When Starlin Castro went down to injury, Javy Baez stepped in at short. Even though the front office said Castro is their shortstop for the future, and Baez had been promoted to "learn" second at the major league level, Baez continues to play exclusively short. (I don't count the need of putting in .238 hitting powerhouse Chris Valakia at short).
Which does beg the question: why?
If Baez is supposed to be your second baseman in 2015, why not let him get fully acclimated at second this year? It seems like a wasted opportunity.
One could think that it is the Cubs being the Cubs by playing everyone out of their natural position, such as true second basemen Alcantara and Watkins roaming the outfield.
But if Baez is going to be a foundational infield piece, not playing him at second seems to foretell that Castro is not the long term Cubs shortstop.
I have been saying that a Castro trade to the Yankees (to replace All-Star Jeter) makes sense, except that the Yankees do not have a deep farm system of products. But at this point, the Cubs really need major league ready players in return for trades - - - especially pitchers.
And even Baez is not penciled in to be the Cubs shortstop of the future. Addison Russell is the front office choice.
Baez: .178 BA, 9 HR, 18 RBI, negative 0.4 WAR.
Baez (Iowa): .260 BA, 23 HR, 80 RBI.
Russell (A/AA): .295 BA, 13 HR, 45 RBI.
It would seem that Russell is 2 years away from his major league debut (late 2016). And Baez had not locked down a spot. After homering seven times in his first 19 games Baez has gone deep just twice in his last 24 games while hitting .146 with 44 strikeouts. Baez is hitting .178 with 78 strikeouts in 43 games overall, which is
worrisome even for a free-swinging 21-year-old slugger who also struck
out a ton in the minors.
The surplus is in middle infield talent. But most of that talent, except for Castro, is unknown. Which makes Castro the easiest piece to trade this off season.
