As a team, the Cubs have begun 2018 in a rather ho-hum fashion. Through 18 games, they haven’t been two games above or below .500 all season which has unsurprisingly led to a bunch of Cubs fans venting their frustrations online (I’ll write about those folks at a date to be determined later.)
The team’s mediocre start has not impeded the red hot start of a couple of individual players, most notably Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, and Javier Baez. As much as I’d love to write about Schwarber’s reemergence as a left handed power bat or the fact that Kris Bryant has somehow managed to get BETTER this season — it’s Baez’s numbers that are truly eye opening to me.
Part of what makes Baez’s start to 2018 even more impressive is that I don’t recall any “expert” predicting his emergence.
Who predicted Javy taking over the two spot from Kris Bryant and hitting everything in sight to start the season? #Cubs pic.twitter.com/LT8X5fX4DR
— Adam Nissen (@nissen54) April 21, 2018
Coming into 2018, Baez had a reputation of being flashy in the field but a liability at the plate. I could Google his career K% but every Cubs fan knows that Javy has struck out a shit load in his career and it was almost a guarantee that if he fell behind 0-2 or 1-2, the pitcher was throwing a slider low and away which almost always warranted an ugly swing and miss by Baez.
Although we’re still in April, Baez looks like he’s fixed some of those issues. On the season, Baez has struck out 14 times compared to future Cub Bryce Harper, who has K’d 13 times.
I’m only half joking with that “future Cub” reference.
The improvement in plate discipline has resulted in Baez climbing up in the Cubs batting order to take over the number two spot that has historically been manned by Mr. All-Everything, Kris Bryant.
When you pair Baez taking over the two spot with the Cubs seemingly figuring out their leadoff situation with Albert Almora Jr., those two players could set the table beautifully for the bats behind them (Bryant, Rizzo, Contreras.)
Baez has not only set the table early on, he’s cleared the table as well. He currently ranks in the top ten in the NL in almost every offensive category (runs, home runs, slugging, OPS, WAR, and RBIs) and that production has already shattered a century long record within the Cubs organization.
Javy Baez leads NL with 20 RBI and .712 slugging percentage. His 20 RBI are the most since 1913 by any #Cubs second baseman before May 1
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) April 22, 2018
When you think about the Cubs and great second baseman, there should be only one name that comes into your head — Ryne Sandberg. To put Baez’s historic start into perspective, in Sandberg’s 15-year Hall of Fame career with the Cubs, his career high in RBIs before May 1st was 14, which just so happened to be during his MVP season of 1984.
Now before you freak out, I am NOT saying Javier Baez should be compared to Ryne Sandberg because even with the blazing hot start, the 25-year-old Baez has a long way to go. However, if Baez is able to even closely maintain this start for the remainder of the season, the Cubs have a bonafide All-Star (and possible MVP) candidate on their hands.
