Getty Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs is the heartbeat of the lineup and a key contributor on defense.
The 11-8 Cubs take on the 10-8 Oakland Athletics in a Cactus League showdown. Jon Lester toes the rubber for the Cubs while Aaron Brooks takes the bump opposite Lester for the A’s. Both Lester and Brooks have struggled early in the spring, however, Lester’s struggles can be attributed to the fact that he is an aging pitcher who relies on offspeed and deception. So far in spring training, Lester has been forced to throw primarily fastballs and changeups, limiting his productivity.
The Cubs need a big year out of Lester in particular as while their lineup looks to be one of the league’s best, their starting pitching is shaky at best. Lester and Hamels are both getting up there in age while Yu Darvish is one of the more oft-injured players in the major leagues. Kyle Hendricks had a Cy Young push in 2016 but has returned to his previous form of a 3-4 starter built for giving you quality starts. All of this is to say, the Cubs are thin and lacking the depth to pick up the slack should one of their elder statesman or their oft-injured import goes down.
Braves Roster & Lineup Today
(Braves Lineup Courtesy of BaseballPress)
1. Ian Happ CF
2. David Bote 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo 1B
4. Willson Contreras C
5. Cristhian Adames 2B
6. Addison Russell SS
7. Mark Zagunis RF
8. Ryan Court DH
9. Johnny Field LF
SP – John Lester LHP
Javier Baez Stats & Spring Training Highlights
Never known for his hot spring training starts, Baez gets a bit of rest as he doesn’t draw the start against the Oakland A’s. Heading into the game, Baez was slashing a very meager .250/.280/.333 along with no home runs and a singular RBI. However, this sort of stat line in the spring is extremely common for Baez, as he hasn’t hit above .300 since joining the Cubs for spring training in 2012.
Despite his recent struggles, even watching batting practice and hearing the sound of the ball off his bat this spring, you get the feeling that by the time opening day rolls around, Javy will be back in MVP-caliber form:
Escuchen eso, perfect swing ⚾️
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• By @mlb
#mlb #baseball #beisbol #chicagocubs #javierbaez #elmago #estoesplayballpr
Known just as much for his flashy defensive play (specifically his tags) as he is for his incredibly well-rounded offensive production, Baez is a true five-tool player able to impact the game in a variety of ways. Although he struggled with getting the feel of the big league level in his younger years, Baez is getting close to his athletic prime and despite just being 26 years old, is essentially a veteran. With his improved comfort level and all-around stellar play, Baez should continue to be the heartbeat of the Cubs in 2019.
Speaking of his famous tags and flashy defense, check out this short highlight video showcasing some of Javy’s slickest plays:
While health doesn’t seem to be a major concern to the Cubs right now, the team has been riddled with injuries to key players the past few years and will need to stay healthy in order to make another deep run into the playoffs. The pitching, in particular, should be the key, as should any of the starting arms go down for an extended period of time, the Cubs will have their hands full trying to find a replacement.