Beyond his 3-for-4 night at the plate that featured a homer, two RBIs and two runs, Baez wowed the crowd with a nifty slide into home plate to score from first on a double in the second inning and the majesty of his 440-foot blast to dead-center field in the sixth inning.
"He is just the most exciting player in baseball," new Cubs outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said after his team's 6-3 win against the Rockies at Wrigley Field. "I have watched him since he first came up, and he just keeps getting better and better. It's not just the home runs and defense. He does things on the field there is no explanation for. He does these things with his hands and his different sliding. He is really smart, and it's fun to watch. I am really happy to be a part of the team he plays on."
Baez had been hobbled by a heel injury for several weeks and had recently been mired in an 8-of-46 slump over a 13-game stretch. He has snapped at of it as the Cubs returned to Wrigley Field this week, going a combined 5-for-8 with two homers and five RBIs in wins Monday and Tuesday.
Baez maintained his heel is no longer bothering him, saying it's "95 percent" healed. That's music to manager Joe Maddon's ears.
"He knows he is good," Maddon said. "I love that. That is why he can be as good as he can or better for years to come. It is really awesome to watch him play."
Baez hit the ground hard twice Tuesday, first when he scored from first on Gonzalez's double in the second inning and again when he beat the pitcher to the first-base bag for an infielder single on a slow roller in the eighth inning.
"The play at the plate looked awkward where I was standing," Maddon said of Baez's crash-dummy style of running the bases. "I asked when he came into the dugout. He said he was fine."
All-out is the only style Baez knows, and he uses it at the plate as well.
"All I know is I like to have fun and do good for my team," Baez said. "I think hitting is the most fun out there. When you crush a ball, everything feels good. As long as I keep crushing balls, I will feel great."