When Javier Baez walked into Joe Maddon's office before his reintroduction to the big leagues in 2015, the Cubs manager had some simple advice for the young player:
"Try not to suck."
Baez told that story Saturday to an uproar of laughter from the thousands of Cubs fans in attendance at the "Rock star rookie" panel during the 2016 Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
That advice seemed to work out just fine, as Baez contributed maybe the biggest hit of the Cubs' 2015 season when he launched a three-run homer into the right-center field bleachers off Cardinals starter John Lackey in the clinching game of the NLDS.