Chicago, IL- This year, it's not the Cubs year. The Front Office has continued to build for the future, as shown in the deal that sent Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland.
Through seventeen starts each in their year with the Cubs, Jeff Samardija was 2-7 with a 2.83 ERA, and Jason Hammel was 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA. Now, the duo has embarked in Oakland, where they are attempting to bring the Athletics to the playoffs.
Since Samardzija and Hammel have left Chicago, the Cubs have gone 2-8. The team has experienced a complete team breakdown in that time-frame. In those ten games combined, the Cubs have been outscored 67-36. Looking at that mark, it looks like the team will remain in the cellar for the rest of the year.
Trying to explain why this problem has endured is simple: the pitching staff has been depleted. Jake Arrieta, who is currently 5-1 with a 1.95 ERA in 13 starts, is the only pitcher on the team who has remained consistent all year.
Following his breakout 2013 season, Travis Wood has not been the same in 2014. Finishing 9-12 with a 3.11 ERA in 2013, this season he has gone 7-8 with a 4.96 ERA. He is allowing more runners on base, as evident in his 1.491 WHIP. Allowing more runners on the base paths, grants the opposing team the chance to score more runs. If Wood was able to have good command and good control, then he would be able to limit the amount of runners on the base paths.
Looking more at the rotation, another player is limiting the Cubs chances of winning. His name is Edwin Jackson, and he has been a disaster since he put on a Cubs uniform. This season has been no different from last season, as Jackson once again has a high ERA (5.64) and high WHIP (1.576). His last outing proved he is just getting worse, as he went only 3.2 innings, and allowed nine earned runs. Debates have been sparked about Jackson moving to the bullpen, but it's highly unlikely that move will prevail because Jackson is the most expensive Cub on the team at the moment.
Now with the departures of two veteran pitchers, the Cubs have turned to rookies once again. Kyle Hendricks, who was acquired in the Ryan Dempster deal, has been called up along with Dallas Beeler. Kyle Hendricks was having a solid season at Iowa, as he went 10-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts. However, he struggled in his Cubs debut, as he gave up four earned runs in six innings pitched. Dallas Beeler has already started two games for the Cubs, and has been solid. Despite the 0-2 record, his ERA is at 3.27.
With Kris Bryant coming up possibly next year, and some solid arms also possibly being acquired before the 2015 season, the Cubs might actually be able to pull off that 2015 World Seires victory predicted in Back To The Future Part Two.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
-(All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)
Friday, July 18, 2014
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
The Debate Between RIzzo and Morneau
Chicago, IL- There's no doubt, Anthony Rizzo and Justin Morneau are both having phonemically bounce-back seasons.
Taking a look at Anthony Rizzo's numbers, it's clear that the first-basemen is on the rise. Batting .277 in 2014, he has been able to maintain a solid average compared to the .233 average he had in 2013. With the higher average, Rizzo's on-base percentage has increased from .323 to .383 in one year. The 19 home runs already hit out of the park thirteen games before the All-Star game proves that Rizzo is on pace to hit more than 23, which was his total in the 2013 season. Above all, Rizzo's ability to bat .289 against left-handed pitching this year shows that Rizzo is turning into a cornerstone first-basemen for the Cubs.
After suffering from injuries the last few seasons, the road didn't look bright for the Justin Morneau in the future. He didn't look like himself in the 2013 season, as he batted a combined .259 with 17 HR and 77 RBI in 152 games with the Twins and the Pirates. Heading into the 2014 Off-Season, it looked like the only way Morneau was going to have a chance of regaining his 2006 MVP form was in Colorado. So, the Rockies took a chance on him with a 2 yr./20 million dollar deal, and it has worked out marvelously. Morneau is not only hitting at home (.321 batting average), but also on the road (.303 batting average). Like Rizzo, his home run count, which is at 13, is bound to pass the 17 home runs he had last year. One factor that is dramatically different from Rizzo, is the number of runs he's driving in comparison to last year. Morneau is already batted in 59 runs, and according to FanGraphs Steamer he's on pace for 93 RBI. Slugging-wise, Morneau has improved from a .312 SLG percentage in 2013 to a .855 SLG percentage in 2014. It looks like the move to the Rocky Mountains has surly paid off for the Rockies and Mr. Morneau himself.
So who deserves the final vote? Both first-basemen have been having wonderful rebounds, but there are deciding factors while looking at key statistics. Without playing at Coors Field for a portion of a season, Rizzo still has more home runs than Morneau. However, Morneau has a better batting average and more RBI than Rizzo. But Rizzo has a better on-base percentage too. It's not my decision who makes the trip to Minneapolis, but I will definitely cast my vote to the man who is known for his career in the Twin Cities.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
(All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com unless noted.)
Taking a look at Anthony Rizzo's numbers, it's clear that the first-basemen is on the rise. Batting .277 in 2014, he has been able to maintain a solid average compared to the .233 average he had in 2013. With the higher average, Rizzo's on-base percentage has increased from .323 to .383 in one year. The 19 home runs already hit out of the park thirteen games before the All-Star game proves that Rizzo is on pace to hit more than 23, which was his total in the 2013 season. Above all, Rizzo's ability to bat .289 against left-handed pitching this year shows that Rizzo is turning into a cornerstone first-basemen for the Cubs.
After suffering from injuries the last few seasons, the road didn't look bright for the Justin Morneau in the future. He didn't look like himself in the 2013 season, as he batted a combined .259 with 17 HR and 77 RBI in 152 games with the Twins and the Pirates. Heading into the 2014 Off-Season, it looked like the only way Morneau was going to have a chance of regaining his 2006 MVP form was in Colorado. So, the Rockies took a chance on him with a 2 yr./20 million dollar deal, and it has worked out marvelously. Morneau is not only hitting at home (.321 batting average), but also on the road (.303 batting average). Like Rizzo, his home run count, which is at 13, is bound to pass the 17 home runs he had last year. One factor that is dramatically different from Rizzo, is the number of runs he's driving in comparison to last year. Morneau is already batted in 59 runs, and according to FanGraphs Steamer he's on pace for 93 RBI. Slugging-wise, Morneau has improved from a .312 SLG percentage in 2013 to a .855 SLG percentage in 2014. It looks like the move to the Rocky Mountains has surly paid off for the Rockies and Mr. Morneau himself.
So who deserves the final vote? Both first-basemen have been having wonderful rebounds, but there are deciding factors while looking at key statistics. Without playing at Coors Field for a portion of a season, Rizzo still has more home runs than Morneau. However, Morneau has a better batting average and more RBI than Rizzo. But Rizzo has a better on-base percentage too. It's not my decision who makes the trip to Minneapolis, but I will definitely cast my vote to the man who is known for his career in the Twin Cities.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
(All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com unless noted.)
Friday, July 4, 2014
Samardzija and Hammel Have Been Shipped to Oakland
Chicago, IL- It was only a matter of time, but Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel were dealt to another team today.
Both Samardzija and Hammel were included in a trade to the Oakland Athletics for Addison Russell, Billy McKinney, Dan Straily, and a player to be named later.
So far this season, Samardzija and Hammel have had career years. Jeff Samardzija currently has an ERA of 2.83, which is the best of his career as a starter. He is under control until the end of the 2015 season. Meanwhile, Hammel has maintained an ERA of 2.98 and a WHIP of 1.02.
In exchange for the veteran starting pitchers the Cubs are sending, they get some young players in return. The key piece of this deal is Addison Russell, a shortstop who was taken eleventh overall in the 2012 MLB Draft. He is currently at AA, where he has hit .333 with 1 HR and 8 RBI in thirteen games. Another first round pick, Billy McKinney, has been included in the deal. The 24th overall pick in the 2013 draft, is an outfielder currently batting .241 with 10 HR and 33 RBI in 75 games at A+. Before this season, he hit .326 with 3 HR and 26 RBI in 55 games between Rookie and A-. Dan Straily, who won ten games for the Athletics in 2013, is currently at AAA. At the Major League level this season, he went 1-2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven starts. Currently, the twenty-five year old right-handed pitcher is 4-3 with a 4.71 ERA in ten starts for the Sacramento River Cats.
Adding Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel gives the Athletics some quality starters to go along with Scott Kazmir, Johnathan Gray, and Tommy Milone. This move could move could shift Jesse Chavez and Brad Mills to the bullpen. Acquiring Addison Russell gives the Cubs another talented shortstop behind Starlin Castro and Javier Baez on the depth chart. Billy McKinney could become an outfielder for the Cubs in a few years. Dan Straily is a pitcher similar to Jake Arrieta, as a change of scenery might help him stick at the Major League level.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
-(Stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)
Both Samardzija and Hammel were included in a trade to the Oakland Athletics for Addison Russell, Billy McKinney, Dan Straily, and a player to be named later.
So far this season, Samardzija and Hammel have had career years. Jeff Samardzija currently has an ERA of 2.83, which is the best of his career as a starter. He is under control until the end of the 2015 season. Meanwhile, Hammel has maintained an ERA of 2.98 and a WHIP of 1.02.
In exchange for the veteran starting pitchers the Cubs are sending, they get some young players in return. The key piece of this deal is Addison Russell, a shortstop who was taken eleventh overall in the 2012 MLB Draft. He is currently at AA, where he has hit .333 with 1 HR and 8 RBI in thirteen games. Another first round pick, Billy McKinney, has been included in the deal. The 24th overall pick in the 2013 draft, is an outfielder currently batting .241 with 10 HR and 33 RBI in 75 games at A+. Before this season, he hit .326 with 3 HR and 26 RBI in 55 games between Rookie and A-. Dan Straily, who won ten games for the Athletics in 2013, is currently at AAA. At the Major League level this season, he went 1-2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven starts. Currently, the twenty-five year old right-handed pitcher is 4-3 with a 4.71 ERA in ten starts for the Sacramento River Cats.
Adding Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel gives the Athletics some quality starters to go along with Scott Kazmir, Johnathan Gray, and Tommy Milone. This move could move could shift Jesse Chavez and Brad Mills to the bullpen. Acquiring Addison Russell gives the Cubs another talented shortstop behind Starlin Castro and Javier Baez on the depth chart. Billy McKinney could become an outfielder for the Cubs in a few years. Dan Straily is a pitcher similar to Jake Arrieta, as a change of scenery might help him stick at the Major League level.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
-(Stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)
Could the Cubs Climb Back Into Contention?
Chicago, IL- On the fourth of July, the Cubs currently stand at 37-46. They are nine games under .500, which is an indicator that the Cubs are possibly out of a playoff race. However, there are factors that could explain why the Cubs could make a remarkable comeback into contention.
Looking at the performance of the Cubs in June, it was impressive. For a team that was 20-33 at the end of May, the expectations were suppose to be another disappointing season for the Loveable Losers. Dusting the rust off their shoulders, the Cubs actually played as one of the best teams in the National League in June. They started the month with a loss against the Brewers, but then immediately went on a five-game win streak. On that win streak, they swept the Mets and took two of three from the Marlins. Next in a series against the Pirates on the road, they lost three of four. But that low point didn't last long, as the Cubs split a four-game series with Phillies in Philadelphia right after. Following the series against the Phillies, the Cubs took two of three from the Marlins in Miami. Despite all these great stretches, the Cubs hit a slump coming back home in two NL Central division series against the Pirates and Reds, where they lost a combined four out of six games. The last series at Wrigley for the month, the Cubs split two games apiece with the Nationals (the two losses came on a doubleheader day). Ending the month on a high note, the Cubs beat the Red Sox in a 2-0 victory on June 30.
While the 15-13 record was marvelous, a few performances really stood out for the Cubs looking forward. First, the bullpen improved dramatically with solid contributions by Neil Ramirez, Carlos Villanueva, Wesley Wright, and Hector Rondon. Neil Ramirez showed some promise, as he claimed a spot in the bullpen after the departure of Jose Veras. Villanueva had an impressive month, going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in nine games. Wesley Wright was even more impressive, as he did not allow an earned run in ten games. Hector Rondon converted four saves out of five opportunities. Also a part of the pitching staff, some starters stood out in the rotation. Jake Arrieta continued his breakout season, as he went 4-0 with a 0.92 ERA in six starts. His last two starts were impressive, as he carried no-hitters deep into the game against the Reds and the Red Sox. Travis Wood loosened up from a tough beginning to his season, as he went 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in five starts. Also, Jason Hammel had a solid 3.45 ERA in five starts. Some bats stood out such as Luis Valbuena, Starlin Castro, and Anthony Rizzo. Valbuena continued to put up strong numbers in his breakout season, as he hit .275 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. Starlin Castro (.296 average with 4 HR and 21 RBI) and Anthony Rizzo (.295 average with 7 HR and 16 RBI) both kept improving their bounce-back seasons in June.
With the good, comes the bad, as some Cubbies brought the team down during the hot stretch. Despite the good save conversion rate, Hector Rondon finished the month with a 9.35 ERA. After a hot start, Jeff Samardija started to cool off, as he had a 5.45 ERA in the month of June. Edwin Jackson did what he does best, as he brought the team down again with a record of 2-3 and a 6.23 ERA in five starts. With Wellington Castillo on the disabled-list, the Cubs had a dilemma at the catcher position with John Baker and Eli Whiteside starting behind the plate for most of the month. Moving on to the offensive side of the game, players such as Junior Lake and Nate Schierholtz carried over their struggles from the beginning of the season into June. Schierholtz hit .195 with 2 HR and 13 RBI, and Lake batted .190 with 3 HR and 6 RBI.
Adding up the positives and negatives, the Cubs seem to have more promise than disappointment heading into the second half of the season. The Cubs are finding ways to win with clutch hitting. The bullpen is putting the pieces together, and now stands ranked at ninth in MLB according to ESPN. The Cubs may be 12.5 game out of the NL Central division lead, but are only 8.5 games out of a NL Wild Card. Now coming off of a sweep of the Red Sox, the seats should start to fill up, as the Cubs are becoming entertaining once again on the North Side.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
-(all stats courtesy of MLB.com)
Looking at the performance of the Cubs in June, it was impressive. For a team that was 20-33 at the end of May, the expectations were suppose to be another disappointing season for the Loveable Losers. Dusting the rust off their shoulders, the Cubs actually played as one of the best teams in the National League in June. They started the month with a loss against the Brewers, but then immediately went on a five-game win streak. On that win streak, they swept the Mets and took two of three from the Marlins. Next in a series against the Pirates on the road, they lost three of four. But that low point didn't last long, as the Cubs split a four-game series with Phillies in Philadelphia right after. Following the series against the Phillies, the Cubs took two of three from the Marlins in Miami. Despite all these great stretches, the Cubs hit a slump coming back home in two NL Central division series against the Pirates and Reds, where they lost a combined four out of six games. The last series at Wrigley for the month, the Cubs split two games apiece with the Nationals (the two losses came on a doubleheader day). Ending the month on a high note, the Cubs beat the Red Sox in a 2-0 victory on June 30.
While the 15-13 record was marvelous, a few performances really stood out for the Cubs looking forward. First, the bullpen improved dramatically with solid contributions by Neil Ramirez, Carlos Villanueva, Wesley Wright, and Hector Rondon. Neil Ramirez showed some promise, as he claimed a spot in the bullpen after the departure of Jose Veras. Villanueva had an impressive month, going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in nine games. Wesley Wright was even more impressive, as he did not allow an earned run in ten games. Hector Rondon converted four saves out of five opportunities. Also a part of the pitching staff, some starters stood out in the rotation. Jake Arrieta continued his breakout season, as he went 4-0 with a 0.92 ERA in six starts. His last two starts were impressive, as he carried no-hitters deep into the game against the Reds and the Red Sox. Travis Wood loosened up from a tough beginning to his season, as he went 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in five starts. Also, Jason Hammel had a solid 3.45 ERA in five starts. Some bats stood out such as Luis Valbuena, Starlin Castro, and Anthony Rizzo. Valbuena continued to put up strong numbers in his breakout season, as he hit .275 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. Starlin Castro (.296 average with 4 HR and 21 RBI) and Anthony Rizzo (.295 average with 7 HR and 16 RBI) both kept improving their bounce-back seasons in June.
With the good, comes the bad, as some Cubbies brought the team down during the hot stretch. Despite the good save conversion rate, Hector Rondon finished the month with a 9.35 ERA. After a hot start, Jeff Samardija started to cool off, as he had a 5.45 ERA in the month of June. Edwin Jackson did what he does best, as he brought the team down again with a record of 2-3 and a 6.23 ERA in five starts. With Wellington Castillo on the disabled-list, the Cubs had a dilemma at the catcher position with John Baker and Eli Whiteside starting behind the plate for most of the month. Moving on to the offensive side of the game, players such as Junior Lake and Nate Schierholtz carried over their struggles from the beginning of the season into June. Schierholtz hit .195 with 2 HR and 13 RBI, and Lake batted .190 with 3 HR and 6 RBI.
Adding up the positives and negatives, the Cubs seem to have more promise than disappointment heading into the second half of the season. The Cubs are finding ways to win with clutch hitting. The bullpen is putting the pieces together, and now stands ranked at ninth in MLB according to ESPN. The Cubs may be 12.5 game out of the NL Central division lead, but are only 8.5 games out of a NL Wild Card. Now coming off of a sweep of the Red Sox, the seats should start to fill up, as the Cubs are becoming entertaining once again on the North Side.
-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)
-(all stats courtesy of MLB.com)
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