Report: Cubs Likely to Re-Up Baez
So I was pretty harsh on ESPN’s Jeff Passan report in regards to the Kris Bryant news. But a potential golden nugget in Passan’s article was a nugget on the Chicago Cubs potentially extending Javier Baez “well into his 30’s.”
Let’s start with Cubs shortstop Javier Baez. There has been momentum in the past to keep Baez, 26, in a Cubs uniform well into his 30s. With Baez two years from free agency, it’s the sort of deal that makes a lot of sense.
Finding a way to extend Baez is certainly an important part for the success in the Cubs, shall we say, phase four of the plan. The first phase was selling, the second phase was rebuilding, the third phase was competing, and I would guess the fourth phase is long-term success.
Baez, while wildly unpredictable, is one of the game’s most special talents. In a sport that is going through a transition phase, players like Baez have the ability to keep the game and team wildly popular. Not only is he the funnest (I know that’s not a word, so unlike my typical poor grammar, this was on purpose) player to watch in baseball, he has begun to explode offensively. The defensive talents have always been there, it had always been what if he could hit. Well, 2018 and 2019 have shown he absolutely can.
Over the past two seasons, Baez has been the best offensive player on the team, slashing .288/323/.549 with 63 homers and 9.8 WAR. While Bryant and Anthony Rizzo bested him in wRC+ (129 and 132 to Baez’s 124), his bat has seemed to be the most important bat in the lineup.
If the Cubs were to extend Baez, this offseason, the thought is they can still find value with him. Offering a deal somewhere in the $18 to $22 million range per season over eight to ten seasons could get things done. What’s strange to say is, with the exposure Baez brings and the production he offers – $20 million could be well undervalued.
