The Cub Offense After 17 Games

[bukie]

Through 17 games, the only Cubs regulars with an OPS+ under 100 (below average) are Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano.

 

Updated through yesterday's game, yesterday's entire lineup (+Cedeno and Marquis, -Soriano) was hitting above average on the year.

[BigSlick]

I really like what I've seen from the Cubs so far, but talk to me after the Mets series.

 

x2... I want to see how they look after playing some better teams... Then again, if you take the Cubs losses off the Pirates record, they don't look too bad... Hmmmm.

They can play crappily against better teams all year long it doesn't really matter, its the NL Central that matters.

 

The NL Central is crappy, and probably always will be.

[Soul]

The Cub fan in me who watched '84 and '03 is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

The idiot in me who can't stop banging his head against that brick wall is saying GO CUBS!

 

This seems too good to be true. Especially the patience -- where did this come from now all of a sudden?

[bhogg]

The big difference, to me, between 84, 03, and this year is that in those other years the sucess was a big surprise. This year, the sucess is expected --- something that's never been experienced in my entire cub fan life.

[Dallas Green]

I'm trying not to touch myself as I read this thread =P~

[CubinNY]

The Cub fan in me who watched '84 and '03 is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

The idiot in me who can't stop banging his head against that brick wall is saying GO CUBS!

 

This seems too good to be true. Especially the patience -- where did this come from now all of a sudden?

A lot of it could be attributed to Fukudome and Johnson. Lee has always seen a lot of pitches. Lee + Fukudome + Johnson = seeing a lot more pitches.

[CyHawk_Cub]

I really like what I've seen from the Cubs so far, but talk to me after the Mets series.

 

x2... I want to see how they look after playing some better teams... Then again, if you take the Cubs losses off the Pirates record, they don't look too bad... Hmmmm.

They can play crappily against better teams all year long it doesn't really matter, its the NL Central that matters.

 

The NL Central is crappy, and probably always will be.

 

Well, you're welcome to shoot for the gopher hole...but to win a World Series, I don't think being satisfied w/ only beating crap teams will quite cut it... And yes, I'm well-aware that it's a crap shoot in the post season; guess I'd just like to know we have a good team that can hang w/ one of the AL behemoths. It would make my summer much more enjoyable!! :)

[SouthSideRyan]

I think Gerald Perry deserves a lot of credit for the approach change.

[CubmanPi]

The big difference, to me, between 84, 03, and this year is that in those other years the sucess was a big surprise. This year, the sucess is expected --- something that's never been experienced in my entire cub fan life.

How did this season get lumped in with 84 and 03? If we're going to sit here in April comparing this team to any previous full season clubs, wouldn't 85 and 04 be better comparisons? The expectations WERE high in those years . . .

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm a bit young to be thoroughly familiar with the 85 team, so I was looking down the baseball-reference page. Offense looked decent, maybe one too many black holes between CF, C and SS. Starting pitching seemed to be a net positive despite the many, many different starters.

 

But ouch, that bullpen behind Smith. Eek.

 

The 2004 team looks like a very good comp to me, and I don't think that's a bad thing despite how it turned out.

[TarzanJoeWallis]

I'm a bit young to be thoroughly familiar with the 85 team, so I was looking down the baseball-reference page. Offense looked decent, maybe one too many black holes between CF, C and SS. Starting pitching seemed to be a net positive despite the many, many different starters.

 

But ouch, that bullpen behind Smith. Eek.

 

The 2004 team looks like a very good comp to me, and I don't think that's a bad thing despite how it turned out.

 

'85 started off very well but injuries destroyed the season. All five starting pitchers were on the disabled list at the same time.

[Guest]

The Cub fan in me who watched '84 and '03 is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

The idiot in me who can't stop banging his head against that brick wall is saying GO CUBS!

 

This seems too good to be true. Especially the patience -- where did this come from now all of a sudden?

A lot of it could be attributed to Fukudome and Johnson. Lee has always seen a lot of pitches. Lee + Fukudome + Johnson = seeing a lot more pitches.

 

And Soto.

[Hacking Out Machine]

Definitely Soto...yes.

[mcgoobs]

After 18 games the Cubs offense is.....

 

- On pace for 999 runs

- Has the highest OBP in the NL at .365

- Is fifth in the NL in walks (after being last or next-to-last for the past few years)

 

I'm sure these will all moderate once the level of teams we play improves and many of our players come back down to earth, but still it's amazing to see.

[TruffleShuffle]

kinda crazy how when you see a lot of pitches and don't swing at poop, you can do well

[VanceJergins]

The 2004 team looks like a very good comp to me, and I don't think that's a bad thing despite how it turned out.

 

I want to treat 2004 the way Germany treats the 30's/40's. "NOTHING HAPPENED! WE WERE ON VACATION!"

 

Family Guy reference aside, I can't believe that group of players didn't dominate the league. Sosa, Alou, Lee, Nomar, Ramirez, Barrett, Walker, Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement, Maddux. How does that happen?

 

This year is no where near the expectations of 2004.

[Rob]

This is the Cubs.com article from when Gerald Perry was hired. It's a very good read.

 

Click me!

[wvcbxl]

This is the Cubs.com article from when Gerald Perry was hired. It's a very good read.

 

Click me!

 

I missed that when it was published, and must say that inspires coonfidence; that sure sounds like a guy who knows what he's doing.

[JonnyRed]

Is second in MLB with 98 runs scored

 

Is 4th in MLB with 74 walks

 

Is 5th in MLB (3rd in NL) with a .353 OBP

 

 

Post some more of these insane oddities... :shock:

 

how are we doing against non-pirate pitching?

 

Every team plays the dregs of the league, don't they?

[Jehrico]

Is second in MLB with 98 runs scored

 

Is 4th in MLB with 74 walks

 

Is 5th in MLB (3rd in NL) with a .353 OBP

 

 

Post some more of these insane oddities... :shock:

 

how are we doing against non-pirate pitching?

 

Every team plays the dregs of the league, don't they?

The Pirates are 7-5 in games against anyone except us. I really don't think they're going to be bottom feeders this year, they'll end up slightly below mediocrity. Hopefully, if they don't, it'll be because we keep owning them. We're a couple of extra-inning games and another one run game away (one which they should have won by all means) from being 3-3 against them instead of 6-0.

[Jehrico]

The 2004 team looks like a very good comp to me, and I don't think that's a bad thing despite how it turned out.

 

I want to treat 2004 the way Germany treats the 30's/40's. "NOTHING HAPPENED! WE WERE ON VACATION!"

 

Family Guy reference aside, I can't believe that group of players didn't dominate the league. Sosa, Alou, Lee, Nomar, Ramirez, Barrett, Walker, Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement, Maddux. How does that happen?

 

Dusty. 'nuff said.

[UMFan83]

The 2004 team looks like a very good comp to me, and I don't think that's a bad thing despite how it turned out.

 

I want to treat 2004 the way Germany treats the 30's/40's. "NOTHING HAPPENED! WE WERE ON VACATION!"

 

Family Guy reference aside, I can't believe that group of players didn't dominate the league. Sosa, Alou, Lee, Nomar, Ramirez, Barrett, Walker, Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement, Maddux. How does that happen?

 

Dusty. 'nuff said.

 

Low OBP, lack of plate discipline. Funny thing is Sosa, Lee, Nomar and Walker were all above average OBP guys in their hayday. Dusty just didn't want that.

[CuseCubFan69]

They are seeing the ball well but that will change because they won't be able to keep this up, not at this pace. It's when they are struggling is when the pitching staff has to pick it up and you get key walks/hits out of different hitters until they heat up again. I'd like to see Lee get hot, cool a little and then ARam takes off. When they are both hitting like this it worries me because they will cool and somebody else is going to have to make up the slack.

[RedFlash]

The Cub fan in me who watched '84 and '03 is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

The idiot in me who can't stop banging his head against that brick wall is saying GO CUBS!

 

This seems too good to be true. Especially the patience -- where did this come from now all of a sudden?

A lot of it could be attributed to Fukudome and Johnson. Lee has always seen a lot of pitches. Lee + Fukudome + Johnson = seeing a lot more pitches.

 

And Soto.

 

And DeRosa.

[BigbadB]

Looking at the schedule, we have 4 more lefties squaring off against the Cubs by this coming Sunday.

 

I hope they keep abusing lefties the way they have. Washington is greeting the Cubs with 3 straight lefties in Odalis Perez, Matt Chico and John Lannan. The 4th lefty is Franklin Morales, who the Cubs face Wednesday, I believe.