Still Hope for Javier Baez?

[DJMoore_is_fat]

I know he has Sheffield-like bat speed but has any prospect ever struck out at the rate he did -- only to correct it and become an elite player? I'm asking because I genuinely don't know. I realize Baez's sample size is small and many players have stuggled initially and managed to turn it around (Manny Ramirez being one example) but Baez's strike out rate was nearly 50%.

Anybody here think he can turn it around?

 

[The Bandit]

Time will tell, if he can cut the K's down he should be okay.

 

[TL1961]

I know he has Sheffield-like bat speed but has any prospect ever struck out at the rate he did -- only to correct it and become an elite player? I'm asking because I genuinely don't know. I realize Baez's sample size is small and many players have stuggled initially and managed to turn it around (Manny Ramirez being one example) but Baez's strike out rate was nearly 50%.

Anybody here think he can turn it around?

I think by the end of 2015 it will be funny that anyone asked if there is "still hope".

 

[JosMin]

lol...... He just turned 22 and has 213 at-bats. Let's slow our roll, please.

 

[brett05]

beckdawg did this analysis earlier this year

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Okay good. I'm glad people are still confident in the guy. I just had never seen anybody strike out at that rate - only to turn it around and become a star. But I know struggling early is very common. Hope he corrects it this winter.

 

[TL1961]

If Baez plays 2B, hits .230 and 20 HR's, he'll be far, far better than anything we've had there in years, and that production will match what most other teams are getting from that position.

And that's reasonably low expectation. I think he'll hit better than that.

 

[FrankieLyrical]

"Still hope" as if hope was lost? Did people seriously expect Baez to come in and win an MVP? lol give the kid time, he's like 15 years old.

 

[beckdawg]

I know he has Sheffield-like bat speed but has any prospect ever struck out at the rate he did -- only to correct it and become an elite player? I'm asking because I genuinely don't know. I realize Baez's sample size is small and many players have stuggled initially and managed to turn it around (Manny Ramirez being one example) but Baez's strike out rate was nearly 50%.

Anybody here think he can turn it around?

I'm not going to go super in detail into this because I'm sure people are tired of me mentioning it. The short answer is yes a very few set of players have had large K rates to start their career and turned it around. Jose Bautista was one. However, the vast majority of these players took into their late 20's to do so. Bautista was like 28 IIRC. Baez had the largest K rate ever for a player with more than 200 PAs.

As for whether or not he can turn it around, I don't think that's the right question because as some have said you can't get much worse than his debut. The real question is how much improvement is there. My opinion is even a major improvement for him still puts him at risk of not being very good. Look up Chris Carter's numbers and I think that's where Baez realistically can get to. To be better than that he's going to need some kind of major change.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

This has to be the most pointless thread in here.

 

[ZAN]

Of course there is still hope. Imagine if the Cubs gave up on Ryno...

How about we let the kid have 500-600 ABs before we panic? At the VERY LEAST...he's A+ trade bait for us to add proven pieces (given that we have Starlin and Russell at SS too). His glove/power can flash at 2B and we will deal with the Ks as they come for now.

 

[fatbeard]

San Diego Padres fans circa 2011:

IS THERE STILL HOPE FOR ANTHONY RIZZO???????

 

[JP Hochbaum]

I'm not going to go super in detail into this because I'm sure people are tired of me mentioning it. The short answer is yes a very few set of players have had large K rates to start their career and turned it around. Jose Bautista was one. However, the vast majority of these players took into their late 20's to do so. Bautista was like 28 IIRC. Baez had the largest K rate ever for a player with more than 200 PAs.

As for whether or not he can turn it around, I don't think that's the right question because as some have said you can't get much worse than his debut. The real question is how much improvement is there. My opinion is even a major improvement for him still puts him at risk of not being very good. Look up Chris Carter's numbers and I think that's where Baez realistically can get to. To be better than that he's going to need some kind of major change.

It is difficult to take his first 200 at bats as meaning anything. We have the brass of the Cubs saying that they didn't attempt to mess with Baez after his call up, meaning they left him alone to adjust on his own.

So with an off season of work and tape to see where he can improve, it is more than reasonable to see everything in his game improve. I like the approach of the new hitting coach where they are going to attempt to get Baez to reduce his two strike counts.

History may tell us things about other players, but it isn't some piece of mold that we could fit over Baez. His path is completely different from any player people try to compare him too.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

You're an idiot.

The kids 21 and came up in what, July? June? 2-300 at bats?

And you're spouting off this garbage?

Idiot.

 

[2323]

I'm not going to go super in detail into this because I'm sure people are tired of me mentioning it. The short answer is yes a very few set of players have had large K rates to start their career and turned it around. Jose Bautista was one. However, the vast majority of these players took into their late 20's to do so. Bautista was like 28 IIRC. Baez had the largest K rate ever for a player with more than 200 PAs.

As for whether or not he can turn it around, I don't think that's the right question because as some have said you can't get much worse than his debut. The real question is how much improvement is there. My opinion is even a major improvement for him still puts him at risk of not being very good. Look up Chris Carter's numbers and I think that's where Baez realistically can get to. To be better than that he's going to need some kind of major change.

I think the bigger question is, what happens when he does put the ball in play. Maybe they are, maybe they're not. But if the players you're referencing aren't doing the same damage when thy put the ball in play, they're not necessarily relevant in making comparisons.

 

[Six]

I'm not ready to give up on this kid. You know he's getting some strict coaching right now in winter ball, specifically working on his batting eye. He will be fine, and every hater will be eating crow when the kid pops 30 dingers.

 

[beardown28]

Jesus. Why is this even a thread. The kid has almost 300 MLB at bats. Look at his track record. He goes to a new level, struggles until he figures it out, then takes off. He'll be fine.

 

[Doubledown]

IMO his bat speed is better then when I seen Sosa with the Sox, think he will end up a good player.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

IMO his bat speed is better then when I seen Sosa with the Sox, think he will end up a good player.

It's generational bat speed. Peter Gammons said last summer that most scouts say that it's the kind of tool that makes it out if A ball less than once a decade and Baez has a strong baseball IQ, responds well to coaching and works hard. Oh and he's 22!!! Even thinking about giving up on a guy his age with frankly the only generational tool in the organization after 213 AB is beyond ridiculous. That doesn't mean he's s guaranteed success it just means that the risk/reward factor on this kid falls strongly on the reward side.

 

[brett05]

Given his lack of adjustments I question his strong baseball iq