The Cubs have a Neil Ramirez problem. After crushing the competition in 2014, to the tune of 43 2/3 innings pitched, a 1.44 ERA, 2.61 FIP, and 10.9 K/9 with 3.5 BB/9, Ramirez fell off in 2015 due to problems with his throwing shoulder. His average fastball velocity, which was 95.4 MPH in 2014, dropped […]
Author: Ryan Davis
Baez at Nine: The Cubs’ Most Versatile Player
It’s been talked about at length through the offseason and into spring training, and the early part of the spring training schedule hasn’t done anything to cool it down. Javier Baez is playing the part of Ben Zobrist, circa 2008, on this Cubs team. We already knew he could bring out a golden glove at shortstop, […]
Competition in the Cubs’ Rotation? Maybe Not.
Now that we’re four games into spring training, it’s time for the worst and least-fruitful discussions to begin: the early looks at “position battles.” The Cubs’ main position battle is for the final two starter spots, which features incumbents Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel—who have the inside edge, to be honest—along with new Cub Adam Warren, […]
Cactus Catchup: It’s March in Mesa
All the Dexter Fowler excitement concluded by the time our Cactus Catchup #2 went live, so I’ve been left without much in the way of good news to report. Even so, the Cubs have everybody in camp and little tidbits of information are beginning to roll in as the team prepares to begin its slate […]
Schwarber and Soler’s Contact Issues are Different, the Same
Well. The Cubs have had quite a busy few days, when it comes to the outfield, and we now know that Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward, Jorge Soler, and Dexter Fowler are going to spend the bulk of the time roaming the outfield grass at Wrigley Field. But we’re also left with a lot of questions […]
Power, PECOTA, and the 2016 Cubs
One of the coolest benefits of writing for Baseball Prospectus—and there are a few, hashtag humblebrag—is that I get early access to the PECOTA projections, which were just released by BP last Tuesday. This allowed me the time to pore over the projected numbers for the Cubs and drool about the power potential therein. It shouldn’t […]
What a Slutter Does, Has Done, and Might Do for Jake Arrieta
The slider. The cutter. The slutter. It goes by many names. Since arriving to the Cubs in 2013, Jake Arrieta has worked with Chris Bosio and the coaching staff to hone his best pitch into a weapon—a heat-seeking missile darting away from bats and toward the catcher’s mitt. It’s helped him transform into not just an […]
Miggy the Mentor
We are good. That’s the first thing that many Cubs fans learned about Miguel Montero, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Cubs in December of 2014. Montero, now somewhat famously, rushed to Twitter that day to let everyone know how excited he was to be with the young squad of blossoming hitters. […]
Szczur Sings Backup as Utility Role Beckons
In the last stretch of the off-season—for me, the part that stretches from the Cubs Convention in mid-January until pitchers and catchers report a month later—there’s a lot of nervous chatter, inane conversation, and debate over the most minor of details involving baseball players and teams. While it would be nice to have real baseball […]
Warren Whiffs on Fastball, Sizzles on Secondaries
During the offseason, Jason Heyward, John Lackey, and Ben Zobrist have dominated the discussion among fans and writers about the Cubs’ best moves. There isn’t much to dislike about any of the deals, really. Heyward and Lackey were the best position player and pitcher, respectively, on the St. Louis Cardinals. Getting both of them to […]