Javy Baez for NL MVP

By now, you’ve surely seen this video of a brilliant, ridiculous, hilarious play by Cubs shortstop Javy Baez.

Javier Báez.
El Mago.
The Magician. pic.twitter.com/yZX7HgUFCU

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 27, 2021

A play this wild deserves a full breakdown, so here we go.

First of all, let’s set the scene. Baez is at the plate with a runner on second. There are two outs in the inning. It’s important to remember that. If you can do that, you’re a step ahead of Pirates first baseman Will Craig.

0:04: Baez hits a routine ground ball to third. The throw brings Craig off the base.

0:08: Craig decides to continue running forward, towards Baez to apply the tag. Sure he could’ve just tagged the bag, but his momentum was already going forward and there was no way for Baez to get around him. Baez turns back towards the plate. Craig lazily pursues. No big deal, though. It’s still going to be an out. And that runner coming from second that Craig keeps checking on? Also not a big deal. There are two outs, remember? The run can’t score unless Baez reaches base safely. And there’s no way for Baez to make it to first as long as the ball doesn’t leave Craig’s hand.

0:13: The ball leaves Craig’s hand. Craig flips the ball to the catcher in an attempt to get the out on the runner heading home. The attempt is unsuccessful. But the run still doesn’t count unless the batter, Baez, reaches base safely…which he can now do since there’s nobody standing between him and first base.

0:15: Baez takes a second to call his buddy safe at the plate before heading back to first.

0:17: The catcher throws to the second baseman, who just now starts heading towards first. You can’t really fault the second baseman, though, since the only way his services would be needed is if Craig was stupid enough to let the ball out of his possession. The catcher does his best Daniel Jones impression and throws it behind the second baseman and into right field.

0:25: Baez slides safely into second. The throw from right field bounces away from the shortstop, but the third baseman is there.

0:28: Anthony Rizzo pretty much sums it up.

Look, it was just one play in May, but Baez made baseball interesting and fun for a few minutes, and for that, he gets my vote that I don’t have but should for the league’s most valuable player.

The Pittsburgh perspective:

The Pirates radio call is marvelous. pic.twitter.com/Kkptci0PWg

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 27, 2021

And just for fun:

If Hawk Harrelson was the Pirates announcer on the Javy Baez play… @cubs pic.twitter.com/3kGyFPkpBF

— Jon Hansen (@JonHansenTV) May 27, 2021

Twitter: @KSchroeder_312