Javier Baez 2014 ROY-MVP-World Series MVP Thread

[R-V]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

[Slaky]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

Not all shitty stints are created equal.

[Chuck to Chuck]

There was nothing another MLB team would hang their hat on that he was a prospect that was worth trading top, established talent for.

No, nothing at all. Nothing about his minor-league career or scouting reports would indicate he had talent or upside.

No, and given middle infielders with 40 homer potential grow on trees, no one would even dare take him as part of a package or consider gambling on him.

Frankly, I don't buy this. If the Cubs were going to write Baez off after a few bad months in the majors, they never should have called him up last year. Every thing in his history suggested his 100 or so PAs at any level were usually rough, and the majors were bound to be worse than that.

Yep. But the second 100 were worse than the first 100.

[Eli]

There was nothing another MLB team would hang their hat on that he was a prospect that was worth trading top, established talent for.

No, nothing at all. Nothing about his minor-league career or scouting reports would indicate he had talent or upside.

No, and given middle infielders with 40 homer potential grow on trees, no one would even dare take him as part of a package or consider gambling on him.

Frankly, I don't buy this. If the Cubs were going to write Baez off after a few bad months in the majors, they never should have called him up last year. Every thing in his history suggested his 100 or so PAs at any level were usually rough, and the majors were bound to be worse than that.

Yep. But the second 100 were worse than the first 100.

That doesn't mean anything. 100 at-bats is not a trend. It's mostly noise.

[SKO]

There was nothing another MLB team would hang their hat on that he was a prospect that was worth trading top, established talent for.

No, nothing at all. Nothing about his minor-league career or scouting reports would indicate he had talent or upside.

No, and given middle infielders with 40 homer potential grow on trees, no one would even dare take him as part of a package or consider gambling on him.

Frankly, I don't buy this. If the Cubs were going to write Baez off after a few bad months in the majors, they never should have called him up last year. Every thing in his history suggested his 100 or so PAs at any level were usually rough, and the majors were bound to be worse than that.

Yep. But the second 100 were worse than the first 100.

That doesn't mean anything. 100 at-bats is not a trend. It's mostly noise.

Kyle Schwarber's next 100 PAs are shaping up to be worse than his unbelievably hot first 100. Baseball is not a straight linear progression. Imagine if all we saw of Bryant this year was his month of July.

[InternetApex]

There was nothing another MLB team would hang their hat on that he was a prospect that was worth trading top, established talent for.

No, nothing at all. Nothing about his minor-league career or scouting reports would indicate he had talent or upside.

No, and given middle infielders with 40 homer potential grow on trees, no one would even dare take him as part of a package or consider gambling on him.

Frankly, I don't buy this. If the Cubs were going to write Baez off after a few bad months in the majors, they never should have called him up last year. Every thing in his history suggested his 100 or so PAs at any level were usually rough, and the majors were bound to be worse than that.

Yep. But the second 100 were worse than the first 100.

That doesn't mean anything. 100 at-bats is not a trend. It's mostly noise.

Kyle Schwarber's next 100 PAs are shaping up to be worse than his unbelievably hot first 100. Baseball is not a straight linear progression. Imagine if all we saw of Bryant this year was his month of July.

We'd be like that guy sucks and wonder why they didn't trade him for teh Kole Hamellst.

[SKO]

Bryant had a one month stretch from June 23rd to July 26th where he hit .182/.297/.354 with a 33% K rate over 118 PAs. If that had been his first 118 PAs we'd have all wanted to commit suicide and Chuck would write him off forever.

But sure let's just never even give the guy who might have more power than Bryant while playing 2B a second chance.

[R-V]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

Not all shitty stints are created equal.

Well, yeah. That's kind of the point. The fact that Baez sucked in his debut at a young age might mean he's doomed to suck, but it also might not. I'm saying let's see how this plays out instead of selling low on a guy with ridiculous potential.

[Slaky]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

Not all shitty stints are created equal.

Well, yeah. That's kind of the point. The fact that Baez sucked in his debut at a young age might mean he's doomed to suck, but it also might not. I'm saying let's see how this plays out instead of selling low on a guy with ridiculous potential.

All I'm saying is it might not play out with him being a huge contributor to this year's team. Which is fine. He had another big night at Iowa. I still hope he figures it out.

[SKO]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

Not all shitty stints are created equal.

Well, yeah. That's kind of the point. The fact that Baez sucked in his debut at a young age might mean he's doomed to suck, but it also might not. I'm saying let's see how this plays out instead of selling low on a guy with ridiculous potential.

All I'm saying is it might not play out with him being a huge contributor to this year's team. Which is fine. He had another big night at Iowa. I still hope he figures it out.

Well he's obviously not going to be a major contributor this year given that's it is almost September and he's yet to play at all for them. I don't see how playing him over Castro as the right handed part of a platoon with La Stella hurts them. Starlin's been as awful as a sixth year vet as Baez was as a free swinging rookie, and given Baez upside and what he's done at Iowa I'd bet on him being more productive offensively than Starlin  and probably a better defensive second baseman as well.

[InternetApex]

I know this comparison has been made before, but Rizzo put up a worse OPS in his age 21 rookie season than Baez did. The K rate wasn't as high (30%) but you don't need to look very far to find someone who has slightly improved on a very shitty short stint at age 21.

Not all shitty stints are created equal.

Well, yeah. That's kind of the point. The fact that Baez sucked in his debut at a young age might mean he's doomed to suck, but it also might not. I'm saying let's see how this plays out instead of selling low on a guy with ridiculous potential.

All I'm saying is it might not play out with him being a huge contributor to this year's team. Which is fine. He had another big night at Iowa. I still hope he figures it out.

Well he's obviously not going to be a major contributor this year given that's it is almost September and he's yet to play at all for them. I don't see how playing him over Castro as the right handed part of a platoon with La Stella hurts them. Starlin's been as awful as a sixth year vet as Baez was as a free swinging rookie, and given Baez upside and what he's done at Iowa I'd bet on him being more productive offensively than Starlin  and probably a better defensive second baseman as well.

So give him all of the Iowa at bats, call him up in September and give him a start a week or something. If he catches lightening in a bottle think long and hard about putting him on the October roster. Give him the 2B jorb out of Spring Training. Send Slaky a mean Tweet or seven.

PROFIT

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm not buying the Cubs not being enamored with Baez. If they wanted to make him the centerpiece of a trade bundle, they could have easily gotten Ross or even Hamels.

If he hadn't gotten hurt he'd have been here by now. Now if you told me the Cubs were ready to cut bait with Alcantara or Olt, that I'd believe.

[SKO]

I'm not buying the Cubs not being enamored with Baez. If they wanted to make him the centerpiece of a trade bundle, they could have easily gotten Ross or even Hamels.

If he hadn't gotten hurt he'd have been here by now. Now if you told me the Cubs were ready to cut bait with Alcantara or Olt, that I'd believe.

I heard they're open to moving Mike Baxter and Mack Seizure, but the price is pretty high.

[Eli]

If they wanted to make him the centerpiece of a trade bundle, they could have easily gotten Ross or even Hamels.

How do you know this?

[Slaky]

If they wanted to make him the centerpiece of a trade bundle, they could have easily gotten Ross or even Hamels.

How do you know this?

What about Baez' mythical ceiling suggests he could fetch an excellent major leaguer as a centerpiece? He was AWFUL last year and injured at the deadline.

I hope he figures it out because I love his violent power but jesus Fork, that's absurd. If they were enamored with him he'd be here.