/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33356497/20140521_jla_sl8_125.jpg.0.jpg)
This game has to go into the top three heartbreaking losses of 2014, if not number one. I can't think of one worse off the top of my head.
Graphs for Game 44 (courtesy of Fangraphs):
Stats for Game 44:
Pitcher |
IP |
H |
HR |
ER |
BB |
SO |
pLI |
WPA |
J Samardzija |
7 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
1.19 |
0.452 |
W Wright |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.91 |
0.267 |
J Russell |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.76 |
0.134 |
B Schlitter |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1.38 |
0.072 |
H Rondon |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3.41 |
-0.296 |
J Veras |
1 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1.85 |
-0.413 |
Total |
13 |
13 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
1.8 |
0.217 |
Batter |
AB |
R |
H |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
pLI |
WPA |
R Kalish |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.54 |
0.067 |
J Lake |
6 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.07 |
0.051 |
E Bonifacio |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1.19 |
0.02 |
M Olt |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1.1 |
0.015 |
L Valbuena |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1.35 |
-0.01 |
W Castillo |
6 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1.43 |
-0.035 |
J Baker |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1.52 |
-0.043 |
C Coghlan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2.24 |
-0.056 |
J Samardzija |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.46 |
-0.081 |
D Barney |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
-0.1 |
N Schierholtz |
6 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1.73 |
-0.121 |
A Rizzo |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1.57 |
-0.144 |
S Castro |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.66 |
-0.279 |
Total |
47 |
2 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
1.42 |
-0.717 |
THE THREE HEROES:
- Superhero - Jeff Samardzija. Seriously, whenever the Cubs finally get him a win, they should be required to take him out for dinner every night for at least a week at a restaurant of his choosing. And probably ice cream afterwards. Maybe even breakfast the next morning.
- Hero - Wesley Wright. Two more solid innings of work.
- Sidekick - James Russell. Had a bit of a shaky 12th, but got out of it unscathed.
THE THREE GOATS:
- Big Goat - Jose Veras. I just don't know what to say. Any point in the game that has high leverage, he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the field.
- Goat - Hector Rondon. Part of the award could and possibly should go to Darwin Barney for his gaffe, but Rondon made it hard enough on himself to begin with.
- Kid - Starlin Castro. Four chances with runners on base - three chances in scoring position - and came up with nothing. File this one away in the "forget it ever happened" cabinet.
UPDATED RANKINGS THROUGH GAME 44 (Changes in Bold):
Heroes |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
Total |
Starlin Castro |
5.5 |
3.5 |
4.5 |
28 |
Anthony Rizzo |
3 |
3 |
6 |
21 |
Welington Castillo |
4 |
3 |
2 |
20 |
Luis Valbuena |
4 |
3 |
2 |
20 |
Jeff Samardzija |
5 |
0 |
2 |
17 |
Jason Hammel |
4 |
2 |
0 |
16 |
Emilio Bonifacio |
1 |
6 |
0 |
15 |
Nate Schierholtz |
2 |
3 |
1 |
13 |
Mike Olt |
2 |
1 |
3 |
11 |
Darwin Barney |
2.5 |
1.5 |
0 |
10.5 |
Ryan Kalish |
3 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
Travis Wood |
2 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
Edwin Jackson |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
Brian Schlitter |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
8 |
Justin Ruggiano |
0.5 |
2.5 |
1 |
7.5 |
Junior Lake |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
Justin Grimm |
0 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
James Russell |
0 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
Wesley Wright |
0.5 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
5 |
Zac Rosscup |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
Ryan Sweeney |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
Neil Ramirez |
0 |
0.5 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
Hector Rondon |
0 |
0 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
Pedro Strop |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
John Baker |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Carlos Villanueva |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
Jake Arrieta |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
Goats |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
Total |
Nate Schierholtz |
4 |
6 |
2 |
26 |
Starlin Castro |
3 |
3 |
6.5 |
21.5 |
Mike Olt |
4 |
1 |
3 |
17 |
Welington Castillo |
2 |
4 |
2 |
16 |
Emilio Bonifacio |
1 |
5 |
3 |
16 |
Justin Grimm |
5 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
Jason Hammel |
4 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
Carlos Villanueva |
4 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
Travis Wood |
2 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
Anthony Rizzo |
0 |
5 |
2 |
12 |
Edwin Jackson |
2 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
Jose Veras |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
Ryan Kalish |
1 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
Wesley Wright |
2 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
James Russell |
1 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
Junior Lake |
0 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
Luis Valbuena |
0 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
Hector Rondon |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
Justin Ruggiano |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
Darwin Barney |
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
Ryan Sweeney |
1 |
0 |
1.5 |
4.5 |
Brian Schlitter |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Neil Ramirez |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Jake Arrieta |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Chris Coghlan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Jeff Samardzija |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Pedro Strop |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
John Baker |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
Blake Parker |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Pitchers dominate the charts Wednesday, taking five of the six spots, with Samardzija recording his fifth Superhero award of the season.