Re: 7/2 - 7/15 Game Discussion Thread
At first when I read the post about Javy Baez as a choice for NL MVP, I was like "nah." He strikes out too much. He's too streaky. Bryant and Rizzo are usually better options on his own team.
But, then I thought about it, and although it probably won't happen, it seems more reasonable. Obviously he's been hitting this year. He's in the NL top 10 in HR, RBI, and runs scored. Some of the usual suspects (Bryant, Harper, Goldschmidt) are coming from way behind.
His defense is always highlight-reel although he's been a bit more erratic on defense this year. And that shows in his defensive metrics (slightly negative UZR score, slightly positive DRS score). He makes plays that nobody else does though.
One thing about Javy that gets overlooked unless you watch a lot of Cubs broadcasts (especially the home feed with Len and Jim) is his baserunning. Javier Baez--for my money--might be the best baserunner in baseball. He's won the Cubs games in the past with his instincts and daring on the bases. Unlike on defense, he almost never makes mistakes while running the bases. One of the byproducts of this is he has a speed score of 8.7 (tops in baseball and above Billy Hamilton!). Now, Javy is fast, but a speed score this high is more a result of taking extra bases whenever possible. And being really successful at it.
At first when I read the post about Javy Baez as a choice for NL MVP, I was like "nah." He strikes out too much. He's too streaky. Bryant and Rizzo are usually better options on his own team.
But, then I thought about it, and although it probably won't happen, it seems more reasonable. Obviously he's been hitting this year. He's in the NL top 10 in HR, RBI, and runs scored. Some of the usual suspects (Bryant, Harper, Goldschmidt) are coming from way behind.
His defense is always highlight-reel although he's been a bit more erratic on defense this year. And that shows in his defensive metrics (slightly negative UZR score, slightly positive DRS score). He makes plays that nobody else does though.
One thing about Javy that gets overlooked unless you watch a lot of Cubs broadcasts (especially the home feed with Len and Jim) is his baserunning. Javier Baez--for my money--might be the best baserunner in baseball. He's won the Cubs games in the past with his instincts and daring on the bases. Unlike on defense, he almost never makes mistakes while running the bases. One of the byproducts of this is he has a speed score of 8.7 (tops in baseball and above Billy Hamilton!). Now, Javy is fast, but a speed score this high is more a result of taking extra bases whenever possible. And being really successful at it.
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