Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez is known as one of the most impatient players in Major League Baseball. He’s never walked more than 30 times in a season, and has just 121 of them in his six-year MLB career.
Baez wants to change that this year. On Sunday, he discussed his new approach, stating that he was trying to be more patient, not leave the strike zone, and work backwards during plate appearances. Then he revealed what his teammates think of that approach.
Javier Baez on walking more: "If it's not a strike I'm trying not to swing at it. I'm working on it. I'm starting backward, not swinging 100 percent. I've been taking that approach. I just don't want automatic swinging on 3-2."
"I look in the dugout and everyone is laughing."
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) March 1, 2020
Baez’s efforts will definitely help the Cubs, and his teammates surely know it. Still, there’s no way it isn’t weird to see one of the bigger free swingers in the game play like this.
One of the team’s best players, Baez is determined to right a lot of wrongs from an underwhelming 2019 season for the Cubs. This appears to be part of that effort.
