Cubs' Distinguished Running Game Is Finding Its Stride

With a +43 run differential, Chicago's North Side baseball team is no stranger to getting and scoring its baserunners. Featuring a .347 team OBP, Craig Counsell's club is one of the best at stepping up to the dish and reaching base. Of course, as the skipper and all ardent supporters of this franchise will tell you, though, it's not about getting on base; it's about what you do once you get there. The squad's willingness and readiness to run on their opponents currently has them standing atop the toughest division in the game. If they continue their success at this level, they might stay there.

As one peruses the matchup programs sold by vendors outside the Friendly Confines, they'll find that their Chicago Cubs aren't the best at running; they're just always ready to step up. The Cubs have 31 swipes to their name, with 11 (three times caught stealing) of those coming from Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is one of the fastest players in professional baseball. Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner joins Crow-Armstrong in the top 25 with eight swipes and zero times caught stealing. After that, the numbers dwindle, but depending on the lineup on a given night, two-thirds of it has a player with either a stolen base or at least an attempt. 

The squad's young slugger, Moises Ballesteros, is the outlier in Chicago's aggressive baserunning strategy. With his build, "Mo Baller" could likely reach base faster on an escalator than with his own wheels. He's batting second in the lineup behind Hoerner, one of the most prolific lead-off batters in MLB. So the conceit then is that Ballesteros will not have to run, but simply drive in or advance the runner already on base. There are several benefits to having a stable of ball players capable of nabbing a base, but it once again speaks to the construction of this lineup, which suggests those tasked with leading this team understand the value of run-scoring opportunities. 

To the dismay of all of us Cubs fans, the glaring control in this grand experiment is the squad's performances from the last week or so. In their four consecutive losses, the North Siders tallied just three runs. In the week prior to their series finale victory over the Braves, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch were the only two everyday players sporting a batting average above the Mendoza line. The idea, however, as Counsell pointed out previously, "it will turn".

Turning the page quickly is a quality the North Siders have harnessed in spades. Should they hope to enjoy the type of sustained success that their duo of 10-game winning streaks suggested, they're going to have to stay in the running. With just enough speed and determination, this club will find its stride.