Even ESPN is on the hype train
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/
Baez makes Cubs exciting -- and watchable
August, 4, 2014
AUG 4
2:39
PM CT
Greenberg By Jon Greenberg
ESPNChicago.com
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Javier Baez
Cal Sport Media/AP Images
In the 20 games following the Triple-A All-Star break, Javier Baez hit .342 with nine homers and a 1.159 OPS.
When Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer met the media after trading infielder Emilio Bonifacio at the deadline last week, the giant middle infielder in the room was Javier Baez.
In the Wrigley Field lunchroom, reporters asked Hoyer if this move would presage the promotion of Baez, who has been tearing up Triple-A pitching after a slow start. It makes sense, right?
Hoyer first demurred at the question and talked about "whiteboarding" the organizational structure as if he was talking to the Harvard Business Review.
Then, realizing he was talking to sports writers, he reiterated the front office's most common talking point when it comes to prospects: You can't rush the maturing process due to outside events.
[+] EnlargeJavier Baez
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
Javier Baez has 76 home runs in 319 minor league games.
"We're not going to change our timetable on any of our prospects based on a moves we made at the big league level," Hoyer said. "When we feel like those guys are ready to contribute, we'll do that."
Call me crazy, but the 21-year-old Baez was ready to contribute on July 31, just as he'll be ready when he joins the Cubs on Aug. 5 in Denver. Once he began playing second base on July 17, his prospect clock was ticking.
While we knew Baez, barring injury, would be up this month, the news was met with great excitement when it was leaked Monday afternoon.
When is the last time Cubs fans had something to be excited about on the major league level?
This move, and the added meaning it represents, certainly qualifies as welcoming news for a fan base that has had to focus more on minor league updates than the daily drudgery of the major league team since president Theo Epstein started his teardown rebuilding project in 2012.
It's apropos that Baez, considered one of the top power-hitting prospects in the minors, hit two homers in his last game for Iowa.
Baez proved he wasn't ready for the majors when he struggled to start the Triple-A season. But he showed the kind of step-by-step adjustment the organization expects out of prospects when he hit .300 in July with 10 homers and a .345 on-base percentage. Nineteen of his 33 hits last month were for extra bases, giving him a .655 slugging percentage.
In the 20 games following the Triple-A All-Star break, he hit .342 with nine homers and a 1.159 OPS. Baez finished his four-year minor league career hitting .260 with 24 doubles, 23 homers and 80 RBIs for the Iowa Cubs.
In summation, he was ready.
The Cubs knew this but there was no rush, considering the only race they are in is for a top-five draft pick in 2015.
The Cubs obviously wanted to play Bonifacio, one of their few certain trade chips, before the deadline. Once he was dealt, I figured the Cubs would wait a few days, maybe a week or two, to bring up Baez.
Less than a week and here we go. After a three-game series in Denver, the Cubs return home for a weekend series against Tampa Bay starting Friday. Good seats still available.
The Cubs had already priced that series at the two highest levels, with Friday and Sunday at "marquee" pricing and Saturday one of eight scheduled "platinum" games. The cheapest tickets were going for about $35 on the secondary market when the news was announced, or $41.66 with tax on the Cubs' website.
SportsNation
Which Cubs prospect will turn out to be the best major league player?
Javier Baez
Kris Bryant
Jorge Soler
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One thing is for sure, the Cubs will be watchable again, especially if Baez keeps hitting. The team is struggling to draw viewers, at least according to Nielsen ratings. I'm guessing Tuesday's game will set a season record on Comcast SportsNet.
While Epstein and his front office are getting their rightful due for the relatively quick transformation of the farm system, it's helpful to remember Baez is the last of the Jim Hendry draft picks, even though Hendry will take no credit for Baez.
Even if he were still the general manager, he'd credit the scouts and scouting director Tim Wilken. In this case, he already knew he was fired after a sitdown with Tom Ricketts and agreed to stay on through the draft before the firing was official.
In my column the day Hendry was canned, I quoted a source who was in the room when Baez was drafted ninth overall in 2011. He said Hendry "acted like this guy would be playing third base for him for the next 10 years."
Ironically, Baez's first home game will be against Chris Archer, whom Hendry traded in the Matt Garza deal, his unsuccessful last-ditch effort to save his job.
Now it's time for Cubs fans to celebrate, or at least it's time to enjoy watching games again, because the new era of Cubs baseball is really beginning.
Baez is up to bat, outfielder Jorge Soler is on deck (expect him up in September) and in the dugout, Kris Bryant is taking Wonder Boy out of its case.
The big league Cubs are almost ready to matter again. It should feel good.
"m" means I got the player as a minor leaguer for this year, and tender 3 more to him, or keep him as a minor keeper next year at "m" and then be forced to tender him 3 after next year. depends on what i wanna do with my minors since i have piscotty and aj cole to keep already, i might just keep javy as a minor and have 4 years of control of him.
