Faithful, Too: “Game 54 - Offense on Pace for…”

If there are going to be boring games, give me a boring Cubs victory. Memorial Day day game gave me just that. The Cubs won 3-1 thanks to another solid start from Jamo, an RBI-groundout, a sac-fly, and a RBI single. Beautiful. Efficient. Proves the Cubs can win low-scoring affairs by playing smallball (a.k.a. not relying on home runs). We are now 1/3 through the season, and it’s time to see what each Cub is on pace to reach by the end of the season (if these numbers hold, of course). It looks…really, really, promising.

Pete Crow-Armstrong: 42 HR’s/144 RBI’s/.280 BA/.310 OBP, 42 stolen bases

At this stage of his career, despite the incredible speed PCA doesn’t make for a good lead-off hitter. He only has nine walks on the season. Compare that to normal lead-off hitter Ian Happ who has 27 walks on 28 fewer at bats. The good news is that they don’t need PCA to be that guy. He fields outstandingly and is on pace to have the best offensive Cubs season since a ‘roided up Sammy Sosa. So really he’s on pace to have best non-asterisked season by a Cub…ever? Here’s hoping the sophomore slump never hits him.

Kyle Tucker: 36/117/.280/.382, 45 stolen bases

Tuck Temporary. King Tuck. Whatever you want to call him. Everything advertised and more. Sign this guy to a ten-year deal. Whatever it takes. This is the five-tool player every team craves. A truly steady force.

Dansby Swanson: 33/90/.251/.311

Dansby’s having his best offensive season so far with the Cubs and has been lights out since being moved down in the order. Can he sustain? I think he can. He’s been around this league for too long, and having so much protection in front of and behind him is such a boon.

Seiya Suzuki: 42/147/.274/.333

Seiya has been a slow starter since debuting in the majors a few years ago, but that has not been the case so far this season. He currently leads all of baseball in RBI’s, only one RBI ahead of #2…Pete Crow-Armstrong. When Kyle Tucker is your third-best offensive player on a team on pace for ~100 wins, it’s a wonderful situation to be in. If Seiya plays as hot as he usually does in the back half of seasons this season, could be something to watch come awards-time.

Nico Hoerner: 0/72/.293/.336, 33 stolen bases

Nico just gets hits after hits after hits after hits. Zero power, per se, but is second on the team in doubles (on pace for 42) and third in steals (on pace for 33). His defense is also Gold Glove-worthy, an achievement is now familiar with.

Ian Happ: 9/63/.253/.347

A somewhat muted season for Happy compared to his teammates, as well as year’s past. Fortunately he’s still essential out there in left field and looking for yet another Gold Glove for his fine work there. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a second-half surge from him.

Michael Busch: 21/84/.253/.354

Similar at-bat numbers to Happ, with the added bonus of more power. Busch has been a good pick-up dating back to last year, in which he was basically acquired as a Dodgers dump-off so they could buy their way to a championship (I can’t fault them!).

Carson Kelly/Miguel Amaya combo: 39/147/.291/.374

The best catching combo in baseball. Their combined stats would make them the second or third best player on the team. There are no easy outs in this Cubs lineup anymore.

This final stat is a bit difference. It’s rookie Matt Shaw’s stats to start the season before his demotion, as well as his stats since being recalled from the minors a week ago:

MARCH/APRIL: 18 games - 1/3/.161/.316, one double

MAY: 7 games – 0/2/.345/.414, 5 doubles

Let’s go, Matty. He’s much more comfortable hitting it to the opposite field instead of relying so much on pulling. He’s more relaxed. His defense has improved. It’s all very promising.

As for the pitchers, it’s so incomplete. A greater look at them around the halfway point, where hopefully Shoto will have made a successful comeback. As for now? Beat…the…Rockies!