Javier Baez Proved He Is 'El Mago' By Creating An 'Angels ...

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Braves Marlins Mets Nationals Phillies Quizzes and Games History Cut4Cast Corte4 Javier Baez proved he is 'El Mago' by creating an 'Angels in the Outfield'-style game-winning run By Michael Clair July 14, 2018

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Javier Báez's nickname is "El Mago," which is Spanish for "The Magician." It's a fitting nickname considering the unreal things in does in the field, at the plate and on the bases. But that's all we thought it was -- a nickname. Turns out, he may actually have magical powers. With the Cubs-Padres game tied at 4 in the top of the 10th inning on Friday night, Baez stood on first base. And that's when he must have pulled out the grimoire he keeps in his back pocket and chanted an ancient ritual. Because when he took off to steal second base, Austin Hedges' throw soared high into the night sky. Not that weird? It gets better. While Baez was rounding the bag and on the way to third, Manuel Margot got in position to field the errant toss. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, it bounded off his glove.

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Did Baez yell, "Expelliarmus!" as the ball was about to be corralled, forcing it to take its 90-degree turn?Perhaps Baez simply summoned some friendly spirits to help him out. Just compare the play to this one from "Angels in the Outfield," and try to tell me how the two are materially different.

Now, instead of just worrying about defensive shifts, teams will need to defend against the dark arts.

Teams in this article:

• Chicago Cubs

Players in this article:

• Javier Baez

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