One of my favorite baseball books is George Plimpton’s 1961 classic, Out of My League. Plimpton, the founding executive editor of the Paris Review—and an enormous baseball fan—took it upon himself to pitch batting practice to the 1958 National League All-Stars a few hours before they took on the Junior Circuit at Yankee Stadium that year. Plimpton […]
Tag: Jake Arrieta
Breaking News: Jake Arrieta Is Good on Breaking Stuff
When we think of Jake Arrieta, we think of a brilliant, under the radar (relative to where he should be), high-strikeout kind of guy, who’s second in the Cubs rotation but could be a number one starter in plenty of other organizations. We’re even starting to include him in the Cy Young discussion. And yet, this is the […]
Jake’s Workout Plan
Every once in a while, when Joe Maddon does his pregame session with the media, we’re joined by a guest: Jake Arrieta. And while chatting with Maddon is certainly an enlightening experience, Arrieta isn’t there to soak in more of his manager’s knowledge. No, Arrieta is working out on the Pilates machine—yes, the Cubs certainly […]
That’s So Cub: A Look at the Top July Contributors and Moments
It’s the beginning of August, which means not only that the dog days of summer are officially here, but also that I, as I have since the beginning of time the beginning of the season, will sit down and write about the top Cubs’ contributors and moments from the previous month. If you want a brief technical summary of […]
Thinking About a Jake Arrieta Extension
There are two things you should know about Jake Arrieta before we begin, and they are: since joining the Chicago Cubs in July of 2013, he has been (1) very good, and (2) very inexpensive. Let’s start with very good: in the 343 innings he’s pitched since the midseason trade that brought him over from […]
DRA, cFIP, and the Cubs Rotation Going Forward
Would it surprise you to learn that Chicago Cubs starters have been among the best in baseball in 2015? If so, it shouldn’t. Their 3.38 staff ERA ranks fifth in the game. Their 3.22 FIP is second, as is their strikeout rate. They have walked fewer batters, as a percentage of the total they have […]
That’s So Cub: A Look at the Top June Contributors and Moments
Today is July 1st, which means that my favorite holiday of the year—the Fourth of July—is just around the corner, that I will be moving back to Chicago from London tomorrow, and that I, as I have since the beginning of time since the beginning of the season, will sit down and write about the top Cubs’ […]
Jake Arrieta’s Curveball is a Lethal Weapon
One could refer to Jake Arrieta as a dark horse when it comes to the elite arms in the game. When it comes to the top-tier, well-established hurlers, Arrieta’s name is almost never dropped by anyone but locals. That’s fine, it’s almost as if Arrieta is the best secret the North Side of Chicago has […]
That’s So Cub: A Look at the Top May Contributors and Moments
Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Yesterday was June 1. This means, I am semi-reliably informed, that it was President’s Day in Palau, and also that it’s time for me to take a look back at the month that was—in this case, May—and provide for you, dear readers, a summary of the top Cubs’ contributors […]
Can He Pitch, Though?
Photo courtesy of Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports Heading into the season, the Cubs pitching depth was a potential point of weakness for a team that was looking to compete in 2015. They did sign Jon Lester, but as the season has gone on it’s become clear that the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation […]