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Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 44

Opportunity knocked on multiple occasions in this game. Apparently the Cubs didn't hear it.

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

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):

Game-44

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.
  • KidStarlin 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.