Let me say at the outset – as Javy Báez himself would – that nobody wants it to come to free agency. Báez has said he never wants to play for another team besides the Chicago Cubs, and the team has engaged him in extension talks (which may last into the season, if necessary). Hopefully, free agency remains a hypothetical idea, perpetually in the future, and not something Báez is actually a part of come November.
However, Báez is indeed scheduled to hit free agency for the first time in his career this fall, and he’d be nuts not to be thinking about the possibilities out there. It turns out, he’s thinking ahead about the possibilities not so much in terms of other teams he might join, but other positions he might play.
Báez was asked if he’s nervous about hitting free agency together with a historic shortstop class that currently includes Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien, among others. His answer was definitely interesting. From NBC Sports Chicago:
“Nah. Not really,” the National League’s reigning Gold Glove shortstop told NBC Sports Chicago. “I won my Gold Glove as a shortstop, but I’ve been playing other positions.”
That’s right, other positions. Báez started at short for the National League in the last All-Star game — but at second base in the previous All-Star game. And the way he sees it, that might give him an advantage next fall if he winds up a free agent.
“First of all, I don’t want to get there,” said Báez, who is engaged in extension talks with the club and says he’s willing to allow his agent to take those talks into the season.
“I don’t want to get to free agency. But if it happens, it depends on the offers,” he said. “We’ll see what position [a team needs], if I stay at short. It depends on who’s there and who’s not. We’ll see.”
To be sure, I doubt Báez wants to go back to second base, and I also doubt the vast majority of interested teams would want that either. Among the many things Báez does well, he’s one of the best three or four defensive shortstops in all of baseball right now. So if you were shelling out to land him in free agency, odds are good it’s because you want that floor of a stellar defensive shortstop (and far less likely that you’d just want his bat, and you were willing to sacrifice some of the total value by putting him at second base).
That said, it’s something Báez can keep in his back pocket, just in case. You never know precisely how the market will shake out, and you never know if there might be a suitor down the road who has one of the few elite shortstops already (or, heck, wants to grab two on the market), but knows Báez can be an elite defender at second base. If things went that way, well, then Báez would want the baseball world to know he’s open to moving to second if necessary, and he’s already shown he can be fantastic there.
But, again, can I underscore it again? Let’s not see it get there. I’m happy that Báez can give himself options if it comes to that. But, given the superlative talent, given how much fun he is to watch, and given the lack of an immediately-pressing-the-issue stud behind him at shortstop in the organization, I really want to see the Cubs find a way to extend Báez for several more years.
Yeah, he’s coming off a terrible 2020 season, but there are so many reasons to buy a big bounce-back – would be nice to ink him up before that happens, yes?
