OSS: Despite a heroic performance by Starlin Castro, the Cubs give a winnable game to the Pirates (again). Three Up 1. How could it not be Starlin Castro? A three-run dinger in the 3rd tied it up, and a and a 6th-inning dinger brought the Cubs within 1. All told, Castro went 3-4, 4 RBI, 2 R. It was his …
Too-Soon Update
With the first 6 of the All-Pennsylvania Cup over, I thought I’d look at some stats to see where the Cubs stand so far. Some caveats: it’s still crazily early to draw any real conclusions about the season. For one thing, there is no real interconnectivity. For instance, to connect Miami and the Cubs, you have to follow this loop: …
Cubs Free Agent Contest: No One Wins!
Most of you have probably flushed this down your memory hole, but OV set up a free agent prediction contest last fall. Participants were given 50 prediction units and allowed to place them on anyone they thought the Cubs might sign. The details aren’t important, frankly, since not a single person correctly predicted any Cubs signing. A few of the …
Journeymen of Tomorrow: 4/1/14
Did the Cubs Win? (image c/o bleacher nation) Chicago Cubes 0 @ Pittsburgh Pirates 1 One Sentence Synopsis: Cubes gonna Cube, Bonifacio going to TOOTBLAN, and Cubs go 0 for 11 with RISP. Three Up 1. Jeff Samardzija was very good, going 7 scoreless frames. He walked 2 and allowed 5 hits, but only fanned 3. He was bailed out by …
Dave Cameron on draft pick compensation
Dave Cameron points to a study on value of draft picks which is pretty straightforward – i.e. here are the values you should price into a FA signing. But what I found more interesting was this tweet For those who didn't see it last year.The Must Trade suggestion post.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.ph…Perfect for those who don't want to be QO'd. — David Cameron …
Edwin Jackson, come on down (please)
News broke today that the Cubs and the Rangers are the final two suitors in the Edwin Jackson regretstravaganza, after the failed pursuit of Anibal Sanchez last week. Now, reports are indicating that the Rangers will not be the high bid. The reported figures are somewhere in the 4 to 5 year range at around 12 to 13 per. If …
Better Know a Cub: Tony Campana
Tony Campana is wholly unlike any other Cub in recent memory. Campana is incredibly fast, maybe on the 5 fastest players in baseball (including the minors). To give some perspective, Campana stole 30 bases last year; he only drew 38 starts, and stole 21 bases during those games. If we eliminate the 9 SBs he had from pinch running and …
Better Know a Cub: Alberto Cabrera
Rob Deer is known as one of the masters of Three True Outcomes. If Deer didn’t hit a home run or draw a walk, Rob Deer was striking out. Alberto Cabrera was the Rob Deer of pitching in 2012. He faced 99 batters in the MLB in 2012. He let one take him deep, walked 18, and struck out 27 …
Better Know a Cub: Michael Bowden
Michael Bowden was a bit of a mirage last year. Drafted with the 47th overall pick in 2005, Bowden hung around the Boston organization for 7 years, never really showing a whole lot in the majors but nearly always dominating the minor leagues. Michael would hang around the bottom of the BA Top 100 prospect lists from 2007 to 2009, …
Better Know a Cub: Scott Baker
There is one thing that Tom Ricketts loves above all others, and that is starting pitchers named Scott. He signed Scott Feldman to a one-year, $6 million pact, but the true bargain of the 2 Scotts he signed this year is Scott Baker. Baker signed a $5.5 million deal + incentives, on a one-year “prove it” deal. He signed up …