:format(webp)/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.