Despite the Cubs' 6-3 win Saturday in St. Louis, the Cub lineup is extremely flawed and ill suited for post season baseball. The Cubs are a lineup of .250 hitters who strike out way to much and seem to be unable of scoring runs without the home run ball.
The Cubs are put together like an American League SABR Metrics fantasy league team. When the Cubs don't hit home runs, they don't win, plain and simple. Even in the Cubs' 6-3 win on Saturday, the Cub offense completely shut down after the third inning. The Cubs had only 6 hits in the game and struck out a whopping 9 times. That is certainly not a recipe for success in the long run.
The Cubs desperately need some contact hitters who don't strike out. A player like Houston's Jose Altuve would be ideal. The Cubs are a perfect example of how flawed the SABR Metrics team model of home runs and strikeouts is.
This SABR method of waiting for the three run homer is nothing new. The Baltimore Orioles of the late 60's and early 70's lived and died by the home run. The Orioles had powerhouse teams during the 70's but only 1 championship. They were turned away in the World Series in 1969, 1971 and 1979 to teams that were inferior. The Orioles also made numerous early playoff exits during the Earl Weaver era.
We are seeing a very distressing trend in baseball these days, with team's hiring Wall Street bean counters as GM's instead of seasoned baseball men. Cub manager Joe Maddon manages with a computer readout in his hands, instead of relying on his gut.
The Chicago Cubs really need to change their approach if they want to win that illusive championship. Look no further than the San Francisco Giants of 2010, 2012 and 2014 for how it's done.
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