It probably says something about what the Chicago Cubs think of Jon Jay that they jumped to sign him before the month of November even came to a close. A signing that was likely the official signal toward the departure of Dexter Fowler, Jay could prove to be a significant contributor in a situation that figures […]
Tag: Albert Almora
Predicting Albert Almora’s 2017
The Cubs don’t have many roster questions as they enter the 2017 season, but a key one is how Joe Maddon will handle the center field spot. With the departure of Dexter Fowler to the rival Cardinals, the Cubs have far less of a sure thing in center. The current in-house options include free agent […]
Player Profile: Jon Jay
Position: Center field 2016 Stats: .291/.339/.389, .271 TAV, 1.6 WARP in 373 plate appearances Year in Review: Jon Jay was the first main acquisition of the Cubs’ 2016 offseason. Jay, as most remember, was drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. His best season in the minors was in 2008 […]
Player Profile: Albert Almora
Position: CF, OF 2016 Stats: .277/.308/.455, .267 TAv, 0.5 WARP Year in Review: If Theo Epstein could’ve planned out what 2016 would look like for Albert Almora before the year began, it would look something like this: he gets to spend a whole year at one level (Triple-A) and put some work in with the […]
The Captain’s Instincts Come Through
On an unusually cold early April day, I stepped out of my car at Principal Park with no clue how to do the job I was there to do, and even less idea what would transpire over the next seven months. I was on a mission to conduct my first professional interview, seeking to discuss with […]
Playoff Particulars: Matt Szczur vs. Albert Almora
The season is winding down and the Cubs have clinched not only the Division, but also the top seed in the National League. All that’s left to do now is to prepare for the playoffs, and that includes trying to decide who is the best fit on the playoff roster. Most of the spots have […]
Brimming With Confidence, Almora Jr. Awaits Wrigley Return
When the Cubs bring Albert Almora Jr. back to the major leagues, he’ll be ready to help out in whatever way he can. The 22-year-old Almora was first called up to the big leagues earlier this season when Jorge Soler had to go on the disabled list, making his debut just a week into June. […]
Game 59 Recap: Braves 5 Cubs 1
Sometimes the worst team in baseball beats the best one, and it’s best not to read too heavily into that result. Top Play (WPA): Perhaps the lone bright spot of tonight’s loss is that the Cubs were in the best position to turn this game into a win on Albert Almora’s third inning double to left (+0.066). […]
Young Cubs: Welcome to Graduation
I don’t graduate until Sunday, so Albert Almora officially beat me out for our first big Young Cubs graduation of the year. It’s likely that Almora will spend more time in Triple-A at some point this year, but his year-to-date stats show that the promotion was well-deserved. He slashed .318/.335/.444 in Iowa, with three homers, […]
Backups to the Backups: The Cubs’ Angels in the (Iowa) Outfield
When Jason Heyward crashed into the wall in San Francisco, the mid-section of his body contorting like a cartoon accordion, baseball fans everywhere held their breath. It didn’t look good for the Cubs’ slick-fielding right fielder, but after a long wait the next afternoon the results finally came in—no breaks, no tears, no strains, nothing […]