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Maddon: Versatility on field helping Baez’s bat
- Updated: August 24, 2016
SAN DIEGO — Javier Baez has played all four infield positions for the Cubs this season, and he has definitely shined at second base. Shouldn’t he be settling down at one spot?
“It depends on how we morph as a group over the next couple of years,” manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday. “I like the way it’s working out.”
That’s because Baez not only has handled himself well defensively, but he has also improved offensively. He entered Wednesday’s game batting .276, with a .333 batting average on balls in play.
“You’re seeing a lot of progress,” Maddon said of Baez. “Who knows if by playing sporadically, this is becoming a part of who he is as opposed to playing every day, getting caught in the trap of not hitting well, which sometimes affects the defense. He’s an everyday player, no question.”
But Baez won’t be an everyday player right now. Maddon likes that Baez has to prepare to play second, short, third or even first, which gives him less time to think …
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