There’s a little bit of a buzz recently surrounding the Chicago Cubs’ catcher position, courtesy of Willson Contreras’ mouth. The Cubs’ starting backstop, who is heading into his second full season as the starter, declared his intention of surpassing the likes of Yadier Molina and Buster Posey and serve as the game’s top catcher. Good […]
Category: Articles
Borg Pitchers Never Bat: Memory, Assimilation, and Pace of Play
Remember 2017, when we lost the four-pitch intentional walk? I remember the outspoken anguish from the online commentariat (and my parents) who were against the change because it jettisoned Earl Weaver’s immutable principle of the game: you’ve got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance. The automated […]
Who Is Best Suited To Set The Cubs’ Table In 2018?
As we sit in the doldrums of winter, awaiting any sort of news surrounding potential additions to the North Side of Chicago, there’s still plenty to be discussed surrounding the team as currently constructed. And with some of the buzz around such hypothetical additions relating to the number one spot in the batting order, the […]
Anson, Banks, and a Tale of Two City Elections
Ernie Banks and Cap Anson are the Jedi Master and Sith Lord of Cubs legends. Or, if you prefer another universe: Thor and Loki. If you were to cast a movie about this franchise, the two of them would most likely be played by Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner-era Sidney Poitier and the first result […]
Cubs Re-sign Brian Duensing
The Chicago Cubs added what presumes to be the final piece of their bullpen by re-signing pitcher Brian Duensing to a two-year, $7 million deal. With his signing, the Cubs continued their flood of offseason pitching acquisitions, likely ended the whispering that they might be interested in Greg Holland, and cemented themselves in the financial […]
The Cubs’ Most Important Pitcher is Not Who You Think
Here’s an interesting stat: only four starting pitchers in MLB history (minimum 590 innings pitched) have posted a sub-2.94 ERA and a 3.5 K/BB rate or better in their careers: Cy Young, Pedro Martinez, Clayton Kershaw, and Kyle Hendricks. Now, is Hendricks really anywhere near the same class as any of the other three pitchers […]
Cubs Convention Turned the Spotlight on Caratini, Zagunis, and Maples
I have been going to Cubs Conventions for quite a while. Every convention has a different vibe, a unique energy—whether it be excitement or a sense of urgency. This year was no different. On the drive home Sunday afternoon, I thought a lot about what I would take away most from 2018. Considering I spent most […]
Replacing Jon Jay, or at Least His On-Base Percentage
Even though Jon Jay came to the Chicago Cubs from the San Diego Padres, it was his time with the St. Louis Cardinals that defined his talents to Cubs fans—the pesky fourth outfielder who seemed as likely to rip your heart out with a clutch line drive as an in-his-prime Albert Pujols was to hit […]
2017 Target Profile: Jarrod Dyson
Position: Center Field 2017 Stats: .251/.324/.350, .238 TAv, 8.8 FRAA, 1.2 WARP How he fits: I’m guessing a majority of you probably read this headline and probably weren’t too excited about this idea that I’m about to spit 650 words on. I get it… but hear me out. Jarrod Dyson can bring a lot to the table […]
Surely We Know What Javier Baez Is By Now, Right?
It seems like every year, as spring creeps ever closer, I find myself asking the same questions about Javier Baez: What is he? Can his approach be fixed? Is there more OBP in there? A player that has always had immense upside, he came into the league as something of a wild card, with enormous […]