Here at Baseball Prospectus, we hold ourselves—and the work that we produce—to a high analytical standard. Claims made without appropriate warrant or evidence are unacceptable on our sites, and we expect our writers to construct arguments which flow neatly from logical premises to sound and replicable conclusions. It’s the way we’ve done business here since 1996, and it’s in […]
Category: Articles
Maintaining Financial Flexibility: A New Market Inefficiency? – Part Two
In part one of this series, we discussed each of the major acquisitions and departures from the Cubs this offseason. It would be helpful to read the first part before this piece to add context, but if you missed it, here is a recap of the assertions I laid out: – While some view John Lackey as an imperfect […]
Catchella: The Cubs’ Catchers in Statistical Perspective
Today is the day, on our national parent site, on which we unveil our new and polished catcher framing, blocking, throwing and slowing (of the opponent’s running game) stats. It’s a festival of nerdiness we’re calling #Catchella, and you should head over to get a broader sense of what it entails. In the meantime, though […]
How Joe Maddon Has Added Hidden Value to the Cubs
“Particular managers may make it easier for teams to sign and retain players, while others make it harder.” — Baseball Between the Numbers, Baseball Prospectus Joe Maddon doesn’t step into the batter’s box every night and hit 450-foot rockets into the right-field bleachers. He doesn’t gun down runners at home plate. And he doesn’t get lost […]
Can the 2016 Cubs Survive a Serious Injury to a Starter?
The Cubs had a very good 2015, and many experts are saying they’ve had an even better offseason so far (if that’s even possible). When people who know baseball agree that a 97-win team has “won” the offseason, you have to feel pretty good about the state of said team going forward. That is, until […]
Rizzo Reaches for Greatness, Even as He Meets It
Theo Epstein and his front office crew have really turned over the roster since arriving in Chicago late in 2011. Now that Starlin Castro has been traded to the New York Yankees, the Cubs’ longest-tenured player is reliever/sometime-starter Travis Wood, who barely edges out clubhouse leader and first baseman Anthony Rizzo—Wood was called up on May […]
Found in Translation: Miguel Amaya
From time to time, BP Wrigleyville’s Stan Croussett translates, with commentary, Spanish-language interviews into English for the benefit of those readers who might not otherwise be able to access the insights therein. The series, which this Editor has today dubbed “Found in Translation,” continues today with Miguel Amaya. Please note: the lead photograph for this story has nothing to […]
Cubs Player Profile: Jake Arrieta
“I probably shouldn’t have gotten half an hour into this press conference without giving kudos to him for just an incredible, breakthrough season.” That was Theo Epstein, talking to the media the day after the Cubs had been eliminated by the New York Mets in the NLCS. He was referring to eventual Cy Young winner […]
Cubs Manager Profile: Joe Maddon
Position: Manager 2015 Stats: 97-65; Best Onesie Party Ever Some people don’t like to give managers credit for anything a baseball team accomplishes during the season. It’s the players, the argument goes, that step onto the field and determine whether a team wins or loses on any given day. The manager simply decides who plays where […]
A 10¢ Bullpen for a $20 Job; and It Might Be Enough
Over the last few days, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the Cubs’ bullpen. It’s not something I do regularly, I assure you. It’s just that it seems to me—and maybe, in a few minutes, it’ll seem to you as well—as if the bullpen’s current construction is something that feels hard to think through […]