And three WS in four years beating up on middle relief.

Taking pitches, extending counts, and clogging those bases all work toward putting starters out in the 6th (or even 5th) instead of the 7th should be the goal of every team because almost every team’s middle relievers ARE weaker than their starters.

As for the statistical method you seek, simply look at how many runs are scored in the 6-8th innings.

It will be a good test for the team to see a higher level of competition come to Wrigley.

Really, kids. . . perspective

At least we are getting into these teams bullpens. 2 years ago we’d never get to the bullpen because we swang at everything and Harang would throw like 50 pitch complete games against us. I like this way much better.

…beating up on bad bullpens, thats what good teams do. If the pen is strong, even good hitting teams will struggle to score runs, thats why they are good.

“finding a way to win”

I prefer the way the Cubs approach hitting the last couple of years. The object of the game is to win. Whether it’s drubbing a starter or pulling one out late against the other team’s bullpen. Their approach to hitting should vary from game to game….take pitches against the pitcher who has trouble throwing strikes, be agressive against the pitcher who throws strikes. Whatever it takes to win, against whoever is standing out there on the mound.

As far as stats/data on any subject……a wise man once said “Figures lie and liars figure.”

without other team’s bad bullpens… this team is 4-7 instead of 7-4, and we’re calling for people’s heads and drowning ourselves in Old Styles, Lake Michigan or maybe both.

The team’s offensive approach (lineup and health issues aside) has worked in getting into a team’s bad bullpen, and will work going forward since there are very few good bullpens outside of the NL East and maybe Cincinnati, who we face now, and San Diego. The only offensive blip would be the two games against Colorado, but I’ll chalk up the six runs in two games to weather conditions.

Our own bad bullpen has put the team in a spot where the offense has had to bail them out constantly. I don’t care what kind of pace it puts them on, 7-4 is a major disappointment to me considering the Cubs have faced the soft underbelly of the National League. Seriously, the team’s they’ve faced so far have rolled over and said pet me. These are weak teams and the Cubs have struggled to beat them.

I shudder at the thought of having to go to war with the NL East with Neal Cotts, Angel Guzman, Luis Vizcaino, etc… now that won’t happen until July really, so hopefully the Cubs have righted the ship there and are playing at a far higher level… because they’ll need to.