Javier Baez to play some 2nd base this spring

In News And Rumors by dmick8998 Comments

I think most of thought that if Javier Baez had to be moved off shortstop, which seemed an almost certainty after he was drafted, that he would shift to 3rd base. He made himself into a decent enough shortstop to stick there through the minors and some even said he could stick. It still seems like he'll probably have to shift to a different position and most of us just assumed 3rd base. Well, it appears the Cubs may give him some playing time at 2nd base this spring. 

Javier Baez will open the 2014 season at Triple-A Iowa and is close to getting to the big leagues. The Cubs already have a young shortstop in Starlin Castro, who turns 24 in March. This spring, Baez may get some playing time at second base, depending on what the Cubs and manager Rick Renteria want to do.

“Our goal for Javy is to have him play shortstop for as long as he possibly can,” said Jason McLeod, director of scouting and player development. “He certainly has some things to clean up with the errors that were made last year.”

The Cubs’ No. 1 Draft pick in 2011, Baez made 44 errors combined last season.

The Cubs 2nd base job is Darwin Barney's, but he's not going to get into Baez's way. Barney may be a great defender, but he can barely hit enough to stay on the right side of replacement level. Despite that, though, Barney has still been productive due to his great defense. Some have suggested that could be due to the number of shifts that Dale Sveum employed, but I'm far from convinced of that. 

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  1. Suburban kid

    Aisle424 wrote:

    @ Suburban kid:
    He was hilarious. His comedic timing is just brilliant.

    dmick89, Sweatpants Guru wrote:

    @ Suburban kid:
    He’s timing is as good as ever. Have you seen both BBT episodes with him in it?

    I saw the first one and just a few seconds of the second one; not sure if it was a preview or it was on when someone was flipping channels. I’ll hunt it down.

    It’s not just the timing, it’s the contrasting styles. Everyone is so whiny sounding on that show, and some characters like Sheldon are so over-scripted. Newhart’s gaze and awkward near silence just play off that beautifully.

    also

    Wikipedia wrote:

    Newhart is known for his deadpan delivery and a slight stammer which early on he incorporated into the persona around which he built a successful career.[6] On his TV shows, although he got his share of funny lines, often he worked in the Jack Benny tradition of being the “straight man” while the sometimes somewhat bizarre cast members surrounding him got the laughs.

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  4. Like You Care

    Aisle424 wrote:

    Richard Sherman wrote a post about what led up to his ranting interview with Erin Andrews. It’s really great.
    http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/20/richard-sherman-interview-michael-crabtree/

    That sums up why I like and dislike Sherman so much.

    Dislike:

    I was targeted only twice during the entire NFC Championship. The first produced a BS holding call against me

    All the SEA DBs frequently hold and interfere with WRs according to the rules and they usually get away with it. I don’t mind that, but don’t complain when they actually do call you for it.

    I ran over to Crabtree to shake his hand but he ignored me. I patted him, stuck out my hand and said, “Good game, good game.”

    He knew what he was doing, and his intent wasn’t to wish his opponent well. Again, that’s fine if you want to do that but don’t complain when the bear you poke attacks you.

    Like:

    Everything else. Too many things to quote. He’s an exceptional human being who embraces who he is. If he embraced who he was on the field (not playing the victim with calls or confrontations), he’d probably be my favorite player.

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  5. Like You Care

    As for Kaepernick (I know, just remember my username), the wannabe GM in me wants to let him walk and draft a QB. Throws like this, though…

    [img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_h2f149nYNU/Utx-1AffNEI/AAAAAAAAFaQ/4N0B4Zs9NzM/s1600/boldin.gif[/img]

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  7. Like You Care

    @ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:

    Maybe Rafael Furcal? Crazy enough that he threw it from that position. Crazier to me that Earl Thomas got a hand on it and its trajectory didn’t change at all.

    Kaepernick is getting a LOT of blame for losing last night, but he didn’t get much help. I don’t know that they’re even in that game with Alex Smith at QB.

    The only thing keeping Kaepernick from being an elite QB, imo, is reading coverages and a willingness to use the whole field. On the last INT, he saw Crabtree in a one-on-one situation with Sherman. He should have recognized SEA was in Cover-3 zone and gone to his bubble screen on the other side (which would have gained about ten yards and stopped the clock). If he throws the ball he did about two yards farther, they score a TD and none of it matters. The problem is that most QBs can’t make that throw every time.

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  8. Smokestack Lightning

    Tom Loxas sez:

    Hearing it is down to #Yankees and #Cubs for Tanaka derby.

    If true, gotta love the Cubs’ chances now, right? (dying laughing)

    Even though I think the Yankees are a fucking mess right now and are far from being a lock to seriously contend in the AL East for the next couple-three seasons.

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  13. WaLi

    @ Like You Care:
    Yeah I love Sherman. He has a great personality and is hilarious (and is pretty damn good too).

    That one play you posted of Kapernick was insane. My jaw dropped when he made that TD.

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  14. Like You Care

    @ WaLi:

    Mine too. Couple the bad (which can be pretty bad) and the good (which can be amazing), and I’m really glad his upcoming contract isn’t my call. If he can correct his flaws (which are relatively minor and usually come with repetition), he can be an elite QB.

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  18. Author
    dmick89, Sweatpants Guru

    @ Smokestack Lightning:

    Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes that the Cubs may need Tanaka more than the Yankees or Dodgers, but he doesn’t feel that Tanaka is interested in coming to America to pitch for a losing club. He feels Chicago would have to overpay in order to land Tanaka, which he says is not the Ricketts family’s style. The Dodgers present the best set of circumstances in terms of available money, proximity to Japan, weather, a competitive team and a pitcher-friendly environment, Morosi writes.

    There’s also that just to ruin shit on the hope monster.

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  21. Smokestack Lightning

    Edwin wrote:

    dmick89, Sweatpants Guru wrote:
    @ Smokestack Lightning:

    He feels Chicago would have to pay in order to land Tanaka, which he says is not the Ricketts family’s style.

    (dying laughing)

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  23. Smokestack Lightning

    @ Suburban kid:

    Yeah, Morosi’s piece didn’t strike me as having any sort of special insight. It read like it could have been written back in December.

    Maybe it was.

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  24. Author
    dmick89, Sweatpants Guru

    @ Smokestack Lightning:
    I still think he’s right though. I don’t expect the Cubs to get him and I’d be surprised if they had the highest offer. There’s a lot of different reports floating around right now and I’m more optimistic than I was a week ago, or even a few days ago, but I’m still going to be quite surprised.

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  26. Smokestack Lightning

    @ dmick89, Sweatpants Guru:

    Yes, but it’s the same self-evident points that everybody’s already familiar with, so meh. Morosi don’t know shit the rest of us don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect the Cubs to get him either. I am at this point expecting the Cubs to have the highest offer (though not of the sort that laps the field), and as I said before, that will be some consolation.

    Cubs have nothing to draw this guy here other than money. Nothing. Shitty team. Not enough Japanese people. No Fox Force 5 for his wife to star in. That they’ve managed to hang in as a front-runner in the rumor mill and get us to the point where we’re almost sort of believing it might kinda happen is impressive.

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  27. dylanj

    hey MD- i started a post & saved it in the draft section. I’ll work on it from time to time & if you like it or want to add something please feel free

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  30. Edwin

    I don’t know if the Ricketts have a “style” per se, but I do know that I’m a little tired of the front office (and in some extension, ownership?) putting such an emphasis on “Years of Control”, “Making the revenues match up with on field product”, and the general theme of how it’s important to only spend in the most efficient $/WAR way possible. As if any spending on a 30 year or older FA that doesn’t immediately lead to a playoff team next season is wasteful spending. I’m also a little annoyed at the way they seem to constantly bring up the Jim Hendry years as this terrible dark time where overspending ruined the farm system and forced the Cubs to be bad for years and years. So far, the Cubs have been way more successful under Jim Hendry and the Tribune than Epstein/Hoyer and Ricketts.

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  32. Akabari

    My sources (a Japanese journalist on Twitter) had this to say:

    Epstein Cubs GM of such as were wooed ardently Tanaka pitcher according to news reports. I’ll fall if I When you are prompted to Kudoka Anna Twink elite. I wish I said, ‘I want to make a team around you. Want to make a champion team and the best. Mr. me out pull them from are nothing people young promising players “Nantes.:

    So, you know.
    Just wanted to make it look like I knew something. And Theo likes elite Twinks?

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  39. EnricoPallazzo

    @ Smokestack Lightning:

    that guy seems pretty insightful. his comments are really spot on. for example:

    YOU DONT SEE MAD SKILLS EITHER………………YOU FUQKING MOPE……………EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN

    THE WHALES IN THE OCEAN WOULD RATHER BEACH THEMSELVES, THAN SHARE THE OCEAN WITH YOUR SICK AZZZEEESSS……………

    YOUR ZIONIST CULTURE ISNT AS DEMORALIZING AS MUCH FOR ITS DANGERS AND DISCRIMINATIONS, AS MUCH AS IT BEING JUST A GROUP FUQKING LOBOTOMY!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i totally agree! well said!

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  43. Suburban kid

    @ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:

    Nikkan Sports wrote:

    The determination of the local paper reports also the 21st Transfers destination Mr. Marr

    　Posting new system is aimed at major challenge by using the Rakuten Masahiro Tanaka (the 20th Japan time) on the 19th, the U.S. media reported Transfers destination (25) pitcher, a decision or even the 21st. He said a major scout there “, the determination of the Tanaka would get out on Wednesday or Tuesday. Personality of sports station CSN Chicago, David Kaplan Mr. body additional (the deadline) before Friday on Twitter its own I muttered “from shall be subject to inspection.

    　8 days, Tanaka visited already medical check at a hospital in Los Angeles already. While pitched excess is worry, I had to prove that there is no problem in the shoulder and elbow for each team in advance. You have a definitive agreement before, that there is a test of the team further specify According to the tweet of his.

    　[23 minutes from the paper 8:00 January 21, 2014]

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  44. fang2415

    @ Suburban kid:
    So if I’m understanding that correctly, a Japanese paper has learned from Kaplan’s tweet that Tanaka’s decision will likely be announced today or tomorrow body military been far even go cherry blossom glorious sunshine backpack?

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  83. JonKneeV

    ChicagoBearJew wrote:

    Dear MB21,
    Instead of writing your profanity-laced pieces, why don’t you show some class and do a question and answer with me on Rant Sports and the Cubs? Since we keep it classy and clean, it may be an issue for you. But we will be happy to post a debate on our answers against yours when it comes to the Cubs. So what do you say? Are you tough enough to do it? Or does your inappropriate language express your lack of confidence.
    ChicagoBearJew…
    PS-We don’t resort to hashtagging about other sites.

    (dying laughing)o(dying laughing)o(dying laughing) this was so good. Damn this was over a year ago this happened.

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  94. Like You Care

    Like you care, but I’m putting together my 2014 draft big board and I can’t believe how deep this draft is. From the look of it, you’ll be able to get first-round talent well into the second and second-round talent into the fourth. Teams should try to stockpile Day 2 picks now.

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  96. sitrick

    dmick89, Sweatpants Guru wrote:

    @ Aisle424:
    Case for number 1? Isn’t that true of all the top 5, 10 or 20?

    Maybe when you don’t have a guy like Buxton running around. The idea that he could be past guys like Lindor, Tavares, and Buxton in particular is kind of insane.

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