The play of Javier Baez is a favorite subject for postgame analysis for many reasons. His Baez’s aggressive style, athleticism, and high baseball IQ just create far more interesting game situations to analyze than the average player.
One such situation occurred in the 3rd inning Saturday against the Reds when Baez attempted a glove-flip to shortstop Addison Russell for an inning-ending force out. It did not work, and the next hitter connected on a three-run homer. Fortunately, another Cubs comeback turned this play into a footnote.
Whether Baez’s flashy play indirectly led to three runs or not is secondary.