Chicago Cubs: Does Javier Baez have an encore in store?

Following an impressive breakout campaign that saw Javier Baez finish as the N.L. MVP runner-up in 2018, can the Chicago Cubs expect a repeat performance from him this season?

2018 was a bit of a disappoint for the Chicago Cubs, as they dealt with a series of injuries and underwhelming performances from notable players. One of those players, Javier Baez, decided not follow suit, having a terrific season, both offensively and defensively.

In a year where past All-Stars, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo struggled to find their groove, it was Baez who ultimately provided the consistent star-power throughout the season. Baez’s MVP-level performance in 2018 saw him post career highs in batting average (.290), home-runs (34), and runs batted in (111).

Since making his Major League debut in 2014 as a top prospect, Baez has always demonstrated flashes of his All-Star potential through his all-around play. His defensive ability has never been a question mark, as Baez, to this day, makes highlight-reel plays look routine. However, his ability to figure it out at the batter’s box, to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, was an obstacle waiting to be solved.

Under former hitting coach, Chili Davis, who was abruptly let go by the Cubs’ organization following the end of last season’s disappointing finish, Baez was able to put together a remarkable season, proving to doubters that he is much more than simply an “all-or-nothing” hitter.

In years past, Baez’s approach at the plate would be to swing for the fences as hard as he could. Often times, this led to poor plate discipline, chasing bad pitches rather than waiting for good ones to hit. The results were more outs recorded, thus wasting prime opportunities to help his team score more runs.

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Cutting down on his “all-or-nothing” approach at the batter’s box last season led to a career-high in extra-base hits for Baez, as he smashed 40 doubles to go along with nine triples, demonstrating his willingness to simply take what’s being given to him from pitchers, rather than trying to do too much.

The question now heading into this upcoming season is whether or not Baez will build upon his MVP-caliber performance. The one player who thrived under Chili Davis will now be adjusting to having a new hitting coach to learn from.

Anthony Iapoce, following his three-year tenure as the Texas Rangers’ hitting coach, is now looking to steer the Cubs’ offense back in the right direction. Thankfully for Cubs fans, Iapoce has some prior history working with notable players on the Cubs’ roster from 2013-15 while they were in the minors: Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Baez, and Albert Almora. He took on a role as a special assistant to the general manager/player development, per MLB.com.

The Cubs’ front office is hoping that Iapoce’s presence will breath new life into their lineup, resulting in players performing up to their capabilities on a more consistent basis.

While hitters like Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, and Willson Contreras are looking to get back on track in 2019, Baez is simply looking to keep the good times rolling.

Could keeping the good times rolling be more difficult for Baez this time around? Possibly, for a few notable reasons.

For starters, in 2018, the Cubs under Chili Davis posted the 4th-highest batting average in the Majors (.258), despite their second-half struggles. Baez was a big reason why the Cubs ranked high in team batting average, as he rarely went into long slumps at the plate.

On the other hand, the Rangers in 2018 with Iapoce as their hitting coach, ranked 23rd in team batting average (.240).

Another important note: the Rangers in 2018 ranked 12th in total home-runs hit, while the Cubs were 22nd.

What might these statistics mean for the Cubs in 2019? Possibly that the organization’s hitting philosophy will be geared more towards hitting for power to drive in runs. Thus leading to more home-runs.

While that sounds great, it’s important to note that hitting for power can easily diminish a player’s average. Players are more prone to strikeouts, because they’re routinely swinging for the fences.

As a result, could Baez revert back to his prior 2018 days, when he was an “all-or-nothing” hitter?

Only time will tell.