Top 108 Moments for the 2016 Cubs (Now complete!)

[soccer10k]

#47: Baez Completes Cub Comeback in 9th

 

 

Why on the list? - After Heyward succeeded in failing to sacrifice so Brandon Crawford's defense could be blamed for blowing this game completely after a 3-base error earlier resulted in Baez scoring the second run, Baez immediately made the Giants pay after their 5th pitcher of the inning couldn't get him out on an 0-2 pitch. Strickland challenged Baez on an 0-2 pitch in the zone, because they'd apparently rather let Baez try to beat them than David Ross (who actually grounded into a DP on the next pitch), but the strategy came up short when a blue-hot Baez came through yet again in this series to give the Cubs a one-run lead that strangely felt safe.

 

Still can't believe he threw Javy a fastball in the zone there. I know it wasn't the worst location (low and away) but it was still a fastball and it was in the zone.

 

That should have been a curveball but if you're going to throw a fastball, it needs to be up at the letters.

[17 Seconds]

i know it's at night there's wind it's cold etc but i will never figure out how that ball is not still in the air. it should be in the lake somewhere. i feel like the matrix glitched and we're all like oh yeah sure the wind blew it back i totally get it while we know we're actually in a simulation and something went wrong on us

 

the wind had to be blowing in just hard enough to keep posey's ball in the yard in the 9th

[bukie]

#45: Baez Plays Defense at a Level the Dodgers Do Not Comprehend

 

 

Why on the list? - A snap judgment here by Baez, which was the perfect play, as both runners had to freeze, so he had two outs easily, as soon as Russell figured out what he was doing. Fortunately, he figured it out before Adrian Gonzalez did, and it turned what would have been an easy soft lineout into an even easier double play to end the inning.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I love how much Javy dominates these highlights. I honestly can't imagine a more likable team.

 

javy basically was the giants series

http://i.imgur.com/bKg82QK.jpg

 

My Giants fan coworker who sits next to me hates Javy (and he talked a lot of horsefeathers in Game 3 and early in Game 4). So, naturally, I have a picture of Javy's bat drop from Game 1 on my desk aimed perfectly at his desk.

[David]

when cardinal, giants, dodgers, and indians fans really find THIS particular team somehow hate-able, you realize how much bias there is involved in sports fandom.

[Sammy Sofa]

But all of those fans SHOULD hate the Cubs right now regardless of how cool the dudes on the team are.

[bukie]

My Giants fan coworker who sits next to me hates Javy (and he talked a lot of horsefeathers in Game 3 and early in Game 4). So, naturally, I have a picture of Javy's bat drop from Game 1 on my desk aimed perfectly at his desk.

 

[David]

But all of those fans SHOULD hate the Cubs right now regardless of how cool the dudes on the team are.

 

well, yeah, i'm not saying they shouldn't or i wouldn't.

[Splendid Splinter]

It feels like this thread should be titled "Top 108 Javier Baez moments for the 2016 Cubs".

 

He got a horsefeathers ton of them so far and I LOVE it!!! It's mind boggling that we haven't hit the top 40 and half of the moments that we had so far would be top 5-10 moments for majority of the other teams in the league.

[imb]

And then Baez makes an insane play at 2B yesterday against the indians. He actually got to the ball on the shortstop side of 2b (in the outfield grass) and got the batter by like 3 steps.

[David]

And then Baez makes an insane play at 2B yesterday against the indians. He actually got to the ball on the shortstop side of 2b (in the outfield grass) and got the batter by like 3 steps.

 

yeah i saw a clip of that play...pretty insane. where did he start on that?

[Andy]

I'm just chiming in to say that Vasgersian's call of Javy's home run against SF might have been my favorite single call of the postseason.

[bjam12]

I'm just chiming in to say that Vasgersian's call of Javy's home run against SF might have been my favorite single call of the postseason.

 

Agreed. I don't know how everyone else feels about him but I really enjoy his play-by-play.

[Sammy Sofa]

SANTA MARIA.

[squally1313]

#45: Baez Plays Defense at a Level the Dodgers Do Not Comprehend

 

 

Why on the list? - A snap judgment here by Baez, which was the perfect play, as both runners had to freeze, so he had two outs easily, as soon as Russell figured out what he was doing. Fortunately, he figured it out before Adrian Gonzalez did, and it turned what would have been an easy soft lineout into an even easier double play to end the inning.

 

In the history of the world, no one has ever been cooler than Baez was from about 0:22 to 0:27 in this video. "Yeah, I know, this is like my 19th appearance on the top 108 plays. Just wait till you see what I do to Kluber in a couple weeks."

[imb]

And then Baez makes an insane play at 2B yesterday against the indians. He actually got to the ball on the shortstop side of 2b (in the outfield grass) and got the batter by like 3 steps.

 

yeah i saw a clip of that play...pretty insane. where did he start on that?

 

i dont remember being able to see him at first, so he had to go a ways

[bukie]

#44: Hendricks Nearly Shuts Down Dodgers in Game 2

 

 

Why on the list? - It's easy to forget with Kershaw dominating the Cubs on the other end, but Hendricks basically matched him in this game, giving up just 3 hits in 5 1/3 innings, and just the HR to Adrian Gonzalez on the low-outside pitch that should never have been a HR with basic luck. On the other side of the diamond, the Cubs basically had two near msisses that easily should have flipped the script in this game:

 

[bukie]

#43: The Cubs Introduce the Dodgers to Defense

 

 

Why on the list? - The Cubs played historic defense all season long, but in this series especially, the gap in defensive ability was really noticeable, where the Dodgers were giving runs away with defensive miscues while the Cubs kept taking runs and baserunners off the board with fantastic defense everywhere on the diamond. Even Fowler and Zobrist, the positions least thought of as defensive assets, contributed to the defensive mastery.

[UMFan83]

I still can't believe that Javy ball didn't at the very least bounce off the OF wall for a game tying double.

[We Got The Whole 9]

#56: Umpires Make Rizzo/Baez Switch Gloves...For One Pitch

 

 

Why on the list? - During the season, the Cubs would employ a strategy with the opposing pitcher batting and a runner on 1st where Rizzo would play way up the line and the 2B would hold the runner. Clint Hurdle was the initial complainer about the strategy, so the umps started making the Cubs switch gloves so Rizzo was technically the 2B and Baez the 1B for this Cueto AB. Of course, it was really just all a smokescreen for a designed pickoff play on the first pitch, and it worked perfectly.

 

Of course, in #57, I mentioned Lester allowed 5 baserunners, one of which was erased on that play, and another one erased on this play in the first inning:

 

 

But yeah, you can run on Lester...

Unbelievable transfer and throw from Ross. Seriously it can't be done any quicker.

[We Got The Whole 9]

#55: Baez Just Misses Span on One Spectacular Play, Gets Him on the Next

 

 

Why on the list? - First, Span hits a ball up the middle that Baez fields, whirls, and throws. The ump initially calls Span out, and Span even tips his cap. The Giants challenge, and it turns out Span just beat out the throw and was safe. Not one to leave well enough alone, however, Span tries taking second in the next AB, and gets nailed by a fantastic Javy tag. You may beat Javy on defense once, but not twice in succession.

Absolutely crazy how Baez caught that tailing throw

[bukie]

#42: Rizzo Finally Gets One to Stay Fair

 

 

Why on the list? - Easy to forget with all the winning, but Rizzo (and the majority of the offense) had a miserable start to the postseason. Most of the runs driven in the NLDS were pitchers or Baez/Bryant, and the Dodgers series started out with one amazing grand slam, but after that the Cubs were completely shut down for two games. They finally broke out in game 4, and Rizzo finally got his first extra base hit and RBI. After the trip around the bases, Rizzo went back into the dugout and gave Bryant a huge bear hug.

[UMFan83]

Rizzo's playoffs before that HR: 2-28, 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 4 BB, 9 K .071/.188/.071/.259

 

Rizzo's playoffs from that HR onward: 16-37, 5 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 6 BB, 6 K, .432/.512/.811/1.323

[Sammy Sofa]

Come on, you gotta at least mention Scissors' bat.

[bukie]

And he used Szczurs bat.