hinged on the idea that he's an excellent defender with a ton of pop; if he can just figure out some patience, lay off some of the garbage pitches he loves to go for and learn how to take a walk, he might turn into something special. Instead he basically just was all, "nah, horsefeathers that; I like being me."

[Regular Show]

Yeah, but his value now isn't because he became a better defender than Russell; nobody called what actually happened. The idea that he would click was basically hinged on the idea that he's an excellent defender with a ton of pop; if he can just figure out some patience, lay off some of the garbage pitches he loves to go for and learn how to take a walk, he might turn into something special. Instead he basically just was all, "nah, horsefeathers that; I like being me."

 

I didn't think his increased value was predicated on becoming a better defender. I thought he had untapped potential on offense and that is what is happening. I thought he would draw more walks and become a little more patient. He only has 21 BB this season so that hasn't happened yet.

 

I definitely saw him hitting for more power. I think I saw this type of season happening in 2-3 seasons down the road (with a little higher OBP/more walks), but not this soon.

[David]

[Sammy Sofa]

Baez' response when Chili tried to Chiliball him:

 

[spoil][/spoil]

[ConstableRabbit]

I think the closest anyone came to that was the much maligned hipster dork Jason Parks's comments

Didn’t he U Turn on Javy pretty hard, too? It’s almost as if he started watching him play a lot more when he was trying to get a Cubs job and realized how good he was.