Javier Baez Called Up to the Cubs

Jaypers · Aug 4, 2014

The day many have been awaiting has arrived. :mrgreen:

Cubs To Promote Javier Baez
By Mark Polishuk [August 4, 2014 at 12:50pm CDT]

The Cubs will promote star prospect Javier Baez in time for tomorrow’s game against the Rockies, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports (Twitter link).

cubfanbudman · Aug 4, 2014

Beat me to it! Great place to get his first start with the possibility of hitting one out in Colorado

Pine Tar · Aug 4, 2014

I just seen this reported here. Why him and not Kris Bryant though.
So are they sending Down Alcantra then?

Wait he was recalled? I never knew he was called before. :lol:
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/8/4/5967785/javier-baez-recalled-cubs-news

Jaypers · Aug 4, 2014

Pine Tar said:
I just seen this reported here. Why him and not Kris Bryant though.
So are they sending Down Alcantra then?

Bryant doesn't have as much experience. You'll likely have to wait until next year to see him.

Pine Tar · Aug 4, 2014

Jaypers said:
Bryant doesn't have as much experience. You'll likely have to wait until next year to see him.

Naw September is only 27 days away :lol:

corockies · Aug 4, 2014

Can't wait to see how much this guy will strike out!

shayscards79 · Aug 4, 2014

alcantara isnt going back down he'll be in the outfield.

bcubs · Aug 5, 2014

The future is finally coming and I could not be more excited. Maybe I'll even keep my season tickets.

sheetskout · Aug 5, 2014

This was a pretty strange callup-timing to me. He wasn't even on the 40-man roster yet.

jaydub · Aug 5, 2014

Well I already had a ticket for tonight's Rockies game so I'll get to see his debut first hand.

bmp1971 · Aug 5, 2014

Javier Baez -- a name that is equated to bat speed, streaky power at the plate, and strikeouts. The first name that came to mind to compare him to (as a hitter) was Dave Kingman.

My question is this: will Javier Baez be the modern-day version of Dave Kingman?

Their AAA stats show a lot of similarities, with Kingman looking like the better offensive player all-around. That being said, Kingman was the ultimate whiff-machine in MLB, averaging 1K per 3.73AB for the career, with 1:3.67 ratio at AAA before call-up. Baez is averaging 1K:3.3AB at AAA this year. I would expect that ratio to remain roughly the same at the top level.

Compare AAA stats right before call-up:

(KINGMAN) 105g 434pa 392ab 89r 109h 29db 5trpl 26hr 99rbi 11sb 3cs 32bb 105so .278ba .334obp .577slg .911ops 226tb

(BAEZ) 104g 434pa 388ab 64r 101h 24db 2trpl 23hr 80rbi 16sb 8cs 34bb 130so .260ba .323obp .510slg .833ops 198tb

I think it would be fair to say we should expect Baez to be a similar offensive threat to Kingman, which produced a career of 442 HR, 1816 strikeouts, and a lifetime BA of .236. Can Baez do better than that?

Is there any other hitter (as far as raw production goes) that comes to mind for you to compare him to?

cubfanbudman · Aug 5, 2014

Playing 2B tonight and batting 2nd wearing #9

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corockies · Aug 5, 2014

Ryan Spilborghs compared him to Gary Sheffield pre-game. I don't see it. I like the Dave Kingman comparison above.

WaxPax · Aug 5, 2014

0-3 2K's so he's off and running

bmp1971 said:
Javier Baez -- a name that is equated to bat speed, streaky power at the plate, and strikeouts. The first name that came to mind to compare him to (as a hitter) was Dave Kingman.

My question is this: will Javier Baez be the modern-day version of Dave Kingman?

Their AAA stats show a lot of similarities, with Kingman looking like the better offensive player all-around. That being said, Kingman was the ultimate whiff-machine in MLB, averaging 1K per 3.73AB for the career, with 1:3.67 ratio at AAA before call-up. Baez is averaging 1K:3.3AB at AAA this year. I would expect that ratio to remain roughly the same at the top level.

Compare AAA stats right before call-up:

(KINGMAN) 105g 434pa 392ab 89r 109h 29db 5trpl 26hr 99rbi 11sb 3cs 32bb 105so .278ba .334obp .577slg .911ops 226tb

(BAEZ) 104g 434pa 388ab 64r 101h 24db 2trpl 23hr 80rbi 16sb 8cs 34bb 130so .260ba .323obp .510slg .833ops 198tb

I think it would be fair to say we should expect Baez to be a similar offensive threat to Kingman, which produced a career of 442 HR, 1816 strikeouts, and a lifetime BA of .236. Can Baez do better than that?

Is there any other hitter (as far as raw production goes) that comes to mind for you to compare him to?

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Junior Griffey · Aug 6, 2014

Go ahead HR on the first pitch to lead off the 12th!

bmp1971 · Aug 6, 2014

Junior Griffey said:
Go ahead HR on the first pitch to lead off the 12th!

Sweet!

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jaydub · Aug 6, 2014

Was at the game and Baez had a pretty ugly game until the end. He struck out 3 times and had some bad swings on those. He had trouble with a ball late in the game that helped the Rockies too. Of course all that gets wiped away by the mammoth shot he hit in the 12th. I guess that's what Cubs fans will get used to. Lots and lots of Ks and the highlight reel homers to go with.

Pine Tar · Aug 6, 2014

corockies said:
Can't wait to see how much this guy will strike out!

Well he stuckout 3 times yesterday and goes from goat to hero in late innings. Hewas 1-6 and his first major league hit. A HR in extra innings to win the game

bmp1971 · Sep 6, 2014

Baez first month looks pretty rough: 53 K in 126 AB, with 7 HR and 15 RBI, batting just .183 with .220 OBP and .389 SLG.

Are Cubs fans still hopeful?

corockies · Sep 6, 2014

bmp1971 said:
Baez first month looks pretty rough: 53 K in 126 AB, with 7 HR and 15 RBI, batting just .183 with .220 OBP and .389 SLG.

Are Cubs fans still hopeful?

I'm sure Cubs fans are hopeful. Those holding his cardboard not so much. He will lose his rookie eligibility this year so he won't be on any prospect lists next year. That coupled with his high k rate and low batting average I foresee major league pitchers feasting on the holes in his game during his sophomore campaign.

Keep the ball off the center of the plate and pitchers have success against this guy. One of the easiest formulas all pitchers know to have success against hitters in the bigs. Baez hot/cold zone paints a bleak picture unless he learns to adjust. When you show you can't hit stuff low, high, inside, and outside (and swing at most everything) you tip your hand every at bat.

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