Baez Helps AZL Cubs Drub-Blank the Brew Crew

Javy Baez doubled, singled, walked, reached base on an HBP, and scored two runs, Roberrt Garcia singled twice, walked twice, stole a base, scored two runs, and drove-in another, Carlos Sepulveda knocked-in four runs with a pair of two-run singles, and RHSP Austyn Willis hurled five innings of two-hit shutout ball and combined with three relievers to toss a five-hit shutout with eleven strikeouts, as the AZL Cubs whitewashed the AZL Brewers 11-0 in Arizona League action Saturday night at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, AZ. 

Baez (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL - broken left ring finger) continued his AZL Cubs rehab, serving as the DH and batting five times: 

1. Lined a double off the CF Batter's Eye on an 0-2 pitch with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the 1st inning; 

2. Fisted a broken-bat single over the shortstop's head and into the 6-7-8 triangle in short left-centerfield on a 2-1 pitch with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the 3rd inning, advanced to second base on a Michael Foster walk, and scored on a Jose Paniagua single, swiping his left hand (the one with the now-mended broken ring finger) across the plate as he slid home safely with the AZL Cubs second run of the game;

3. Drew a one-out four-pitch walk with a runner at 1st in the top of the 4th, and then went in hard at 2nd base to break-up what should have been an inning-ending 6-4-3 DP (Baez and Brewers second-baseman Daniel Leonardo exchanged a mutual "bro-pat" after the play, so apparently there were no hard feelings, even though Baez dumped Leonardo on his ass);  

4. Hit a towering pop-up that was caught by the Brewers second-baseman in short right-field on a 2-2 pitch with one out and the bases empty in the top of the 6th inning; The pop-up was hit so high that Baez was half-way between 1st & 2nd when the ball was caught. 

5. Was hit by a pitch on the upper back (between the shoulder blades) on a 3-0 pitch leading off the top of the 9th (so it would have been another four-pitch walk if he hadn't been hit by the pitch), and then he reached second base safely on an E-4 (missed catch by second-baseman) on what should have been an easy 6-4 FC... think maybe the second-baseman "heard footsteps," remembering Baez's hard-slide in the 4th?). Baez then moved up to third base on a walk, and scored on a wild pitch. He did not show any residual negative effect from the HBP as he ran the bases.    

Figuring it was his last AB of the night, the Rays and Red Sox scouts who are "birdogging" Baez left after he scored in the 9th, but as it turned out the Cubs sent 11 men to the plate in the inning and Baez's turn came up again. However, Varonex Cuevas pinch-hit for Baez, probably because Brewers pitcher Connor Baits (2015 33rd round draft pick - UCSB) had already hit two batters (including Baez leading-off the inning), walked three, and uncorked five wild pitches without retiring the side, and AZL Cubs Manager Carmelo Martinez probably didn't want to get blamed in case Baits hit Baez for a second time in the inning, maybe next time in the head. So Cuevas was sent up to hit as the "sacrificial lamb," except it so happened Baits was (finally) replaced at the same time that Cuevas was announced as the PH, so Baez could have safely squeezed-in a 6th AB after-all. (Connor Baits was the closer at UCSB this season prior to getting drafted by Milwaukee, but he has had Daniel Bard-like yips since signing. He was all over the place in the 9th inning. He could not find the strike zone, but he did find the screen behind home plate and a couple of Cubs hitters, and several of his pitches bounced halfway to home plate, or were sailed over batters heads, or even behind them a couple of times).  

A smiling and friendly Baez stood patiently on the concourse above the 1st base stands after the game and signed about a dozen autographs (everybody who asked for one), including bats, caps, baseballs, and cards. 

Word is Baez will play in one more AZL game (presumably Sunday night), and then head to Iowa. 

M. I. A. CF D. J. Wilson (Cubs 2015 4th round draft pick - Canton South HS - Canton, OH) has retuned to the AZL Cubs. While he did participate in pre-game drills (he played catch in the outfield), he was not in uniform (he was wearing a Cubs cap, t-shirt, and shorts). Then he sat on the bench during the game, but again, he was not dressed to play. The circumstances surrounding his ten-day absence remain elusive. 

Saturday night's game marked the conclusion of the "first-half" of Arizona League play. The AZL Cubs finished 14-13, 1.5 GB the AZL Angels in the AZL East.

The three "first half" division winners (AZL Angels, AZL Royals, and AZL White Sox) have qualified for the AZL post-season play-offs, with the three "second-half" division winners (TBD) also qualifying. If a team finishes first in its division in both the "first half" and the "second half," the team with the best overall record (both halves) that did not finish first in a division in either the "first half" or "second half" qualifies.

When the second half of the AZL regular season concludes on August 29th, the two teams with the best overall record (both halves) get a bye, and the other four teams play a single-elimination game (quarter-finals). The winning teams from the two quarter-final games then play a single-elimination game versus the two teams with the best overall records (semi-finals), and the two survivors play in a championship game.

There are no multi-game series in the AZL playoffs, just single-elimination games. So unlike the MLB post-season, the entire process takes three days to complete... it's just wham, bam, thank you ma'am. 

Here is the abridged box score from Saturday night's game (AZL Cubs players only): 

AZL CUBS LINEUP:
1. Robert Garcia, RF: 2-4 (1B, 1-3, 1B, 4-3, BB, BB, 2 R, RBI, SB)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 2-6 (L-6 DP, 4-3, 1B, 6-3, 3-U, 1B, 4 RBI)
3a. Javy Baez, DH: 2-3 (2B, 1B, BB, P-4, HBP, 2 R)
3b. Varonex Cuevas, PH: 1-1 (2B) 
4. Michael Foster, CF: 0-5 (5-3, BB, 6-4 FC, K, E-4, F-9, R, SB)
5. Jose Paniagua, 1B: 1-5 (P-3, 1B, P-6, K, K, RBI)
6. P. J. Higgins, 3B: 1-4 (3B, K, P-6, P-4, BB, 2 R)
7. Angelo Amendolare, LF: 1-2 (1B, HBP, BB, E-6, HBP, 2 R, RBI, CS)
8. Tyler Payne, C: 1-5 (2-U, 6-3, 1B, F-7, P-3)
9. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 0-3 (L-7, HBP, 1-5 FC, F-9, BB, 2 R)

AZL CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Austyn Willis: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 6/3 GO/FO, 61 pitches (40 strikes)
2. Luis Hernandez: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 2/1 GO/FO, 17 pitches (9 strikes) 
3. Craig Brooks: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
4. Ariel Ovando: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes) 

AZL CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

AZL CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Tyler Payne: 1-2 CS