Last night’s one-run loss to the Dodgers could have been a two-run loss – or more! – if not for the arms attached to Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez.
That … uh … actually doesn’t make me feel a ton better about the loss, but I’m still gonna enjoy their play again.
.@javy23baez taught Tom Emanski everything he knows. pic.twitter.com/gLa6Gru5Mx
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 26, 2018
After initially misplaying the ball, Schwarber and Baez each threw an absolute laser to nail Turner at the plate and keep this a one-run game! pic.twitter.com/VnJPUsIdDM
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) June 26, 2018
To be sure, Kyle Schwarber biffed a bit in trying to stop that ball before it got to the wall, but I have found that he’s so good at scrambling to the ball and getting it from the ground and into the infield extremely quickly (in addition to the strong, accurate arm).
So, then, Schwarber gets the ball perfectly to Javy Baez, who has some of the quickest hands in the game, which he pairs with his own wickedly strong and accurate arm. Boom. Nailed.
I can’t necessarily blame the third base coach in this instance for sending Justin Turner, because he basically had to make the decision as Schwarber was on the ground. How could you not assume he wouldn’t be able to get up, get to the ball, get the ball to an infielder, and then have that infielder get a perfect throw to the plate before your guy could make it about 100 feet?
But, that’s what the Cubs do.