CUBS - 4/14/03
April 14, 2003
Today’s report will review and analyze the Cubs’ batting results in the first two weeks of the season, compared to the Top 40 in the National League as of April 13th. The next report will review the pitching results, giving the starters another start or two to have a truer measure of their standing at this point in the season.
NL BATTING LEADERS:
Right off the bat (sorry for the pun), Alex Gonzalez is tied for first in the league in hitting with a .395 BA – a great asset for a No. 2 hitter.
At No. 12 is Moises Alou at .349 – a complete 180-degree turn from last April. It can officially be said that his 2002 start was a fluke.
Lead-off hitter Mark Grudzielanek is tied for 17th with a .340 BA – Grudzielanek started the season with five hits in his first six AB, and had a seven-game hitting streak. He had proven (thus far) to be a more than adequate lead-off man.
And the fourth Cub with a .325 BA or above is Corey Patterson, who is 26th with a .326 BA – Patterson appears to have settled in nicely in the No. 6 hole and, despite a continually-high strikeout count, has had a solid start to the season.
NL RBI LEADERS
The home run numbers have been scant so far this season, partially due to facing some fine pitching and due to 20+ MPH winds blowing in over the left and center field wall, so we will move onto RBI.
Alou is tied for ninth with 11 – backing up Sosa strongly. He is closely followed by Patterson with nine (tied for 19th) and Damian Miller with eight (tied for 26th).
NL RUNS LEADERS
The top of the Cubs’ batting order is well represented – Gonzalez is tied for sixth with 11, while Grudzielanek and Patterson follow with 10 each to be tied for 10th. Sosa and Alou squeeze into the top 40 (tied for 37th) with seven runs each.
NL HITS LEADERS
Again, Gonzalez is ranked high once again in hits, tied for fourth with 17. Grudzielanek with 16 (tied for 11th), Alou with 15 (tied for 22nd) and Patterson with 14 (tied for 29th) follow close behind.
NL DOUBLES LEADERS
Gonzalez and Alou are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the league with eight and seven doubles each. Grudzielanek and Miller are tied for 13th with four and Sosa has three (tied for 27th).
NL TOTAL BASES LEADERS
With the lack of home runs, the Cubs are a little lean in this category for now, but Gonzalez is tied for 21st with 25 TB.
NL WALK LEADERS
No, for once, it’s not Barry Bonds, but Sosa that leads the league in walks with 15 – two more than Bonds. That has pumped his OBP to .500. Tied, surprisingly, at 10th, is Hee Seop Choi, who has tallied nine in a slightly less than full-time role. Also, due to his hideous .091 BA, Mark Bellhorn is surprisingly tied for 13th with eight walks. Alou has six (tied for 31st).
NL STRIKEOUT LEADERS
NOT surprisingly, Bellhorn is tied for third in the league with 14 Ks, followed by Patterson with 13 (tied for seventh). Sosa has 10 (tied for 22nd), while Gonzalez and Miller each have nine (tied for 35th). So, despite a lot of success, this is one area that needs improvement.
NL OPS LEADERS
Gonzalez ranks a respectable 12th with an OPS of 1.040, followed by Sosa with .944 (24th), Alou .932 (26th) and Patterson .881 (38th).
