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Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 108

For the second day in a row, Jorge Soler takes the top spot on the podium in a squeaker.

Remember when he used to be in the basement? Yeah, I don't either.
Remember when he used to be in the basement? Yeah, I don't either.
Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Today's Heroes and Goats is brought to you by Pat Foley, and sponsored by... Titleist.

Pat Foley Stretch Titleist Hat

Graphs for Game 108 (courtesy of Fangraphs):

Game 108 Chart 2015

Stats for Game 108:

Pitcher

IP

H

HR

ER

BB

SO

pLI

WPA

J Lester

7

6

0

2

2

3

0.87

.164

H Rondon

1.2

0

0

0

1

2

0.51

.059

T Hunter

0.1

2

1

1

0

0

0.92

-.042

Total

9

8

1

3

3

5

0.81

.181

Batter

AB

R

H

HR

RBI

BB

SO

pLI

WPA

J Soler

3

1

2

0

2

1

0

0.74

.170

K Schwarber

5

2

2

0

2

0

2

0.69

.139

D Fowler

5

2

3

1

1

0

1

0.67

.115

C Coghlan

3

0

2

0

1

0

0

0.81

.101

A Russell

4

1

1

0

0

0

1

0.54

.021

C Denorfia

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0.09

-.002

J Herrera

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0.13

-.003

K Bryant

3

1

1

0

0

1

0

0.65

-.029

D Ross

4

0

1

0

1

0

2

0.86

-.047

J Lester

3

0

0

0

0

0

3

0.78

-.058

A Rizzo

4

0

0

0

0

0

2

0.74

-.088

Total

36

7

12

1

7

2

12

0.68

.319

Writer's Note: The daily selections of the three Heroes and three Goats are based solely on the top three and bottom three WPA scores for the game. The selections are not based on my subjective opinion.

THE THREE HEROES:

  • Superhero - Jorge Soler (.170). I'll take it even a step further than JD did.  If a two-out double by Soler that scores Schwarber and Bryant doesn't get you just a little bit excited about the future... you are beyond the need to check for a pulse.
  • Hero - Jon Lester (.164). He wasn't going to let that seventh inning get away from him, and definitely got some help with some nifty work from Addison Russell on the 1-6-3 double play.
  • Sidekick - Kyle Schwarber (.139). He can do it all: doubles off the wall, singles off second basemen's gloves, stolen bases on pickoff plays... the dude's versatile!

THE THREE GOATS: Another two-way bump on the podium as Lester's -.058 hitting is moved out.  The updated pitcher hitting totals: Donn Roach +3 (remember him?), Clayton Richard -2, Jason Hammel -3, Travis Wood -7, Kyle Hendricks -8, Lester -11, Jake Arrieta -15.

  • Billy Goat - Anthony Rizzo (-.088). To me, this is the absolute best part about today's win. Rizzo may disagree, but for the Cubs to win 7-3 with him having a snoozer is a very good sign.
  • Goat - David Ross (-.047). He did have the single in the fifth, but the game was already 5-1 when he hit it.
  • Kid - Tommy Hunter (-.042). I try not to worry about things, but two games in a row with homers served up is... a bit disconcerting. Not jump-off-the-ledge-worthy, mind you.
RANKINGS THROUGH GAME 108 ("x" indicates player not on active roster):
Soler takes another big leap away from the cellar door, while Ross takes a couple steps closer to check for signs of life.

Heroes

1st

2nd

3rd

Total

Anthony Rizzo

13

20.5

5.5

85.5

Kris Bryant

10

9

6

54

Dexter Fowler

9

4

10

45

Jake Arrieta

10.5

3

0.5

38

Jorge Soler

5

10

3

38

Addison Russell

6

4.5

7.5

34.5

Starlin Castro

3

7

10

33

Chris Coghlan

7

2

7

32

Miguel Montero

6.5

5.5

0

30.5

Jon Lester

7

2

2

27

Jason Hammel

7

2

0

25

Hector Rondon

0

8.5

7

24

Kyle Schwarber

6

1

2

22

Kyle Hendricks

5

1

2

19

Travis Wood

1

5

3.5

16.5

Jonathan Herrera

1

5

2

15

Pedro Strop

1

1

8.5

13.5

Jason Motte

0

2.5

5.5

10.5

x-Matt Szczur

2

1

2

10

x-Zac Rosscup

2

0

3

9

Justin Grimm

0

1.5

6

9

Chris Denorfia

1

1

3.5

8.5

James Russell

0

3

1.5

7.5

x-Junior Lake

1

1

1

6

x-Tsuyoshi Wada

1

1

0

5

x-Taylor Teagarden

1

1

0

5

x-Brian Schlitter

0

2

1

5

Clayton Richard

1

0

1

4

x-Phil Coke

1

0

0.5

3.5

x-Edwin Jackson

0

1

1

3

x-Welington Castillo

0

1

0

2

x-Arismendy Alcantara

0

1

0

2

David Ross

0

0

2

2

x-Mike Baxter

0

0

1.5

1.5

x-Neil Ramirez

0

0

1

1

x-Yoervis Medina

0

0

1

1

Goats

1st

2nd

3rd

Total

Starlin Castro

9

8

13

56

Jorge Soler

6

10

9

47

Dexter Fowler

6

8.5

8.5

43.5

Anthony Rizzo

7

9

4

43

Kris Bryant

7

7

8

43

Addison Russell

2

15

7

43

Chris Coghlan

2

7

14

34

Miguel Montero

3

6

6

27

Pedro Strop

7

2

0

25

Kyle Hendricks

6

1

1

21

Jon Lester

5

1

1

18

Jason Hammel

4

3

0

18

Justin Grimm

2

4

3

17

David Ross

1

4.5

4.5

16.5

Jake Arrieta

5

0

1

16

Hector Rondon

4

2

0

16

Travis Wood

2

2

3

13

Chris Denorfia

2

1

5

13

x-Tsuyoshi Wada

4

0

0

12

x-Zac Rosscup

3

1

1

12

Jason Motte

1

4

0

11

Jonathan Herrera

1

2

4

11

x-Brian Schlitter

3

0

1

10

x-Edwin Jackson

2

1

0

8

x-Mike Baxter

2

1

0

8

Kyle Schwarber

0

3

2

8

x-Welington Castillo

1

1

2

7

x-Rafael Soriano

2

0

0

6

x-Dallas Beeler

2

0

0

6

James Russell

1

1

0

5

x-Junior Lake

1

0

2

5

x-Matt Szczur

0

1

3

5

x-Mike Olt

1

0

1

4

Tommy Hunter

1

0

1

4

Dan Haren

1

0

0

3

x-Donn Roach

1

0

0

3

x-Gonzalez Germen

1

0

0

3

x-Phil Coke

0

1

1

3

Clayton Richard

0

1

0

2

x-Arismendy Alcantara

0

0

1

1

x-Neil Ramirez

0

0

1

1

Overall

Hero

Goat

+/-

Anthony Rizzo

85.5

43

42.5

Jake Arrieta

38

16

22

Kyle Schwarber

22

8

14

Kris Bryant

54

43

11

Jon Lester

27

18

9

Hector Rondon

24

16

8

Jason Hammel

25

18

7

x-Matt Szczur

10

5

5

x-Taylor Teagarden

5

0

5

Jonathan Herrera

15

11

4

Miguel Montero

30.5

27

3.5

Travis Wood

16.5

13

3.5

James Russell

7.5

5

2.5

Clayton Richard

4

2

2

Dexter Fowler

45

43.5

1.5

x-Junior Lake

6

5

1

x-Arismendy Alcantara

2

1

1

x-Yoervis Medina

1

0

1

x-Phil Coke

3.5

3

0.5

x-Neil Ramirez

1

1

0

Jason Motte

10.5

11

-0.5

Chris Coghlan

32

34

-2

Kyle Hendricks

19

21

-2

x-Zac Rosscup

9

12

-3

Dan Haren

0

3

-3

x-Donn Roach

0

3

-3

x-Gonzalez Germen

0

3

-3

Tommy Hunter

0

4

-4

x-Mike Olt

0

4

-4

Chris Denorfia

8.5

13

-4.5

x-Brian Schlitter

5

10

-5

x-Edwin Jackson

3

8

-5

x-Welington Castillo

2

7

-5

x-Dallas Beeler

0

6

-6

x-Rafael Soriano

0

6

-6

x-Mike Baxter

1.5

8

-6.5

x-Tsuyoshi Wada

5

12

-7

Justin Grimm

9

17

-8

Addison Russell

34.5

43

-8.5

Jorge Soler

38

47

-9

Pedro Strop

13.5

25

-11.5

David Ross

2

16.5

-14.5

Starlin Castro

33

56

-23