Still Hope for Javier Baez?

[TC in Mississippi]

Given his lack of adjustments I question his strong baseball iq

He made the adjustments at every level within a 100 AB until he reached the bigs. Given the difference between the minor leagues and MLB I'm inclined to reason that it could easily take three times as long to make those same kinds of adjustments. Also this kid isn't some schmo, he was the number 3 prospect in the game when he came up. The question in this thread isn't whether or not he'll be a great player it's whether you give up on him. The former is a question best left to scouts and guys who get paid to make such judgements but the latter isn't necessarily. Based on everything in evidence only a fool would give up on this kid after 200 AB.

 

[brett05]

He made the adjustments at every level within a 100 AB until he reached the bigs.

Thanks to instruction. He did not adjust on his own.

Given the difference between the minor leagues and MLB I'm inclined to reason that it could easily take three times as long to make those same kinds of adjustments.

Or it could happen sooner when they..ya know...start to instruct him again.

Based on everything in evidence only a fool would give up on this kid after 200 AB.

Trading him would not necessarily be giving up on him. Saying he can never be is giving up. Trading him for a perceived greater need is smart. It matters not what his at bats are except in return value. His peak was right before being called up, he's dipped a bit since. If he gets another 100 or so at bats with no improvement it dips more. If he improves a lot in those 100 or so at bats in 2015 it goes right back to the top.

But that's not baseball IQ IMO

 

[JP Hochbaum]

Given his lack of adjustments I question his strong baseball iq

I'd have to dig up the article, but I read that coaches asked Baez not to think too much with his call up and just to go out there and play. I think they just wanted to get him out there to see what his natural abilities can do. I wouldn't really assume he has low baseball iq.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Thanks to instruction. He did not adjust on his own.




Or it could happen sooner when they..ya know...start to instruct him again.




Trading him would not necessarily be giving up on him. Saying he can never be is giving up. Trading him for a perceived greater need is smart. It matters not what his at bats are except in return value. His peak was right before being called up, he's dipped a bit since. If he gets another 100 or so at bats with no improvement it dips more. If he improves a lot in those 100 or so at bats in 2015 it goes right back to the top.

But that's not baseball IQ IMO

Is the ability to take instruction and learn not a positive trait? The Cubs made a decision not to give him instruction last year after his call up to see what he could learn on his own and to get a lot of tape on him for the off season. The fact that they did not trust their hitting instructor was part of that too. I just wouldn't trades kid with the kind of cieling Baez has after 200 AB.