Joe Maddon Pushing Javy Baez for MVP: “He’s Just Different”

Whenever *any* player is up for a major award or distinction – MVP, Cy Young, batting title, home runs, etc. – you’ll often see his manager putting him in the best possible position to succeed, both on and off the field. For some managers, where the competitive context permits, that means avoiding certain matchups, pulling guys early, putting them in late, etc. And for others, it could be as simple as promoting him to the country in postgame interviews and discussions with others.

Cubs Manager Joe Maddon is no exception. He’s out there right now, stumping for his best player in 2018, Javy Baez, to win the National League award given to the Most Valuable Player. But Maddon has a unique problem in this fight. Although Baez’s numbers are sufficiently good that his position among the most top candidates is justified, it’s far from a sure-bet.

By wRC+, Javy Baez currently ranks 10th in the NL (though he’s essentially in a four-way tie for 7th). And in OBP, he’s not even among the top 40 players in the NL (that’s really, really, really, not everything – wRC+ is a far better measure of his offensive capabilities – but it is a bit of a hurdle). He’s obviously among the leaders in several important (in the MVP voting) offensive categories – 1st in RBI, 1st in ISO, 2nd in SLG, 8th in stolen bases, etc. – and is among the most elite defenders and three different positions.

But still there exists this unique challenge of explaining how much total value Baez offers. Maddon gives it his best shot: “It’s hard to evaluate baseball intellect or acumen,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Baez, via Cubs.com. “He got a 1600 on his baseball SATs – he definitely did.”

I am quite aware of the pitfalls of excessive homerism – and I think without watching Javy Baez play every single day, like I do, I would immediately poo-poo such an argument – but to any non-Cubs fan out there reading this, trust me when I say, I’ve never seen a player do so much to impact a game outside of the box score than Javy Baez. In fact, I’ve never come across ANY player who’s so capable of doing things that just don’t fit into what I originally considered a neat and tidy box of analyzing baseball.

Actually, let me rephrase that: I simpy didn’t believe other writers/fans/teams when they said that about certain guys. I do now. If you watch Baez for more than just a game or a series or a week, you’ll understand. And on TOP of that, he’s an elite defender, base runner, and, has been – at worst – one of the top 5 offensive contributors this season. “I know we would not be in this position without him,” Maddon said. “He carried us for a while … and from the beginning of the year to the middle, Javy really did carry us. What you’ve seen in the last couple days, it’s been picking up again and he’s kind of catching his second wind. He’s definitely a really strong MVP candidate.”

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Maddon continued: “It’s hard for anybody to match up with him, his overall skill set, his baserunning, arm strength, ability to throw off balance – you just keep going down the list of things he can do that on other teams, maybe one guy can do one or two of these things but not anybody can do all of the things he can do,” Maddon said. “He’s just different.”

Perhaps you expect a manager to say those things and perhaps you expect a Cubs fan like me to share them with added weight, but I believe I am being 100% intellectually honest when I say Baez is completely worthy of winning the NL MVP award this season. I think there are other strong candidates – particularly, Christian Yelich, and if he won I wouldn’t complain that it was an unfair selection – worthy of the honor, but I think Baez is right up there with the rest of them. Like Maddon said, he’s just different.

Read more from Maddon and Baez at Cubs.com.

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

more cubs news

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

Latest News

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

How to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Live Stream or on TV

On Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Cleveland Guardians (1-0), led by Jose Ramirez, visit Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the Cleveland-Oakland matchup below.When is Guardians vs. Athletics and when does...

more cubs news