March 30--MESA, Ariz. -- Javier Baez's strongest supporters will point to the two strong throws he made Sunday as proof that he's deserving of a spot on the Chicago Cubs' opening day roster.
But Baez's skeptics will point to his three strikeouts as evidence that the hard-swinging slugger could benefit from more seasoning in the minors.
The debate was scheduled to pick up this morning as evaluators ponder the final decisions before the Cubs depart Saturday for Chicago.
"I don't know yet," Baez said. "We still got a couple days. Whoever gets on the plane, that's who is going to Chicago.''
Baez emphasized he didn't mean to say last week he was informed he made the team, according to one published report.
"It was something that If I did say that, I didn't mean to," Baez said. "I heard about it, and I wasn't sure about what going on about it."
Baez is aware that his biggest supporter is manager Joe Maddon, who defends Baez's defense and believes his strikeouts are scrutinized too closely.
"He knows what he's saying, and he watches everything and what all the guys like to do," Baez said. "He likes my base running. I'm very aggressive on the field.''
Baez added that he showed improvement at the plate, even on his strikeouts.
"Most of them were more than five pitches," Baez said.
The Cubs and Baez seem encouraged that he has been able to separate his woes at the plate (.173 batting average with 20 strikeouts) from his defense.
"Whatever happens at the plate is going to stay at the plate all the time," Baez said. "I'm not going to take whatever happens at the plate to my defense, because I still got to play defense for my pitcher and my team.
"(Maddon) knows I'm struggling right now with my hitting and knows it's a slow process. He's been watching my work and my routine every day and knows someone is there. Hopefully everything gets on time and we break from there.''
Meanwhile, it appears outfielder Chris Denorfia will have to show major improvement Monday to have any chance of making the opening day roster.
"The plan is to get back on field to take batting practice with the team and hopefully we're going to take it easy running today. Hopefully next couple days we'll get back to running bases and back to normal stuff."
But Denorfia, who hasn't played since March 17 because of a left hamstring strain, wouldn't speculate on whether he would be ready by Sunday's opener.
"If things progress the way they should, it will be sometime around that time. I'm not quite sure how it will play out. But it will be close."
Denorfia said he hurt his leg while running out of the batter's box on a bunt attempt.
Here's the Cubs' lineup against the Giants:
Fowler cf
Coghlan lf
Soler rf
Rizzo 1b
Castro ss
La Stella 3b
Ross c
Hendricks p
Baez 2b
