It’s been awful and that’s because the lineup has been atrocious.
- Numbers ticked up a tad last season.
The league batting average was .248, an increase from .243 in 2022.
- Currently theres $964.7 million worth of players on the injured list, most of that pitching.
Read more at your own leisure.
But also anticipated to the extent that they’re paid in line with their production.
That might be our only fringe-positive.
The catching sucks.
More specifically, Amaya and Gomes have netted -8.6 weight runs against average.
Maybe someone goes 1-4 tonight with a run scored to climb out of the negative WAR cellar.
Or maybe we get run off the field once again.
So let’s do that.
Let’s talk about why we suck.
The approach is so heavily skewed towards the opposite field.
Opposing pitchers are eating the Cubs alive right now and it starts with their collective approach.
If you carry a shitty batting average, you should probably hit for power.
That’s basic 101, entry level baseball.
There needs to be a counter threat to the pitcher.
It’s not different than a pitcher with limited velocity needing to carry good command and offspeed.
The less velocity, the more you oughta be a complete pitcher.
The same margin of error applies to a lineup.
If you’re able to’t hit for power, you better hit for average.
If you could’t do either, you’re completely fucked.
There’s plenty of reinforcing measures.
you’ve got the option to look at statistics and batted ball data.
you’ve got the option to look at league comparisons and splits.
you’ve got the option to watch for yourself or trust someone who does.
End of the day, you’ll come to the same conclusion that the lineup is severely missing thunder.
Personally I gravitate to the Oppo/Center/Pull neutralized-value stats at the player-level to read a broader team approach.
A mouthful, yes.
But an effective measure bestexplained with a picture:
100 is league average.
Each point above or below represents a 1% deviation from MLB average.
That isn’t awful, provided you have the slugging percentage to back it up.
Anthony Rizzo went years before he started turning to right field without any sacrifice to power numbers.
There’s a way to do it effectively.
Mistakes come when pitchers feel they can’t make mistakes.
It’s all connected.
The reality has been much different, especially lately.
We’re watching bad grow worse without obstruction and it’s nauseating.
But remember - MLB offense is at a 56-year low across the board.
Most teams are underperforming as pitchers claim a bizarre shift in power.
That’s mostly attributed to player development and worth a lot more time to explain adequately.
The takeaway for now is that most lineups are eating more shit than they expected.
Drilling down to the Cubs,that’s due to a combination of injuries, approach and timing.
Critique as you see fit: Seiya + Dansby have missed significant time.
Michael Busch has come down to earth.
Christopher Morel shows equal flashes on both ends of the spectrum.
Madrigal plays too much/too poorly.
We need his annual month of .450/.550/.650 and we need it right now.
Then a couple younger guys start feeling good around the same time some older guys find a groove.
We keep the starting pitching healthy and ride the warm weather into a burst of momentum.
So keep an open mind while backed into this corner.
It can flip any moment and that should keep you moving.
Seems like that’s our best strategy out of this hellhole.
