Javier Baez

Cubs' Javier Baez Got a Pep Talk From Strop Before Game 1 Home Run

Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez got the job done with his glove and with his bat in Friday’s win over the San Francisco Giants, but before he hit his big home run that gave his team the victory, he got inspiration from one of his teammates.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Baez and teammate Pedro Strop had a spirited conversation in the dugout prior to Baez’s at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Baez reportedly called his shot according to Strop’s recollection of the chat.

Here is how Rosenthal described it:

"Strop began screaming at Baez in Spanish, using some words that were printable, some that were not.

"'You better take charge of this game right now!' Strop recalled shouting. 'You’re the man! I’m telling you right now, I think you’re going to do it!'

"According to Strop, Baez replied, 'Wait a second. I’ll do it right now.'"

As Cubs fans know, Baez certainly did do it, cracking a home run into the basket in left field that gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the game, and that’s all they needed to take the first contest in the best-of-five series.

It may not have the romantic appeal of Babe Ruth allegedly pointing to the Wrigley bleachers and “calling his shot” during the 1932 World Series, but Baez telling Strop that he would “do it right now” is just another example of the confidence with which the youngster plays the game.

Baez’s home run, which provided the only run scored in the game, is just the 12th such home run in postseason history, according to Christopher Kamka of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The last player to hit the lone solo home run in a 1-0 game was Mike Napoli, who did it for the Boston Red Sox during the 2013 American League Championship Series.

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