Over this offseason, Javier Baez has been rumored to be traded from the Chicago Cubs to something like eight teams in MLB. I know a lot of Cub fans would be happy if the team traded him for a starter like Tyson Ross or Carlos Carrasco, and I’m going to boldly proclaim right now that I’m pleased that kind of deal hasn’t been made yet.
Why? Baez oozes baseball talent. His hands are lightning — seriously. When a prospect draws comparisons to Gary Sheffield in terms of bat speed, that’s something a team shouldn’t don’t take lightly.
Yes, he strikes out too much (as most young hitters do), and doesn’t control the strike zone the way the best hitters in baseball do every at-bat; that said, I think people forget he’s only 23 years old. No one pays attention to what he had to go through in his personal life, with the death of his sister after she suffered from a horrible disease her entire life. The toll that had to take on Baez is unimaginable, and I don’t blame him for trying to hit balls 700 feet in every AB to provide for his family at such a young age.
I also feel like Cub fans have blatantly ignored the adjustments Baez made last season, which not only improved his contact percentages at the big league level, but also didn’t steal his power. He’s quieter at the plate and eliminated a monster leg kick, which lead to better timing to unleash his Sheffield-like hands on the baseball. He’s got incredible torque through his core, and he allows his natural strength to hit for power. That’s what a team wants from a guy like this.
The change in his mental approach was equally impressive. As a rookie, It seemed like he decided to swing at a pitch while the pitcher was going into his leg kick. He was consistently falling behind, hacking away at pitches out of the zone. That’s not uncommon for a young, aggressive and supremely talented hitter. In 2015, he was taking more pitches, getting into hitters counts, creating more contact, and was able to hit the ball with authority to right field more often. Just ask John Lackey.
Simply put, his offensive upside is as high as anyone on the Cubs right now. I don’t see how you trade that for anything but a true ace with an established track record.
Another thing I love about Baez? His ability to play everywhere on the diamond. He’s a poor man’s Ben Zobrist with more natural baseball talent. When a guy that can second, third and short at a high level, that alone is impressive. Then you throw in the fact that he’s learning how to play the outfield too? Including center? Just imagine the matchups the Cubs can play next year. Guys can sit when they need a break, and the team wouldn’t lose anything.
Most of all, I love the fact Baez loves to play baseball. So many guys play for the money, the fame, and every reason other than the fact that … it’s baseball! I love watching this kid play because of the pure joy he gets out of stepping on a diamond everyday. That’s someone I’d go to bat for everyday if I were a teammate of his, and it’s rare to find a player with his talent acting this way. It’s an intangible quality that can mean a lot to a young club.
Basically, if the Cubs aren’t getting Chris Sale, Baez should be untouchable. If the Cubs need an arm, they should try to leverage the rest of their system to get what they need. Why trade Baez’s kind of major league talent at this stage?
