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 […]
Category: Articles
Inside the At-Bat: Matt Holliday’s Game-Winning, First-Inning Single
A pitcher at the top of his game executed perfectly a well-called pitch against against an injury-riddled veteran who slugged .208 against the pitch since the All-Star break. Perhaps nine times out of 10, this ends in the pitcher’s favor. This is the cruel uncertainty of the playoffs, though, and the batter won this one-pitch battle. […]
Cubs, Cardinals Writing New Chapter in Old History
The Cubs have had a captivating history. Granted, the story is often like a Shakespearean tragedy. But each time they pop up with a great season, it gets ingrained into Cubs lore and the hearts and minds of their fans in a way that few other franchises in the sport can claim. This season has been […]
NLDS Game 1 Recap: Cardinals 4 Cubs 0
In Stephen King’s 11/22/63, which is about a time traveler tasked with stopping the assassination of JFK, basically, the protagonist repeatedly encounters seemingly unlikely obstacles. The more of the past he attempts to change, or even ponders changing, and the closer he gets to actually stopping the killing, the greater the degree to which the universe […]
On Eve of History, Momentum on the North Side
Editor’s Note: This piece, by BP Wrigleyville’s Stan Croussett, isn’t the kind of thing you’ll usually find on the site—you’ll see no numbers here. But we think it captures this moment in a way that numbers can’t, and we hope you enjoy. Look up your favorite Cardinals blogger or columnist and take a deep breath. Now […]
Breaking down the NLDS Roster Decisions
Now that the we know that the Cubs are headed to the NLDS to face the Cardinals, we asked some of our BP Wrigleyville writers to put together their ideal roster for that series. There was quite a bit of consensus with regards to the lineups, with Chris Denorfia and Quintin Berry battling for the last […]
Grounded: Coghlan Might Be Neutralized Throughout Playoffs
At the beginning of this season, I was a staunch advocate of accelerating Kyle Schwarber’s ascendance to the Cubs’ big-league roster and everyday lineup. Schwarber put up monster numbers in the minor leagues, making even Kris Bryant’s dominance look pedestrian at certain developmental mile markers, and while there was an argument for allowing his defensive […]
Playoff Prospectus: NLDS Preview—Cubs vs. Cardinals ($)
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. The Cubs knocked Pirates ace Gerrit Cole out of the Wild Card game after just five innings, while their own dominating ace did what he’s done for […]
Now Scouting: Jon Lester versus the St. Louis Cardinals
Give me the (four-seam) fastball and I watch what I do with it — Lil Bow Wow, paraphrased On Opening Night, Jon Lester struggled to find a rhythm against the St. Louis Cardinals. In failing to make it through five innings, Lester allowed eight hits, all on his four-seam and cut fastballs, while Cardinals left-handed […]
Fight Club: Don’t Mess with These Cubs
As we saw in the Wild Card game on Wednesday, things can get heated in the playoffs. An inside pitch here, an angry glare there, and soon you’ve got punches. Fisticuffs. Headlocks. Shiners. And so on. We don’t endorse baseball fights, and of course we don’t want anyone to get hurt, so this is all in good fun. […]