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Tale of Two Javys
Five innings were enough tonight.
At one point the I-Cubs trailed 5-0 and the Vice-Cardinals from Memphis had all of one hit, that being a single. Rarely is so much made from so little. When Carlos Pimento was excused from further duty he'd thrown 80 pitches in three innings, only 35 of them strikes. I think he walked eight.
But he was also the victim of some shoddy defense, perhaps because his glovemen were drowsy. In the tedious top of the 3rd errors were committed at both corners of the infield by the soon to be recalled Javy Baez at the not so hot corner and displaced/misplaced Christian Villanueva at 1B. Baez's miscue came after he smoothly handled a short hop only to bobble the ball while transferring it from mitt to throwing hand. I was reminded of two other occasions this year when I saw him make dazzling fielding plays in the middle of the diamond only to throw the ball away, almost nonchalantly. Nonchalance is a trademark of his. When, and I believe it is a question of when, not if, it does not lead to mistakes it will be seen as coolness under fire. Until then he will continue to appear almost bored now and then, like a little leaguer whose only concerns are when it's their turn to bat and spectacular chances afield.
Villanueva, who last I heard was leading the PCL in errors @ 3B, threw a ball into leftfield that was aimed at 2B on a fielder's choice. Another time he attempted to cut down a runner at the plate but threw wide of the plate from maybe 60 feet away and the unforced runner was called safe when the ump ruled the catcher's sweep tag was either missed or tardy.
At the plate Baez lined out to the warning track in left on a 3-0 pitch and fisted a bloop single to right on a full count in the bottom of the 4th after Tyler Lyons had retired the first 11 batters he faced. He struck out while I was on my way home. By now he may have added to his night's resume.
Baez looks capable of anything anywhere along the hitting and fielding spectrums from jaw-dropping to hair-pulling.He's an inevitable big leaguer, something that he himself seems most convinced of, so we might as well get on with it and take the bad with the good until his growing pains subside. He is not afraid and I have a feeling that he will learn more in Joe Maddon's classroom than Marty Pevey's. We're going to find out. He is not long for this league.
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