Javy Baez is Simply the Best, Strop with the Assist, Love for Zobrist, and Other Bullets

August 7, 2018, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

The Wallflowers. Remember them? Haven’t heard them in a long time, but they’re piping in over the radio where I’m working right now. One, two, three … Marlenas …

50 games is about a third of a dang season, and in that third of a dang season, Javy Baez has been Babe dang Ruth:

Javier Báez last 50 games:
.366/.403/.683, 36 Runs, 21 Doubles, 2 Triples, 11 Home Runs, 42 RBI#Cubs

— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 7, 2018

On the year now, Baez is up to .302/.335/.594 with a 141 wRC+, which ranks 7th in the NL, and that slugging percentage is number one. Consider that Baez also rates as the third best baserunner in the league (behind only the ridiculous Billy Hamilton and Trea Turner), and also plays stellar defense at multiple positions, and there’s simply no question in my mind that, as of this moment, he’s the most valuable player in the National League. How could it even be close?
“Oh, no, his OBP isn’t super high! He’s not one of the best!” … DUDE. If that’s the one flaw you can find, he’s doing pretty well: Baez’s OBP is currently 15 POINTS HIGHER THAN LEAGUE AVERAGE.

Also, he’s now in some rarified Cubs air (and it’s not even September yet!):

30 doubles, 5 triples, 25 HR & 15 stolen bases in a season#Cubs history

1985 Ryne Sandberg
1992 Ryne Sandberg
2007 Alfonso Soriano
2018 Javier Báez

— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 7, 2018

Dude is just hot as all get-out, and he’s been carrying the Cubs lately:

https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1026800125136396289

Apparently, some of the credit for last night’s success goes to current-closer Pedro Strop, who got on Baez during the game’s rain delay, after Baez had started the game out with some ugly whiffs:

Great stuff between Baez and Strop tonight. During the rain delay, Strop got Baez's head straight. After he struck out badly 2 times, Strop told him 'you're going 2 for 4.' And when Baez started to respond, Strop cut him off: "You're going 2 for 4." He then homered and doubled

— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) August 7, 2018

Strop to Baez during the rain delay: “I screamed to him. 'Wake up, wake up. We have a game to play.'”

— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) August 7, 2018

Sounds like Strop did help Baez change his mindset (Cubs.com): “I was so mad [at my at-bats] plus the rain delay – you can ask ‘Stroppy’ about my attitude. I struck out twice, and not that I struck out, but it was pitches way out of the zone. This is the first time I played here so I was really excited to be here. I like the field – it’s really big. I was trying to control my emotions. After the rain delay, I went out there with a different attitude and being patient.”
Appropriately, closer look at the Cubs’ styling for the Pedro Strop-themed road trip – you think this guy isn’t beloved:

Dress like Strop. #StatusGo, @GrantThornton. pic.twitter.com/BYtiTmRtYL

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 6, 2018

Ben Zobrist got some love from the fans of his former team (you didn’t forget he was a Royal for a minute, right? Hey, he was killer in the playoffs and World Series for them, so it’s completely deserved):

https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1026634857097486337

Hooray cool we won guys wow that’s awesome now LET’S GTFOH:

The high five line is an important baseball tradition after a win, BUT HURRY THE HECK UP IT'S POURING pic.twitter.com/UT79CqYyzU

— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) August 7, 2018

Incredible picture of the end result of Javy Baez’s homer last night:

Embed from Getty Images

Spot on:

https://twitter.com/KFidds/status/1026641164588339200

I’ll take it:

#Cubs win on a Brewers off-day = lead growing slightly! I’ll take it!

A post shared by Bleacher Nation (@bleachernation) on Aug 7, 2018 at 5:36am PDT