Javier Baez 2014 ROY-MVP-World Series MVP Thread

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/13512551/after-loss-injury-javier-baez-ready-cubs

This is a very good profile on Baez and the rough life he's had. I had no idea that his father had died when he was a kid. Add in the tragedy of his sister's life and death, and man, I hope this kid makes it.

Excellent article. Would be so great if he could contribute down the stretch. A Rizzo-Baez-Russell-Bryant infield would be just the balls.

My guess is the lineup vs LHP in September will look like this:

Fowler CF
Schwarber LF
Rizzo 1B
Bryant RF
Baez 3B
Castro 2B
Ross C
Pitcher
Russell SS

And then they might sprinkle Javy in vs. right handers from time to time at 3B, SS, and 2B to spell those guys. Bryant especially could use a backup who isn't Jonathan Herrera. I don't think he's had a true day off since he came up. Even when Joe's tried to rest him he usually pinch hits.

Does Bryant have the arm for RF?  I'm guessing not really.

I think some statfags/prospectnerds have projected him as an eventual right fielder down the road.  Guy's a Grade-A athlete; I'm not sure that concerns about his arm are valid.

[SKO]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/13512551/after-loss-injury-javier-baez-ready-cubs

This is a very good profile on Baez and the rough life he's had. I had no idea that his father had died when he was a kid. Add in the tragedy of his sister's life and death, and man, I hope this kid makes it.

Excellent article. Would be so great if he could contribute down the stretch. A Rizzo-Baez-Russell-Bryant infield would be just the balls.

My guess is the lineup vs LHP in September will look like this:

Fowler CF
Schwarber LF
Rizzo 1B
Bryant RF
Baez 3B
Castro 2B
Ross C
Pitcher
Russell SS

And then they might sprinkle Javy in vs. right handers from time to time at 3B, SS, and 2B to spell those guys. Bryant especially could use a backup who isn't Jonathan Herrera. I don't think he's had a true day off since he came up. Even when Joe's tried to rest him he usually pinch hits.

Does Bryant have the arm for RF?  I'm guessing not really.

I think some statfags/prospectnerds have projected him as an eventual right fielder down the road.  Guy's a Grade-A athlete; I'm not sure that concerns about his arm are valid.

As a fielder I've always heard him compared to Alex Gordon: a mediocre 3B who could be a gold glove caliber corner OF. I think his arm is plenty strong enough, I don't know if it's very accurate. Then again he's been a solid third baseman so far this year so maybe scouts just suck.

[SKO]

Don't know if he'll make the trip with Iowa down to Oklahoma City today or if he's just headed to Chicago so he can be ready for tomorrow, but if yesterday was his last game with Iowa I'd say he made the most of his time there. After a four hit game yesterday:

.324/.385/.527/.911. K rate of 24.3%.

Let's see what he can do.

[Quality Start Machine]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/13512551/after-loss-injury-javier-baez-ready-cubs

This is a very good profile on Baez and the rough life he's had. I had no idea that his father had died when he was a kid. Add in the tragedy of his sister's life and death, and man, I hope this kid makes it.

Excellent article. Would be so great if he could contribute down the stretch. A Rizzo-Baez-Russell-Bryant infield would be just the balls.

My guess is the lineup vs LHP in September will look like this:

Fowler CF
Schwarber LF
Rizzo 1B
Bryant RF
Baez 3B
Castro 2B
Ross C
Pitcher
Russell SS

And then they might sprinkle Javy in vs. right handers from time to time at 3B, SS, and 2B to spell those guys. Bryant especially could use a backup who isn't Jonathan Herrera. I don't think he's had a true day off since he came up. Even when Joe's tried to rest him he usually pinch hits.

Maddon's been keeping Schwarber away from LHPs, no?

[SKO]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/13512551/after-loss-injury-javier-baez-ready-cubs

This is a very good profile on Baez and the rough life he's had. I had no idea that his father had died when he was a kid. Add in the tragedy of his sister's life and death, and man, I hope this kid makes it.

Excellent article. Would be so great if he could contribute down the stretch. A Rizzo-Baez-Russell-Bryant infield would be just the balls.

My guess is the lineup vs LHP in September will look like this:

Fowler CF
Schwarber LF
Rizzo 1B
Bryant RF
Baez 3B
Castro 2B
Ross C
Pitcher
Russell SS

And then they might sprinkle Javy in vs. right handers from time to time at 3B, SS, and 2B to spell those guys. Bryant especially could use a backup who isn't Jonathan Herrera. I don't think he's had a true day off since he came up. Even when Joe's tried to rest him he usually pinch hits.

Maddon's been keeping Schwarber away from LHPs, no?

He has but I think he'll get him some work against them going forward. Denorfia hasn't hit a thing since June, Coghlan is completely useless vs. lefties. Schwarber hit them fairly well in the minors, worth trying to get him up to speed against some LHPs that aren't named Kershaw or Bumgarner this month.

[Canadouche]

Austin Jackson has just been dealt to the Cubs.

Yipee?

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Austin Jackson has just been dealt to the Cubs.

Yipee?

Sure. I mean I've grown tired as fuck waiting for Ryan Dempster doppelgänger Chris Denorfia to contribute in any meaningful way.  That fucker's been put on notice.

[Slaky]

Austin Jackson has just been dealt to the Cubs.

Yipee?

Wrong thread?

[InternetApex]

Austin Jackson has just been dealt to the Cubs.

Yipee?

Wrong thread?

There is no right thread for Kurt.

[Bort]

Austin Jackson has just been dealt to the Cubs.

Yipee?

Wrong thread?

There is no right thread for Kurt.

To be fair, we still haven't FIREBARN'd CFiHP, so I think Krut gets a pass.

[Saul Goodman]

If he'd connected on that 3-1 swing I think the ball might have literally broke through a scoreboard. Really liked his AB against Chapman. Outcome wasn't what he hoped but the approach was great.

[Slaky]

If he'd connected on that 3-1 swing I think the ball might have literally broke through a scoreboard. Really liked his AB against Chapman. Outcome wasn't what he hoped but the approach was great.

No issues with it. I get pretty happy every time an AB doesn't result in a K. His k rate is down to 20%.

[Chuck to Chuck]

If he'd connected on that 3-1 swing I think the ball might have literally broke through a scoreboard. Really liked his AB against Chapman. Outcome wasn't what he hoped but the approach was great.

I thought overswinging was what he was supposed to learn to stop doing?

[Quality Start Machine]

If he'd connected on that 3-1 swing I think the ball might have literally broke through a scoreboard. Really liked his AB against Chapman. Outcome wasn't what he hoped but the approach was great.

I thought overswinging was what he was supposed to learn to stop doing?

Swinging at pitches outside the strike zone is what he's supposed to learn to stop doing.

[SKO]

If he'd connected on that 3-1 swing I think the ball might have literally broke through a scoreboard. Really liked his AB against Chapman. Outcome wasn't what he hoped but the approach was great.

I thought overswinging was what he was supposed to learn to stop doing?

Swinging at pitches outside the strike zone is what he's supposed to learn to stop doing.

Yeah if that was last year's Javy I'm pretty sure he strikes out in that AB well before he runs the count to 3-1. I'd have liked a little more control on the 3-1 swing, yeah, but he only swung for the fences when he had a pitch to burn. That he made contact at all with 2 strikes vs Chapman is probably a good sign.