“If we catch the ball and pitch the ball like we did last spring and this year, we shall ‘D-Peat.” — Joe Maddon While talking about his team’s historically great defense in 2016 at the Cubs Convention earlier this month, we were blessed with the latest Maddon-ism: “D-Peat”. It is clever not only because of its double […]
Tag: defense
Chicken or the Egg: Why It’s Hard to Separate the Cubs’ Pitching from Its Defense
Growing up in the Chicagoland area in the mid 1990’s, it was impossible to escape the shadow of the Chicago Bulls. Each summer seemingly brought a new championship to the city complete with a parade that usually culminated with someone like Steve Kerr making wise cracks at Grant Park. Since Space Jam holds a special place in […]
The Case for Heyward Over Fowler in Center
The Cubs’ re-signing of Dexter Fowler to a one-year deal in late February surprised many, as the 29-year-old outfielder had reportedly agreed to a three-year pact with the Orioles earlier the same week. With the O’s, Fowler would have likely been slotted into right field, considering the presence of multiple Gold Glove winner Adam Jones in […]
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 […]
Cubs Look for Runs in the Outfield, Try Not to Lose Any
Imagine you’re in charge of a health intervention, and you have the choice of two programs to implement over a population of 600 people. If you implement Program A, there’s a 100 percent chance that you’ll save 200 lives, but a zero percent chance that you’ll save the other 400. If you implement Program B, on […]
Breaking Down the Cubs Defense
Photo courtesy of Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports Cubs fans had every right to be excited entering 2015. In addition to the wealth of young talent, new additions like Jon Lester, Jason Hammel, Miguel Montero, and David Ross had even the most jaded Cubs fan thinking positive thoughts. In the face of this optimism, a rational […]