There ain't no clutch in baseball, but there sure is choke

[RegulusBlue]

How is it that we consistently underperform with bases juiced and seemingly forget how to hit with nearly every run-favorable situation? I'm almost rooting for bunts just to prevent the effin' DP that is just so inevitable. I'm sure you guys can put me some knowledge here with the exact numbers, but my eyes tell me this team is much worse with runners in scoring position.

 

I understand that part of it is that we refuse to hit anything other than singles most of the time, forcing 3 hits to score any runs, but damn, its amazing how helpless we look when up against the possibility of scoring a run. Its not all Aramis at this point, although he looks like a freshman thrown into his first action in the Final Four with 2:00 left.

 

I fully believe that hitters don't swing harder, see better, or get stronger in tight spots, but I've seen a lot of our players go the other way when we could really be helped in a game.

 

PS- We've really been hosed by former HR hitters that are now warning track hitters. Who'da thunk turning runs into outs would hurt an offense? Who'da thunk batting our best hitter on the year 8th and taking 9th inning ABs from him (Soto) would make our offense worse?

[SouthSideRyan]

Heading into today, the Cubs were 26 points better with men in scoring position, and 8 points worse with men on when compared to bases empty.

[CubColtPacer]

Before today the Cubs were .267/.340/.426 overall, and .264/.346/.451 with runners in scoring position. Today will probably make those numbers pretty close to equal. Obviously 1-20 in the last 2 days really hurts (along with only 1 extra base hit in those 2 games) but that hasn't really been an issue in the season so far.

[bukie]

Yeah, there's plenty to get on the offense about, but hitting with RISP, while the popular scapegoat, is well down the list of issues.

[RegulusBlue]

Heading into today, the Cubs were 26 points better with men in scoring position, and 8 points worse with men on when compared to bases empty.

 

Yes, but that doesn't include a hit with a man on 2nd that does not score. I have witnessed that plenty of times this year.

 

According to baseball-reference.com, the Cubs have four players who are above league average in runners that score during a player's at bats.

 

Player RS% Opp

 

Kosuke Fukudome 22% 37

Marlon Byrd 22% 55

Carlos Silva 20% 10

Ryan Theriot 19% 53

Alfonso Soriano 15% 34

League Average 15% --

 

As you might expect, ARam and Lee lead the team with the most opportunities, but come in at 13% and 11% respectively. I guess a lot of this team's struggles arise from DLee and Aramis struggling badly at times, or just all the time for Ramirez.

[SouthSideRyan]

Yes, but that doesn't include a hit with a man on 2nd that does not score. I have witnessed that plenty of times this year.

 

I really doubt you've witnessed that "plenty" of times this year.

[bukie]

Heading into today, the Cubs were 26 points better with men in scoring position, and 8 points worse with men on when compared to bases empty.

 

Yes, but that doesn't include a hit with a man on 2nd that does not score. I have witnessed that plenty of times this year.

 

According to baseball-reference.com, the Cubs have four players who are above league average in runners that score during a player's at bats.

 

Player RS% Opp

 

Kosuke Fukudome 22% 37

Marlon Byrd 22% 55

Carlos Silva 20% 10

Ryan Theriot 19% 53

Alfonso Soriano 15% 34

League Average 15% --

 

As you might expect, ARam and Lee lead the team with the most opportunities, but come in at 13% and 11% respectively. I guess a lot of this team's struggles arise from DLee and Aramis struggling badly at times, or just all the time for Ramirez.

Which says what we already know. Of the 8 regulars, Lee and Ramirez are struggling the most. All the time, not just with RISP.

 

EDIT: Also, hitting with RISP does include hits with a man on second. That's pretty much the textbook definition of hitting with RISP.

[Mike Aller]

The name of this thread confuses me. :-k

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The name of this thread confuses me. :-k

for me it's the content

[treebird]

The name of this thread confuses me. :-k

for me it's the content

 

i hate this font