Lately, there haven’t been many game days in which Cubs fans wake up and wonder which version of the starting pitcher they’re going to see that evening. The Cubs rotation in 2016 has not just been good, it’s been exceptionally reliable in many ways. But going into the season, the potential for that head-scratcher day […]
Tag: John Lackey
The Workaround: How the Cubs Keep Their Pitchers Healthy (Maybe)
The Cubs are off to a blistering start in 2016, not only winning at an historic clip, but doing it convincingly, with an unprecedented run differential and even better peripheral indicators of team quality. Last season was a different story. Though those Cubs eventually won 97 games, one of the key narratives surrounding them—and one […]
As Lackey Returns to St. Louis, a Look Back
It’s been weird, following the John Lackey story for the last few years. He was the villain of baseball, and just when you thought he couldn’t be any worse he totally redeemed himself—pitching well for the Red Sox to help them clinch their third World Series this millennium. He found his way to St. Louis and […]
Boom or Bust? Evaluating Individual Upside and Downside, Pt. II
Earlier this week, my colleague Isaac Bennett dug deep into the rabbit-hole of the widely ranging PECOTA projection numbers for Cubs hitters. Fortunately, I was able to partner with Isaac on this PECOTA rabbit-hole adventure, so today, and without further ado, I bring to you the “what ifs” and the “maybes” of the Cubs’ starting pitching staff. […]
John Lackey Has Become A Man In Need of Few Pitches
Brevity, as it so often has been said in sentences much shorter and more concise and less redundant and less repetitive than this one, is the soul of wit. For John Lackey, brevity was the soul of his 2015. Last season, among qualified starting pitchers, Lackey ranked third in pitches per plate appearance (3.49) and […]
Playoff Prospectus: Missed Opportunities Haunt Cubs: NLDS Game 1 ($)
This piece, by BP Wrigleyville’s Editor-in-Chief Sahadev Sharma, first appeared at the Baseball Prospectus main site and is exclusively available to BP subscribers. We’ve posted a sneak preview here. Let’s be clear: I don’t believe in second-guessing managers. I spend a lot of time around clubhouses during the season, and one of the many things I’ve […]