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Monday’s random thoughts: The unstoppable Chicago Cubs
- Updated: April 25, 2016
2:31 PM ET
Some stuff I’m thinking about …
The Chicago Cubs don’t have baseball’s best record — the Washington Nationals are 14-4 while the Cubs are 14-5 — but they have been the most impressive team. The Nationals have cleaned up on an easy schedule that has included only the Braves, Phillies, Marlins and Twins. Meanwhile, the Cubs have an amazing plus-68 run differential thanks to nine wins of at least five runs; they had just 16 such wins all of 2015. Heck, they’ve been so dominant closer Hector Rondon has appeared in just five games. The pitching has been superlative with a 2.51 ERA but the scary thing for Cubs’ opponents is that other than Dexter Fowler — who has arguably been the best player in the league through three weeks with a .385/.506/.692 batting line — all the offensive regulars are capable of doing better. Anthony Rizzo has five home runs in his past five games but is hitting just .203. Jason Heyward is slugging .315. Miguel Montero is hitting .208/.316/.333. Addison Russell and Jorge Soler have the ability to improve. It’s obviously early, but this is looking like a 100-win team.
Dexter Fowler has cut down on his chase rate outside of the strike zone, and that has turned him into arguably the best player of the season’s first three weeks. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Speaking of Fowler, one key for his hot start: He’s cut down on chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone, from 19.0 percent in 2015 to 14.1 percent. His overall contact rate is the same as 2015; he’s swinging at more strikes and fewer balls. He ranks fourth in lowest chase rate, behind only Francisco Cervelli, Chase Headley and Jose Bautista. On defense, his metrics are also improved, with plus-3 Defensive Runs Saved so far, after finishing with minus-12 last year. He’s playing a deeper center field, which seems to be helping. Joe Maddon had mentioned that the metrics from the front office suggested Fowler should play deeper. This may be a thing: Note that Kevin Kiermaier also plays a deeper center field. Fowler leads the majors in Baseball-Reference WAR at 1.8 …
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