TODAY: The Cubs’ offer was slightly lower than Olney’s figure, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link), sitting somewhere between $160MM to $170MM.
APRIL 18: The status of extension talks between the Cubs and each of Javier Báez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo has been one of the biggest stories surrounding the team over the past couple years. There were some public discussions between the Cubs and Báez during the 2019-20 offseason, and Buster Olney of ESPN now sheds light on those discussions.
The Cubs offered Báez an extension “in the range of $180MM” after the 2019 season, Olney reports. Of course, the two-time All-Star declined that proposal and the sides haven’t yet managed to come to terms on a multi-year deal. The Cubs and Báez ultimately settled on a $10MM salary to avoid arbitration in 2020 (prior to proration) and agreed on an $11.65MM deal for 2021 this past offseason.
There are plenty of obstacles standing in the way of Báez securing such a lofty deal at this point. Revenue losses due to the intervening COVID-19 pandemic affected plenty of teams’ willingness to spend this past winter, the Cubs chief among them. Chicago opened 2021 with an estimated payroll just shy of $148MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, far below their $203MM outlay in the season before the pandemic. Shedding salary was no doubt a factor in the decision to trade Yu Darvish to the Padres in a deal with very little recent precedent.
Even more significantly, though, Báez’s personal production has cratered since that offseason. At the time of the reported offer, the star shortstop was coming off a two-year run in which he’d hit .286/.321/.544 (123 wRC+) while playing high-end defense. He’d earned All-Star selections in both 2018 and 2019 and finished as the National League MVP runner-up in the first of those years. It’s easy to see why the Cubs felt comfortable investing in Báez long-term and why the player was willing to bet on himself continuing to perform at an elite level.
That’s not what’s happened, at least to this point. Over the past two years, Báez is hitting just .201/.241/.376 in 291 plate appearances. Controlling the strike zone has never been his calling card, but Báez’s 2.7% walk rate and 34.4% strikeout rate in that time are untenable figures. The 28-year-old has continued to play a strong shortstop, but his 63 wRC+ is fourth-worst among the 190 players to take at least 200 plate appearances over the last two years.
There had been some hope Báez could rebound from his 2020 struggles in a longer, more normal season. His bottom line results have indeed been better (albeit still below-average) thanks to the four home runs he’s popped. But Báez’s underlying process metrics are equally or more concerning. His 44.6% strikeout rate is up twelve points relative to last season, while his walks have fallen even further.
Most concerning, Báez has made contact on less than half his swings (48.7%) in this season’s early going. For reference, he connected on a little more than two-thirds of his cuts during his peak years, and even made contact at a 64.2% clip last year. Only Sam Hilliard has a lower contact rate among the 259 players with 30+ plate appearances, with every other hitter in the league putting the bat on the ball at least 54.9% of the time.
There’s plenty of time for Báez to right the ship, but he’ll need to make significantly more contact in the coming months if he’s to secure a massive deal from the Cubs or any other team. The two sides remain in contact, with Báez reiterating in February he hopes to work out an extension with Chicago rather than go elsewhere in free agency.
Don’t extend him! He’s never become the hitter he can be. It’s a huge SS free agent class in 2021
*ahem*2018*ahem*
He’s been a pretty good hitter aside from 2020
Yeah but like Gleyber issues are continuing from last season. And K rate was never good.
he’s trying to do too much. you could see it again last night. contract year, wants to get paid, prove he’s worth what he wants for a contract. he needs to become more disciplined at the plate.
I think he’d take that $180m right now
No kidding. And it’s too bad. He really seemed to be making some progress at the plate in 18-19. It’s been frustrating to watch him because he seems to be stubbornly resistant to any coaching. He knows it all.
If I were the GM I say, “Hey, we want you here, but we need to build up the farm. We’d like to trade you to a competitor at/near trade deadline for prospects, but would like the opportunity to resign you a couple months later.”
Worked before.
You really think they could “build up the farm” by trading Javy? At the rate he’s going all they’d probably get is a couple of minor leaguers not in anyone’s top 10 and salary relief. That’s about it unless he turns it around quickly.
I’m not the biggest Baez fan but you are crazy to think he wouldn’t have any trade value.
Fans tend to put too much stock in sample sizes but lets look at the bigger picture. Baez impacts the game significantly on the defensive side of the ball. He is a very elite defender at short stop and it’s not just his ability to get to the ball. He has a rocket arm and his defensive instincts are top notch. Go ahead and watch him play shortstop, it’s like everyone around him is moving in slow motion.
Next, although his plate approach is god awful he generally is very good at driving in runs. Despite his poor over all numbers, he still leads the Cubs in RBI’s because that is Javy. He impacts the game with his speed (5 stolen bases already this year) and is an excellent base runner. When he gets hot, he carries the team offensively.
Last thing, we put Lindor on a pedestal, best shortstop in the game yeah? The past four years (including this short season) outside of the OBP and K’s Baez and Lindor are basically the same player. Stat lines, around 30 home runs, 40 doubles, 80-100 RBI’s, game changing defense etc. Last season, Baez was horrible right? 8 home runs 24 RBI’s, Lindor 8 home runs 27 RBI’s. Lindor 13 doubles, Baez 9 doubles and a triple. 30 runs vs. 27 runs.
Just curious is people on this threat still think Baez isn’t good…
Second in the league in RBI’s with 17… third in MLB
First in the league in Home Runs… second in MLB
Third in MLB in stolen bases… leads the league
17th in the league in Runs.
Past 7 games, 8 hits, 8 runs, 3 home runs, 9 RBI’s, 2 stolen bases .286/.333/.643…
This is Baez to a T…
Javy complained last season about not having in game video, after allowing Ipads in the dug out so he can watch his at bats he’s gone on an impressive streak that puts him in the top tier of short stops.
And if I’m Javy’s agent, I’d say “Great. We’ll consider any future offers like any other”
And that makes sense. At least that way it’s not a guessing game for either party.
All kinds of emo-driven dribble on this thread!
Wow, just wow, lol…
Its a Cub fan thing
Baez is the kind of player the Cubs need to start to move away from. So many strikeouts. Yes, he’s flashy and a fan favorite, but you can’t pay a player like him middle-of-the-order hitter type money when he doesn’t hit like one. A guy that has a .304 career OBP should not be getting paid $20mil+/year.
Let him walk, bring Seager in and start building a team with hitters that have a high quality plate approach.
Seager more than likely stays with Dodgers. Cubs will be in rebuild, doubt they will spend big money the next couple of years.
They haven’t spent money in 4 years. So not spending any for the next 4 won’t surprise any cubs fan or baseball fans alike. They had a chance to extend Rizzo the last 3 years. The Ricketts so cheap it’s honestly insane. They pretty much print money with the owner Joe.Ricketts being the Co-founder of TD Ameritrade. Tom, Todd and Lauren have grown tried of their shiny new toy “daddy” bought them 9 years ago.
BillyBaggins
They haven’t spent money in 4 years.
+============================================
They spent $203M in 2019.
So true Billy Bag sad but true.
How so?
They haven’t signed anyone of significance since they signed Kimbrel in June 2019. Other than their own contracts they haven’t spent money since they sign Yu. That was 2018
Dodgers need Seager but salary cap concerns there. Dodgers have Kershaw to sign also. Not sure if the money will be there.
Money will be there. Bauer is on a three year contract, with two opt outs. Price and Jansen come off after this year. Kershaw will retire a Dodger and Seager and Taylor will get new contracts, IMO.
Maybe. Bauer certainly not opting out until after next season. Didn’t know Price money coming off. Certainly possible, but already at 3rd level of penalty. Guess it depends on how much Seager will cost.
kevins:
I agree with fox471 here. The Dodgers aren’t afraid to exceed the tax threshold for 2-3 years. They’ve done it before, and managed to reset, by getting under for a year. Any team with designs on Seager will only be successful with a massive overpay to outbid the Dodgers.
Kershaw will be 34, and won’t get paid the $31M per that he has been getting. LA will sign him to something generous, though, and he will retire a Dodger at the end of his next contract.
I would be shocked to see anything different.
Price is till under contract next yr for LAD- Comes off year after
Well, Seager is the best or second best hitter on the team and top five in the NL so I doubt they’ll let him walk.
Actually the Dodgers are stuck with Price for another year.
Taylor’s a gonner. Some team like the Reds are gonna swoop in and put him at SS everyday.
Any “fan” that thinks another championship team will feature Baez starting needs a wellness check. He’d be best utilized as a platoon/utility player at this point.
Is Tim Anderson better utilized as a utility player as well?
TA will finish in Top 3 MVP voting this season!
1984wasntamanual did you comment on the wrong thread?
Tim Anderson won’t even be considered for mvp. He wishes he was 1/3 of the player Baez is.
Anderson isn’t close to Baez when it comes to defense, but he’s way out in front the better hitter.
That can be debatable.
Maybe throughout their entire careers, but the last 3 seasons or so Anderson is way ahead.
Anderson is also a clubhouse leader, Baez decidedly not.
I agree and disagree at the same time.
There is nothing “wrong” per say with having a guy like Baez who strikes out a ton. The problem is you cannot have a line up with Baez, Bote, Pederson and the rest. There is no line up balance in what the Cubs have built.
The other issue with Baez is that you cannot have him batting in the middle of the order, depending on line up depth, he needs to bat around the 6th or 7th spot where he can steal bases and have an uber aggressive plate approach without it negatively effecting the rest of the line up.
Baez at 20 million isn’t a bad deal IF your line up can live with his approach. Because he IS going to give you elite defense, great base running and he is going to drive in runs and hit home runs but the all or nothing approach needs to be balanced.
The Cubs issue is replacing Schwarber with Pederson instead of seeking out a contact hitter. Wong would have been a good fit for the Cubs, bringing back LaStella would have made a lot of sense too (a lot more than Pederson). Brantley would have been a great pick up.
IMO, the Cubs should have added a guy that could have batted in the front of the line up (LaStella, Brantley or trade) and a guy like Wong who doesn’t strike out much and is the very definition of a “pesky hitter” to bat lower in the line up. Hopefully Hoerner develops into that “Pesky” hitter who plays great defense at second base.
Javy Baez seems like the ideal target for a team like Toronto to overpay for. If he keeps striking out like this, there won’t be many mega-offers for him at all this offseason. Toronto seems like the one of the few teams that could possibly overpay for him, along with Detroit and possibly Texas. I don’t see any of the ‘big market’ teams going for him; he flunks the saber-metric test right now. But he could draw fans for some of the recent cellar-dwellers.
Uh, what position would he play for Toronto?
Agree Springer and Grichuk were overpays, but Ryu has thus far been a steal.
Should’ve taken the $180 million deal. Perfect example of the greedy player this day and age. Everybody wants to get the absolute max dollar and is afraid to take a deal which might be considered an undersell. Well, now you have no chance of $180 million. You could’ve set up your family for generations and while you still may be able to do so to a lesser degree in the future your chances are certainly diminished now. These players need to realize that there is something to having life-changing money guaranteed at that moment. No need to hold out for an extra three or four million a year when it’s already enough to set up your great great grandchildren. It’s not just Baez. I see this over and over and it’s becoming especially more common. Dude, take the life-changing money when it’s offered and don’t listen to your greedy agent.
If a player hits the majors, he’s gonna get life changing money regardless. How many 20-somethings make a six-, seven-figure salary? And Javy already has $20+ million in earnings.
That makes it much easier to turn down sn extension.
Yeah if you can’t live off 20 million then who cares. It’s all nonsense on both sides at this point. Baez has a right to see who will pay him the most but good gosh good luck to whatever team that is
Dude there’s quite a difference between $20M and $180M, particularly when considering your future generations.
If I’m the Cubs, I let him walk. If I’m Baez, I fire my agent.
Let him walk. He’s one of the worst shortstop right now I don’t care what anyone says he’s done nothing since the last month of 2019 season. He’s made way to many errors and how do you storms our in half your at bats. I dont know much about him but half. Wtf?? He doesn’t deserve 100 mil
I agree that Baez has always been quite overrated. He’s a solid fielder, but his approach at the plate has always been poor. He has great power and solid speed, but his poor strikeout-to-walk ratios have always kept him from being a truly elite player. Unless he fixes that, which seems unlikely at this stage of his career, he will remain overrated and will likely be overpaid by some team this winter that is willing to overlook his obvious faults.
He is way more than a solid fielder. He was the top defender in MLB regardless of position in 2019 according to OAA.
He had a 5.4 and 4.4 fWAR seasons…I guess it’s gonna depend on how you rate him, but I don’t think I’d consider those seasons as being over rated.
Agree, but he has severely regressed and is no longer a top tier SS. He should have taken the 180.
He’s still a top 6 SS
Tatis Jr
Lindor
Seager
Baez
Simmons
That’s a pretty weak list. SS that are clearly more valuable than Baez or Simmons include Bo Bichette, Xander Bogaerts, Tim Anderson, Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and Trevor Story. I’d also take Gleyber Torres’ upside over Baez at this point.
Only for defense. NO WAY put Baez ahead of Story, Bogaerts, Anderson or Bichette for overall value. In no universe.
BillyBaggins:
He is a top 6, but with Correa ahead of Baez.
kevins:
No way is Bogaerts ahead of Baez. While Bogaerts is a 13% better hitter, he’s horrendous with the glove. Baez (42) is 94 DRS ahead of Bogaerts (-52). And by OAA since 2016, Baez has 34, while Bogaerts has -39. That better bat is not close to being worth the defense at a critical position.
NO WAY. JOKE. Baez top 12.
Top 6 in the NL. Central.
Baez is extremely difficult to judge. Fans look at his triple slash line and suggest he is awful… Look at his comps over the past four years and he is Lindor with more K’s and less BB…. everything else however is on par. Extra base hits, RBI’s, home runs, elite defense.
So the question with Baez is how do you judge him, triple slash which is pretty bad due to his inability to take a walk or over all production which is on par with arguably the second best short stop in the game (assume Tatis isn’t just a flash in the pan).
As I said before, least season (60 games) Baez was awful but still drove in 24 to Lindors 27, 8 home runs to Lindors 8 home runs. 9 doubles and a triple to Lindors 13 doubles, 27 runs to Lindor’s 30 runs.
So you are looking at Baez as a guy who gets on base less, less walks, less hits, but in terms of production is right there, scoring runs, driving in runs, hitting home runs, doubles, triples and so on.
We can all agree that Baez isn’t hitting but he is second among all short stops in RBI’s and home runs and leads the league in stolen bases. All while not hitting….
There is a top tier of short stops and Baez is on that list because he is productive (driving in runs) without being productive (hitting) and is a top tier defender. The thing is, that short stop is a very deep position in terms of talent and production.
If one was to give you just the numbers right now across 16 games, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 12 RBI’s and 5 stolen bases while providing gold glove caliber defense you would take it. If I gave you his triple slash line you wouldn’t. But where is the truth? Where is the value? I honestly don’t know.
Last season aside, Baez has always produced on the RBI, home run, XBH and defensive side of the ball but has always struck out a ton and had a below average on base percentage… What is more important? producing at higher than average rate in regards to defense and driving in runs or is hitting less home runs with a higher OBP more important?
Errors are the least of his worries. He more than makes up for the errors with the great plays. It’s his lack of plate discipline.
Bingo. It’s unsustainable offensively.
Javy needs to go to free agency and I bet he doesn’t get a team before the season because he will hold out. He will find a team eventually on a 1 year deal. Lmbo
The Cubs over the past few years have proven they don’t want to spend money. Why would Baez Bryant Rizzo or Contreras want to stay with the team. Unless they just feel like it’s a pressure free environment. I’m for trading all of them and rebuilding. Cubs are desperate for quality minor league prospects. They don’t have but a few prospects to retool quickly.
Yeah it won’t be quickly. They have many moderately valuable pieces but it’s a buyers market so returns will be very light. Best way to retool is pick at top of draft.
Cubs aren’t committing to spend bc spending 200 mil in payroll to be a central contender is a bad business model. Gonna be a long road back to contention
$180 million is the kind of money that is not only life changing for you, but your children and grandchildren. When players double down sometimes they get burned and realize how silly it is to say $180 million isn’t enough. I know people are going to respond saying that at that point he could have projected to make more and that the players make owners billions, but at the end of the day if you are turning down a 9 figure deal you better be right.
The difference, of course, is that he wasn’t passing up 180 million for a league minimum salary or anything. He’s making enough money this year alone to never have money problems ever again. With his talent, he bet on himself. Only seems outlandish when he craters beyond all reasonable expectations.
I understand and agree with that. I don’t know who can look at a $10 million salary for one year’s work and say that is small or not life changing. I guess what I’m thinking of is scale and diminishing returns. I think at some point the difference between $10 million and $180 million is bigger than $180 million and $300 million. Maybe it’s because I’m not up there in money, but I don’t know what you can really afford with $300 million you couldn’t with $180 million.
Yeah I completely get that. I do think it’s hard to even comprehend what it’s like to have that much money for most of us regular folks. I think there’s a ton of pressure from the players association and whatnot for a player of Baez’s caliber to push the pay scale needle for players as a whole. But, certainly, I understand the thought of “how is 180 million freaking dollars not enough?”
2.7% walk rate? 44.5% K rate? 63 wRC+? Phew I didn’t realize it’s been so rough for Baez. Wow
Cant imagine he gets more than a 1 year pillow deal unless his 2021 just goes nuts. The market will be too saturated. Unless, he can get some owner who misses out on the top of the market but feels the need to spend money.. but it’s gonna be rough. To think he turned down 180M.. wow
As much as I like Javy, I’ve always said they should avoid extending him. I can’t see him aging well at all.
I’m sorry, but the Cubs should not make any effort to re-sign him. To do so would only encourage him to continue going to the plate with no plan but to swing as hard as he can at anything near the zone. Not sure if or when he’ll develop plate discipline, but paying him $20+M a year to figure it out is not a plan for success
All has been said here. Unless his hitting approach changes ASAP, beware.
Trade Baez for what you can get at the deadline. Not going to get much. Lot of high end SS’s are available in FA
I agree even if the return seems light. I’m not even sure I’d extend the QO to him for fear that he’d take it. Gotta trade him by the deadline.
NY Mets solve 3rd base carousel by acquiring Bryant.
Who do they give up?
Davis
Villar
Minor league prospect
honestly the struggles of the last two years are concerning. id consider going with another option in free agency.
It’s as if he’s following in Addison Russell’s footsteps – constant regression with no sign of consistency. At this point I think even a 1-year $10M contract is a little out of line.
There are a lot of bad short sighted takes on this thread…
1st- in regards to yours, Baez has not regressed in every year. He was good in 2017, he was great in 2018 and in 2019, 2020 he was awful but a lot of players were awful in 2020. Lets not forget not only was there not a full spring training but there was also not in-game video.
2nd- despite Baez not hitting and striking out way too much, he is right there among the league leaders at short stop in home runs and RBI production.
3rd- it’s been 16 games…. Last week at this time Contreras looked awful, now he has a .900+ OPS. It’s very early in the season and Baez is an extremely streaky hitter.
I’m not saying anyone is wrong, there are a lot of concerns regarding Baez but just like everyone who was throwing KB under the bus saying he was awful, It’s a knee jerk reaction. Baez’s OBP and K rate is awful, it always has been but his over all production in terms of runs and RBI’s and his power numbers have been among the best in the league at his position.
Lastly, and this isn’t directed at you, but anyone who thinks Baez’s defense is overrated has clearly not watched him enough. It’s next level. His defensive instincts are incredible to watch. A perfect example, a few days ago, bases loaded and a ball gets hit up the middle Baez fields and in the blink of an eye is rocketing a ball home to save the run (then of course Chafin comes in and the wheels fall off) but that is Baez, he is doing defensively while others are processing.
You mentioned Russell who was a fantastic defensive short stop as well but it’ night and day difference having watched Russell play short and watching Javy. The range, the instincts, the arm strength, the body control, the guy is incredible on the defensive side.
Javier Baez seems like he could be the biggest high risk/high reward free agent we’ve seen in a while. He’s extremely talented, but his strikeout rate has risen ever since his 2018 season. Went from an already high 25.9% to 27.8%, then 31.9% and now is sitting at 45%. It also doesn’t help he has never put up a walk percentage within 3% of the league average rate.
Boras is going to go after zaidi and the giant’s money this off-season.
Baez will have at least one bidder.
It’s a bit unscientific, but he was the 10th SS drafted in my draft last night. Obviously, defense doesn’t count in roto ball, but it shows you just how far his offense has fallen. It’s obviously too early write the guy off, but he has a 102/8 K/W in the past two years.
His offer better not be a dime over what the Cubs offered Rizzo. On field performance is one thing, but Rizzo offers much more.
Well, it is. Baez offer was before the 2020 season, after a fantastic offensive year in 2018 and a very good year in 2019, despite getting hurt late in the year. He was playing top 5 mvp baseball in those 2 years. He hasn’t since, so I wonder how serious the Cubs are about re-signing him.
I cannot advocate giving a guy money on past production. Rizzo, IMO, is worth 20 million a season. I think what the Cubs offered Rizzo was fair, a bit low but probably had incentives that would have raised his salary above the 80 million threshold (I believe Rizzo is worth 4/80 million). Four years 85 million is what I would offer Anthony, 18.75 million per season with a 5th year option and a 10 million buy out. Set his 5th year option at 25 million.
Baez on the other hand I would also offer 20 million per season for but the duration would be longer given his age. 7/140 seems fair. My best guess is that the Cubs offered Baez 160 million over 8 years which he should have taken and he should take 7/140 right now.
Javy is always going to strike out a ton but I think as a 6/7 hole hitter he can provide 30 home runs and 80 RBI’s plus while playing elite defense for the next 5 years.
Truth be told though, I wouldn’t extend Baez. I would be more confortable going with stop gaps (Semien, Simmons, trade for Didi if the Phillies look to upgrade etc) or Hoerner for the next 2-3 years and wait for Howard, Hernandez, Preciado etc to develop. I’d focus on re-signing Bryant and Rizzo at the end of the year and extending Contreras. You can count on those three guys at the very least getting on base consistently, the Cubs have a surplus of young talent at short and second, Bryant can be shifted to the outfield also if a lot of that talent hits, and you have Davis who I think is going to be a stud.
Another greedy POS…Hope no one offers him more
lol, he’s a POS for holding out hoping someone offers him more? He was a top 5 shortstop in fWAR, wRC+, wOBA , OPS in 2018-2019. He has the right to hold out for more if he wants. That doesn’t make him a POS.
Not to mention he’s one of the most popular and marketable players in baseball who was top 10 in jersey sales in 2020 and on the front cover of the most popular MLB game out there.
I like Javy, but a very violent long swing with a bad eye for the strike zone doesn’t age well with the increasing velocity around mlb.
k
After all the moaning from fans about Cubs ownership not extending the big three, it is starting to look like that approach was both prudent and the correct decision. When the dust settles, Rizzo probably is back w/ the Cubs…I see Baez and Bryant elsewhere.
Yep….
Theo and Jed mishandled the situation post World Series, When these guys indicated that they were not interested in negotiating Long term deals there should have been trades made while they still had value.
As a Cubs fan we get to go through another rebuild, ho joy.
The man was improving every year and won an rbi title before he crashed. He has the ability but zero discipline. During 18-19 he was playing to ability. Unfortunately he hasn’t had a clue at the plate since 2019. He’s not getting more than a year at a time starting in 2022. Cubs will probably part ways with him.
It’s obvious that the Cubs are in a full rebuild after this season. The farm system is a disaster, especially with no signs of potential pitchers to step up in the starting rotation in the near future. Cubs’ fans should not expect to see Bryant and Baez coming back after this year. The Cubs’ front office wants to see both Bryant and Baez get hot in next few weeks so their value goes from then to the trade deadline but that’s a big if. For Rizzo, his future is up in the air because it does make sense to give an aging player a big contract, even though he is a fan favorite, when a team is starting a rebuild.
You mean you aren’t buying Jed Hoyer’s “threading the needle” explanation….good for you they absolutely misplayed management of the roster post World Series.
The thing everyone seems to be forgetting is that the Cubs will have the money to spend after this season. They could trade their guys at the deadline and spend in FA in the offseason with like 130 million under the CAP. Trade at the deadline and then stock up on some prospects and young players. Spend in FA, You have a competitive team in 2022 and have a top 10 farm system.
In the central you have the Brewers, who will be strapped for cash with the guys they have, the Cards who also have 2 huge contracts invested and they do not spend much, the Pirates who are the Pirates, and the Reds who are the Reds.
There are just mediocre teams in the Central this year and for the foreseeable future.
The Cubs may have dodged a bad contract because a young man who hits more like Rob Deer than Derek Jeter decided to go for the gold.
He’s worthless like most of the other cub core. Was supposed to be a dynasty. They were all way over rated. Average or below but high on the hot dog chart!
One hitting coach asked him not to try to hit the ball 600 feet.