Top Play (WPA): The Cubs didn’t need much scoring in this one, but they still got a big hit from Kris Bryant. With no score in the bottom of the third, Bryant stepped in against Tyler Cravy with two outs and Kyle Schwarber standing on first base. Cravy threw a 94-mph fastball that just hit […]
Author: Ryan Davis
Game 144 Recap: Cubs 2 Pirates 1
Top Play (WPA): With the Cubs having lost the first half of the day-night double-header, they were relying on Jon Lester (3.50 ERA/3.03 FIP/3.90 DRA) to come through with a big game—and he certainly delivered. A complete-game gem of a performance from Lester made this game not only satisfying to watch as a fan, but a […]
Determining Fowler’s Value as Free Agency Looms
Dexter Fowler has been a huge part of the Cubs second-half surge this season, making Theo Epstein and the front office look like absolute geniuses for trading Luis Valbuena and Dan Straily to the Houston Astros in the offseason. But with the 29-year-old Fowler about to hit free agency in just over a month, the […]
Game 141 Recap: Phillies 7 Cubs 5
Top Play (WPA): Unfortunately for the Cubs, the top play in this game was of the walk-off variety. To catch you up, the Cubs had carried a 1-0 lead up until Justin Grimm had an implosion in the bottom of the seventh, which turned the score around to 5-1. The Cubs rallied to tie it […]
Game 137 Recap: Cubs 8 Cardinals 5
Top Play (WPA): Considering that the Cubs are playing the Cardinals, you’d think after banging out a 9-0 win against Lance Lynn yesterday that there might be some sort of letdown with Michael Wacha taking the mound against Jason Hammel. But not so much. Austin Jackson, who started in center field to get Dexter Fowler […]
Game 131 Recap: Cubs 5 Reds 4
Top Play (WPA): This game never quite looked as rough as it probably felt for most Cubs fans, but I think that has a lot to do with losing five of their last six and the hangover from the 13-6 beatdown in the first game of this series. But the Cubs kept it fairly close, […]
Selection, Not Speed, Sapping Soler’s Power
By his own measures, this has probably been a disappointing season for Jorge Soler. On a team filled with rookies, of which many thought he might be the most talented, he’s spent the most time on the disabled list and has the fewest home runs. I commonly get asked on Twitter whether Soler should be […]
Game 122 Recap: Cubs 9 Braves 3
Top Play (WPA): The Cubs jumped all over Braves starter Matthew Wisler, and in doing so got out the brooms for their four-game sweep. After Dexter Fowler led off the bottom half of the first with a homer to left field to make the score 1-0, Kris Bryant cranked one out to right field, with […]
Game 117 Recap: Tigers 10 Cubs 8
Top Play (WPA): As much as I love Cubs baseball, this game was a chore. The Cubs were trailing almost immediately in this game, as Jason Hammel started and yet again didn’t have quality location on his pitches. The Tigers blasted three home runs off Hammel, as well as one double by Miguel Cabrera that […]
Kyle Schwarber, Chris Coghlan, and Contributing on Both Sides of the Ball
The Cubs have made a big statement, through their actions over the last few years, about their commitment to building the organization internally, both through player development and by trading for young, cost-controlled players. This strategy has resulted in the team drafting, signing, or trading for young, budding stars such as Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler, […]