Two years ago, I wrote my second feature ever at BP Wrigleyville about Justin Grimm’s newfound success after he ditched his slider for a curveball. His 2015 and 2016 seasons were improvements on a breakout 2014, as he struck out around 30 percent of hitters while allowing few home runs. After two seasons of making […]
Tag: Justin Grimm
Justin Grimm Showcasing More Than A Return To Form
The frustration of fans on the North Side has found its way around the roster throughout this up-and-down 2017 campaign. Almost nobody has been safe from the blame game for a team lingering around .500, including many members of a bullpen that has been a strong element of a largely inconsistent club, ranking third in […]
The BABIP-Defying Bullpen
If there was one aspect of the Cubs’ 2016 performance that was almost certain to regress, it was the historic .255 BABIP allowed by the pitching staff. That mark was the lowest since the last round of expansion in 1998 by a clear margin, beating the 116-win Mariners of 2001 by 5 points, and the […]
Justin Grimm’s Role in 2017
The name Justin Grimm evokes two distinct memories to me. The first was October 28, 2016, Game 3 of the World Series. With no score and the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning, Justin Grimm was called upon to put out the fire. Quickly, Grimm coaxed Francisco Lindor to hit into an […]
Examining Justin Grimm’s 2017 Role in Chicago
Justin Grimm has always been a player that carries a lot of intrigue for me. At one point, his role was an uncertain one, because he had some elements of his game that were reminiscent of a guy who could slot into the rotation long-term. Of course, that never quite came to fruition. Instead, he’s become […]
Player Profile: Justin Grimm
Position: Relief Pitcher 2016 Stats: 52.2 IP, 28.9 K%, 10.2 BB%, 4.10 ERA, 3.52 DRA, 0.9 WARP Year in Review: Much like the man whom I profiled last week, Pedro Strop, Justin Grimm was pushed out of the Cubs’ latter season and postseason bullpen plans due to the acquisition of Aroldis Chapman and the resultant […]
The Bullpen: Not the Achilles Heel You’re Looking For
The irony of the legend of Achilles is that his name, far from being a symbol of strength, is now largely associated with the notion of a single critical vulnerability. And, more to the point, whenever we’re confronted with something that strikes us as without weakness, our minds immediately flit to the young demigod, dipped by […]
Does Justin Grimm Need to Add His Slider Back Soon?
When a club is as successful as the Cubs have been since the season got underway, its flaws are sure to stand out just a bit more than they normally would. Still, flaws are hard to find. Not only has the Cubs’ hitting and starting pitching been incredibly good, the bullpen has been absolutely dominant as well. Through […]
Embrace the Target: The Cubs’ Bullpen Options Are Good in 2016, Pt. I
Last week, I wrote about the wealth of bench options the Cubs have available to them in 2016. Happily, the team finds itself in exactly the same circumstances with respect to its bullpen, which is loaded with dozens of pitchers competing for just a few spots. Sure, the final composition of the ‘pen isn’t locked in […]
Cubs Player Profile: Justin Grimm
Position: Relief Pitcher 2015 Stats: 49 2/3 IP, 3.53 DRA, 1.99 ERA, 32.8 K%, 12.8 BB%, 0.7 WARP Year In Review: This past summer was Justin Grimm’s second full year pitching out of the Cubs’ bullpen, and he played a vital part in solidifying what was the eighth-best bullpen in baseball by ERA. Grimm, 27, started 2015 on the […]