Javier Baez and Tim Anderson are two of the most exciting players in the game of baseball. While they roam the middle infield on opposite sides of town they have a lot in common. Both bring energy to their respected clubs with their style of play. Both are known for their swagger. Both are extremely talented. And both had a short stay in the 2020 postseason. That is where the comparisons end. One of these players has multiple years of playoff experience, the other has zero. But you wouldn’t know who it was by watching them play in the wildcard round. 

Tim Anderson rose to the occasion in the playoffs and in the process showed Chicago who the best shortstop in town was. Javier Baez was nowhere to be found when his team needed him. 

2020 Postseason Numbers

Tim Anderson made a little history in his first taste of postseason action. The 27-year old shortstop recorded three hits in all three of the postseason games he played in. He became the first player ever with three hits in each of his first three career postseason games. With that feat he also became just the second player in MLB history with three consecutive three-hit postseason games at any point in their career.  His only company is Lou Brock who did so in the 1968 World Series. Anderson’s nine total hits is a MLB record for a player’s first three career postseason games. 

Nine hits is also the same amount the entire Cubs roster recorded in their series with the Marlins. Baez went one for eight with three strikeouts in the postseason to go along with an 0 for four with runners in scoring position.  

This is a small sample size so let’s compare their numbers over the course of the regular season. 

2020 Regular Season Numbers 

Tim Anderson also blew Baez out offensively during the 2020 regular season. Anderson hit .322 with 10 homeruns, five stolen bases and 21 runs driven in. He also led the American League in runs scored.  He was in the running to win his second consecutive American League batting title while also being in the thick of the MVP conversation.

Anderson was the spark plug for an elite Sox offense, which ranked first in home runs, and slugging percentage, while also finishing second in the AL in batting average, hits, runs, and RBI’s.  When Tim Anderson goes, the White Sox go. When he was out with an injury the White Sox could only muster 14 runs in seven games and were 4-for-47 with runners in scoring position.

On the other side of town Baez was a contributing factor of a lackluster Cubs offense. He hit .203 with only eight home runs, 3 stolen bases and finished with an OPS below .600. The Cubs offense has been searching for answers since the start of last season and Baez has not helped them find any.   

However this is a flukey season, played during a pandemic so let’s compare their numbers over the course of the most recent 162 game season. 

2019 Regular Season

In 2019 Tim Anderson put the baseball world on notice by bat flipping his way to a batting title. He had a slash line of .335/.357/.508 drove in 56 RBI’s, hit 18 home runs and swiped 17 bases.

Baez had a slash line of .281/.316/.531. El Mago had more home runs and RBIs but was trailing Anderson in: runs, stolen bases, and OPS. If you need further proof of who was better than you can point to Tim Anderson’s 4.7 offensive WAR which was 1.3 points better than Baez’s 3.4 offensive WAR. 

Offense is only one side of the equation. So let’s dive into their 2020 defensive numbers.  

Fielding

Baez is also known for his fielding ability. He is a wizard with the glove at shortstop and routinely ends up on the nightly highlight reels. He finished the 2020 season with eight errors. 

Anderson has been criticized in the past for his defense, or lack thereof. In 2020 he made great strides on the defensive end, showcasing the ability to cover a ton of ground, to complement his strong arm. He finished the 2020 season with only six errors and a .967 fielding percentage. That is only three points lower than Baez, who is considered an elite defender.  Anderson’s defense is rapidly improving and will only get better. The defensive  gap between the two is closing.

The numbers don’t lie. Javier Baez had a nice run but there is a new king of swag in Chicago and he goes by the name of Tim Anderson. The 2020 postseason just showcased the changing of the guard.