Kris Bryant’s continued progression over the last three seasons has been nothing short of incredible. He’s got the hardware to prove it with Minor League Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and MVP awards all being added to his shelf in each of the past three years. All we’ve seen from Bryant since […]
Tag: PECOTA
The 90th Percentile Cubs
Last week, the PECOTA projections were released and while few would have expected another hundred-win season projected for the Cubs, the 91 wins they’re currently sitting at on the BP projected standings page is underwhelming to say the least. To make it appear even more like PECOTA has something specifically against the Cubs, the Dodgers […]
Cold Takes on Cubs’ PECOTA Projections
It’s nigh time we indulge in one of the late offseason’s finest traditions: the ceremonial handwringing over projections! Baseball Prospectus released its 2017 PECOTA projections, and, as always, there are some interesting quirks that deserve some cursory inspection. So, let’s get right to it. You can access the Cubs’ full projections on Baseball Prospectus’ main […]
Playoff Prospectus: PECOTA Odds and World Series Game 5 Preview
This piece, written by Baseball Prospectus’s Editor-in-Chief Aaron Gleeman, forms part of the main site’s comprehensive coverage of the postseason, “Playoff Prospectus”. One night after Corey Kluber and the rest of the Cleveland squad put them on the brink of elimination, the Cubs turn to their own playoff-tested ace, Jon Lester, to keep their season alive […]
Playoff Prospectus: PECOTA Odds and World Series Game 4 Preview
This piece, written by Baseball Prospectus’s Scooter Hotz, forms part of the main site’s comprehensive coverage of the postseason, “Playoff Prospectus”. Despite all the pregame talk of 30-40 mph wind blowing out at Wrigley for Game 3, runs were in short supply Friday night on the north side of Chicago. The only run of the […]
What’s PECOTA’s Beef with the Cubs’ bullpen?
Soon, we won’t have to do this. Soon, there will be actual baseball, and actual results to look at instead of (or more likely, in addition to) the projections. It’s still March, though, so I’m still spending a lot of time over at the Depth Charts, trying to get a feel for how this season […]
The Benefits of Bryzzo: Kris’s Contact
For the better part of the past year, the Cubs have been playing up the friendship between Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant to the fullest extent possible. In the team’s eyes, the two of them are not just All Star-caliber teammates, but also the key players in MLB’s most compelling bromance. They have become “Bryzzo,” a name […]
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. […]
Much Ado About Center Field: Jason Heyward’s Odd PECOTA Projection
PECOTA has no idea what to do with Jason Heyward in 2016. The Cubs’ new outfielder has a career .292 TAv and 26.9 BWARP in six seasons, all the while providing exceptional defense in right field. Theo Epstein and company offered Heyward a club-record $184 million contract to produce similar offensive numbers while roaming center […]
Boom or Bust? Evaluating Individual Upside and Downside, Pt. I
There is something about a 65 degree day in February that I don’t think people who live in warm climates can possibly fully appreciate. It’s the signal of so many things: spring, blooms, warmth and of course what I yearn for most: baseball. It’s impossible to be angry on a day like today. There is simply so […]