One, singular thing has stood out about the Cubs’ team performance in the early going.
That’s the one, singular error they made in 11 games, entering the final game of this week’s series against the Rays.
Only the Royals and Padres have made as few (actually, zero each) — the Padres breaking the 2018 Red Sox’ record with a 12-game errorless streak to open the season.
The league average is six.
“We’ve done a good job so far,” shortstop Nico Hoerner said. “But I think the discussion’s been more about situations where we could have picked up outs otherwise, because there’s been a lot more to defense than errors or not errors.”
No doubt.
But in this case, the lack of errors also matches up with the eye test when it comes to how consistently well the Cubs are catching and throwing the ball behind a pitching staff that has had more ups and downs in the early going.
MLB
“And I think that’s particularly impressive with a group that is moving guys in and out of different places,” said Hoerner, who has become the regular shortstop with four-time Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons sidelined since the spring with a shoulder injury.
“It definitely speaks to our depth, speaks to the work behind the scenes,” Hoerner added. “Especially after a short spring training, I think that’s all pretty impressive.”
The one Cubs error was committed by Jonathan Villar playing his stretch position, shortstop, Friday, and it came on a muffed broken-bat grounder with a piece of the bat flying toward the middle of the infield with the ball.
Not bad for a team that plays its Gold Glove right fielder (Jason Heyward) in center, its Gold Glove second base finalist (Hoerner) at short, Frank Schwindel at first, Ross’ matchup bat of the day in left and — in the final innings of a one-run game Tuesday — Patrick Wisdom in center field.
Wisdom’s experience in center before that was one minor-league game three years ago.
“I talked to Wiz about it [during the game] and he’s like, ‘So if they hit me a popup, I go catch it,’ “ Ross said. “I know there’s more to it, and it’s not ideal, but I think we can overcomplicate things.”
What’s not complicated is how important good fielding is to winning games.
Considering the Cubs are 4-3 in games decided by one or two runs, it’s also the difference between a winning and losing record.
Small sample-size take of the week
Forget the Rookie of the Year. Seiya Suzuki is a threat to put himself into the MVP conversation with his quick transition to a new league.
The former Japanese batting champ and All-Star — who was named NL Player of the Week on Monday — is off to a 12-for-29 start that includes four homers, 12 walks, 11 RBIs and a major-league-leading 1.478 OPS through Tuesday.
“What’s stood out is just how calm the at-bats are,” manager David Ross said.
“You hear about the plate discipline and the contact,” Ross said, “but just being able to find his pitches, and not chase outside the strike zone with the velocity that’s here, and some of the nasty stuff that he’s faced so far, it’s just been really impressive.”
Try this for impressive:
Suzuki’s .960 slugging percentage through Sunday was better than the OPS of each of the 11 players who won the last 12 MVP awards (both leagues), except one. And he almost beats Mike Trout (.972 OPS).
Legacy assured
Jake Arrieta rode out of Chicago on the rails of bad optics and worse pitching last summer.
He probably would have been better off to let the sleeping ghosts of 2016 lie and pass on the chance to return to the Cubs as a free agent for one last hurrah.
But nothing that happened during that ill-fated 2021 season on the mound or on Zoom can diminish the historic and outsized role he played for a franchise that desperately sought an end to the longest championship drought in American professional sports history.
With the news Monday of his retirement at 36, that’s how Arrieta should be remembered — as one of the greatest pitchers in the game for a three- or four-year peak with the Cubs that included a 2015 Cy Young Award and a 2016 championship more than a century in the making.
With time, the blemishes of a failed 2021 return engagement that included a snarky anti-mask comment to a veteran Cubs reporter over his final Zoom call will fade as his 2014-17 contributions become set in the marble foundation of team history, alongside the likes of Three-Finger Brown, Fergie Jenkins, Rick Sutcliffe and teammates Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks.
Looking back on Arrieta’s impact as an emerging star after the Cubs landed him in a 2013 deadline trade with the Orioles, former Cubs president Theo Epstein said a few years ago:
“I don’t even think we’re competitive in ’15 without him. And we’re not a playoff team without him. Maybe the whole timetable for the rebuild is different without him.”
That is Arrieta’s legacy, a place that will forever belong to him in Chicago baseball lore.
Chelsea stagger
Premier League football fans in west London shed no tears when the Ricketts-led group of investors pulled out from the bidding process last week for the Chelsea franchise.
In fact, you could hear them singing “Go, Cubs, Go!” from all the way across the pond.
“And take Joe Ricketts with you!”
RELATED: Chelsea dagger? Ricketts family earned blowback of FC bid
GDubGrub
Stopped by a place called Eggspresso in the Glen in Glenview the other day — and then got stopped cold after a quick glance at the menu.
On the breakfast side was an egg yolk and avocado mix with a side of sliced tomatoes called “The David Kaplan.” And in case anyone might confuse exactly which David Kaplan this was, the description included the tagline “Take That!”
The waiter recommended it, and it did look good — except for the imaginary voice that gets stuck in your head before you can even decide: “Sunny-side up, Sparkles! Sunny-side up … Pancakes? No shot! You’re better than that. … Ridiculous!”
Can report that the avocado chicken salad, on the other hand, is outstanding.
Definitely one of the best North Shore spots for a bite. Just not a sound bite.
Take that.
De ja due diligence?
After a 3-for-32 start that contributed to a .219 on-base percentage, Kyle Schwarber was dropped from the leadoff spot.
Where have we heard that before?
Apparently places Phillies manager Joe Girardi has never bothered to listen for the last several years — namely, the north side of Chicago — before opening 2022 with the Phils’ newly signed slugger at the top of his batting order.
Schwarber, a 2021 All-Star after getting non-tendered by the Cubs for cost-cutting reasons, had a nice run in 27 games in the leadoff spot last year, but he’s shown over the course of his career he’s no leadoff man.
And now that the Phillies finally know what the Cubs learned years ago, he might have a shot at another All-Star nod.
Sentencing reform?
The Cubs and Keegan Thompson played baseball’s penal system to perfection after Thompson appealed his three-game suspension for intentionally hitting Brewers outfielder Andrew McCutchen with a pitch.
Just ahead of the decision — which reduced the sentence to two games — he pitched his usual three innings of relief in an appearance Thursday (actually 10 outs this time) and started serving his time. It was the same number of games he would have been unavailable to pitch, minimum, regardless because of the length of Thursday’s outing.
The suspension comes without pay, so Thompson’s out a few bucks, but the team didn’t pay a price.
And that’s not unusual these days in a system that hasn’t quite caught up to pitching trends.
Standard operating procedure for decades has been to suspend a starting pitcher for six games for a routine infraction (assuring a missed start) and suspending a reliever for much less for a similar infraction — essentially two buckets of penalties for two different types of pitchers.
But with the multi-inning, piggyback, swingman pitcher taking on increasing roles — and spots on expanded pitching rosters — it shouldn’t be long before MLB discipline exec Michael Hill’s department adds another bucket to options.
Philly fans not so tough anymore
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm apologized last week after he got caught on camera telling a teammate “I hate this f***ing place,” after a sarcastic cheer when he finally made a routine play following a series of ugly errors.
And then after publicly walking it back, Phillies fans gave him a genuine ovation next time out.
What the hell?
First, Bohm should have worn with pride the contempt of the Phillies faithful — the same fan base that booed the greatest third baseman in MLB history back in the day, Mike Schmidt. That’s pretty good company.
And second, when did Philadelphia get so soft? Aren’t these the fans who threw snowballs at Santa Claus during an Eagles game?
Humbug. Looks more like snowflakes these days.
Now get off my lawn!
A perfect mess
Dodgers superstar Clayton Kershaw, limited by injury to 22 starts last season, opened the season with seven perfect innings in his first start (80 pitches).
And, of course, was pulled for a reliever at that point by the manager because of workload consideration after a short spring, pitch limits, health concerns, coddling, over-protective management nerds, and the softest generation of expectations the game has ever seen.
Back in the day, nobody’s taking that ball from that pitcher — Johan Santana’s career be damned.
Snark aside, it was the right call in today’s game, especially for a team with legitimate World Series aspirations. Not even Kershaw complained.
I get it.
I also hate it.
And dammit, I’m not gonna tell you to get off my lawn again!