Is there a better bunter on the Chicago Cubs than Jon Lester? Given his performance in the role over the years, I tend to doubt there is.
Is there a better baserunner on the Chicago Cubs than Javy Baez? You could certainly make an argument for Kris Bryant, but when it comes to – for example – coming home from third, there’s no one better than Baez.
Is there a catcher you’d more like to see question himself in the moment and then screw up than Yadier Molina? No chance.
So this play from last night’s game was pure bliss:
Safety squeeze! The @Cubs add to their lead thanks to this bunt from @JLester34. #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/p1vFtA8RY4
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 16, 2018
Good things come to those who bunt. pic.twitter.com/jhMQU24nAX
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 16, 2018
I really wish Molina had decided to try to get Baez. He certainly had plenty of time to go for a tag, but I also have no doubt that Javy would have figured out some way to pull off a crazy – and potentially embarrassing, for Molina – way to reach the plate. Even as it was, Baez was already angling himself away from Molina, and didn’t even slide to the plate. He had to tag it afterwards.
Baez was so ready to run on that one that if Lester had missed the bunt, things would have gotten crazy. My guess is Molina would have fired to third, and Baez would have taken off. And, since he’s Javy, he probably scores that way, too. But Lester wasn’t going to miss the bunt, because he basically never does.
In other words, if Jon Lester is up with Javy Baez on third base and fewer than two outs, Baez is about to score, one way or another.
Molina thereafter throwing the ball away, and Lester aggressively taking second base – well, that was just the cherry on the top.