Top Play (WPA): This section is less than exciting tonight. The Cubs’ top play of the night was Denard Span’s short fly out to right with one out and a man on third in the fifth (+.060). More on that inning in a second. Tonight’s top offensive play for the Cubs was equally uninspiring: a two-out, eighth inning […]
Author: Isaac Bennett
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. VI
The sixth turn through the rotation featured an unconventional order (at least with respect to the early season), but the same standard of excellence. Just when it seemed the results couldn’t improve, Cubs starters enjoyed their first perfect turn, leading the team to a perfect 5-0 record, while allowing just five earned runs over 30 2/3 […]
GAME 34 RECAP: CUBS 9 PIRATES 4
Top Play (WPA): It’s always a wonderful day when Addison Russell hits a baseball in this manner, but it’s especially good when it carries a massive WPA along for the ride. Pirates starter Francisco Liriano has always been a thorn in the Cubs’ side (see below)—and the first three innings today were no exception to this—but […]
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. V
The month of April finished with Joe Maddon deviating from the standard rotation for the first time, coming as a result of inclement weather and a preference for starting Kyle Hendricks against the Nationals instead of the Pirates. Cubs’ pitchers faced unusually tough weather for the end of April, with cold temperatures and strong winds creating […]
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. IV
Another rotational turn passes, and the Cubs went 4-1 once again. For those of you keeping track at home, the turn-by-turn team records thus far are 4-1, 4-1, 3-2 and 4-1. Certainly, credit for the team’s early season success extends well beyond the starting pitching, but to get through 20 games without having a single outing […]
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. III
This week saw another turn through the rotation, and another winning record for the Cubs (3-2). Despite the team’s results ending up one win short of the first two turns, this week actually represented the best efforts by Cubs’ starters, with four of the five allowing one earned run or fewer. The streak of consecutive […]
GAME 16 RECAP: CUBS 16 Reds 0
Jake Arrieta just threw his second no-hitter in his last 11 starts. There are tons of implications and storylines here, and we’ll have them covered very soon, but for now, let’s recap what was an amazing night in Cincinnati. Top Play (WPA): In a stark contrast to the last time Brandon Finnegan started against the […]
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. II
Last week, I noted that my favorite thing about baseball was that it reminded me of a living, breathing and dependable dog. This week, my favorite truism regarding the game is that even though the results are the same—as in, the Cubs went 4-1 during the second turn through the rotation, equaling the success of the first—the […]
Game 12 Recap: Rockies 2 Cubs 0
Top Play (WPA): Unfortunately for the Cubs, today’s top play transpired way back in the fourth inning, when Cubs starter Jon Lester made his only major mistake, serving up a first-pitch meatball to slugger Nolan Arenado: One of only three Nolans to ever play the game at the major-league level (Ryan, Reimold), Arenado deposited the Lester offering […]
Pitching Progress: An Effort in Finding Incremental Gains, Vol. I
My very favorite thing about baseball is that it’s like a dog; no matter what transpires one day, it’s always there for you the next. [Editor’s note: Until it dies.] The constancy acts something like a drug, for those of us that are addicted to its remedies. Quite simply, life is better with baseball. But for […]