Interesting stats in the Trib today

[Nobody youd want to know]

There's been a lot of bandwidth wasted on NSBB about how much the Cubs need a slugging corner OF in order to compete. Well, lo and behold, today the Trib tells me the Cubs are not only tied for 1st in batting average in the NL, and tied for 4th in all of MLB, but they're 2 dingers short of second place in total bases in ALL OF BASEBALL.

 

Hmmm...

 

Digging a little deeper online, I find that while they're middle of the pack OBP-wise, the Cubs are 5th from last in walks taken.

 

Matt Murton, anyone?

 

So why do the Cubs suck so bad this year? Well, pitching stands out. They're 10th in team ERA in the NL. Interesting to note that the team ahead of the Cubs in total bases--Cincinnati--is 2nd-worst in team ERA, ahead of only the Rockies. Thus their .464 winning percentage.

 

Even more interesting, the team with the second-best record in all of baseball is third from LAST in OBP. Not coincidentally, they're first in team ERA in their league. I'm speaking of the White Sox, of course.

 

 

Seems to me the Cubs' offseason acquisition plans should include pitching, pitching, and more pitching. In that order.

 

(Side note: although the Cubs team ERA stinks, their BAA is actually fifth-best in all of MLB. So how do we account for all those runs? Being third-worst in walks allowed in all of MLB, and second-worst in HR allowed probably goes a long way toward explaining it, but I'm betting there's a defensive component as well, one that isn't showing up on any stat sheets...)

[goonys evil twin]

Even more interesting, the team with the second-best record in all of baseball is third from LAST in OBP. Not coincidentally, they're first in team ERA in their league. I'm speaking of the White Sox, of course.

 

 

Seems to me the Cubs' offseason acquisition plans should include pitching, pitching, and more pitching. In that order.

 

 

I think using the WS example as justification for ignoring the Cubs incompetent offense is misguided. The Cubs need help on offense. They don't need a slugger, they need a producer, somebody who can give you the AVG/OBP/SLG necessary for corner OF. If they ignore their offense they will suffer many of the same problems they've suffered the past few years. This team should aspire to 100 win seasons, and be a near-lock for a 90 win season. Focusing exclusively on one side or another will not help make this an all-around great team, which is what a $100m team should be.

[Nobody youd want to know]

They don't need a slugger, they need a producer

 

What's the difference?

 

What they need is OBP, so the sluggers the team has can knock them in. If you can replace Neifi's (.300), Corey's (.260), Burnitz's (.324) and Holly's (.305) OBP's with league average ones, while still maintaining their slugging level (which shouldn't be too hard, it's at ~.400 aggregate), you'd have a pretty good team.

 

But if you replace those players with defensive upgrades and maintain their OBPs, I'm betting you have a much better team.

 

And if you add a couple of pitchers who have low walk rates, I'm betting you have a GREAT team.

 

(And if you replace the manager with one who knows how to use his players, you have a potential World-Series winner.... but that's a topic for another thread)

[Nobody youd want to know]

And another thing:

 

I think using the WS example as justification for ignoring the Cubs incompetent offense is misguided.

 

Why?

 

The AL is a HITTING league, yet the Sox's starting corner OFs have OPSs of .685 and .790. And the Sox lead the league in wins. HOW CAN THAT BE?

 

Pitching and fielding, obviously.

[CubbieRich]

And another thing:

 

I think using the WS example as justification for ignoring the Cubs incompetent offense is misguided.

 

Why?

 

The AL is a HITTING league, yet the Sox's starting corner OFs have OPSs of .685 and .790. And the Sox lead the league in wins. HOW CAN THAT BE?

 

Pitching and fielding, obviously.

 

How many blown saves have we had this year?

 

How many first pitch outs have we had with men on base?

 

The Cubs need alot of help, not the least of which are tablesetters and run producers. Gary Matthews, Tony Perez and the like were not HOF players but drove in runs.

 

I see Barrett, Lee and Rameriz as the only given starting players back for next year, the rest is up for grabs.

[TB_11]

 

How many blown saves have we had this year?

 

How many first pitch outs have we had with men on base?

 

The Cubs need alot of help, not the least of which are tablesetters and run producers. Gary Matthews, Tony Perez and the like were not HOF players but drove in runs.

 

I see Barrett, Lee and Rameriz as the only given starting players back for next year, the rest is up for grabs.

 

The Cubs have blown 15 saves this year, which is right in the middle of the major leagues. But our save percentage is a low 63%, good for 25th overall. Had our save percentage been a more respectable 70%, we could tack on three more wins for the team, which would move us up one spot in the wild card race.

[GaryWoods]

Gary Matthews, Tony Perez and the like were not HOF players but drove in runs.

 

Tony Perez is in the Hall of Fame.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

The only offensive stat in which the Cubs are terrible, other than walks taken, is hitting with 2 out/RISP. They are last in the majors in this category. It doesn't matter how many get on if you can't bring them in.

[Nobody youd want to know]

How many blown saves have we had this year?

 

15, which is actually middle-of-the-pack.

 

How many first pitch outs have we had with men on base?

 

That I can't tell you, but I can say the Cubs have a lot of players who seemingly aren't real baseball-smart. We could stand getting more guys who are.

 

The Cubs need alot of help, not the least of which are tablesetters and run producers. Gary Matthews, Tony Perez and the like were not HOF players but drove in runs.

 

This is where I disagree. I think the Cubs need a LITTLE help, and mostly in the OBP and pitching area. They could stand pat with their run-producers, as I think the stats I found today have suggested, and be a very good team.

 

I see Barrett, Lee and Rameriz as the only given starting players back for next year, the rest is up for grabs.

 

Well, yes, that would be nice, but a) it won't happen, and b) it doesn't NEED to happen. Walker and Murton, to name two examples, both are high-OBP guys with a little pop, which would fit in well in the Cubs' 2006 lineup. Neither impresses me with their defense, so we'd have to make that up at other positions.

 

I think we need a high-OBP, good-defense CF, a high-OBP, good OPS corner OF, and a high-OBP, excellent defense SS. I'd take Ronny Cedeno at SS, and someone like Chone Figgins (tho I think he's arb-eligible) at CF. And I'd love Brian Giles in RF.

 

Throw all the rest of the Cubs' money at the pitching staff.