Clutch Hitting Continued

This quickly got too big for a comment, but is in reference to CubTattoo's article earlier today.

You won't believe this, but we are actually batting .293 with RISP, which is the best in the NL (3rd in MLB behind Seattle and Detroit). Our team batting average is almost .270 (.011 above NL average) and we are scoring 4.65 runs per game. In fact, we are at or above average in every major offensive category (OBP, SLG, P/PA, GIDP and BABIP).

SO it must be the pitching... Nope, not that either. Same as above. Runs/game 4.29 (a 0.36 runs per game discrepancy vs. our offense!). ERA is 0.13 below average. Homers per game are only very slightly higher than average, but our homers per fly ball are below average. Ks per game are up and BBs per game are average.

Hmmm, what could it be? Well, we do have quite a few errors. Yea, 1.125 error above average, on the season (that is virtually nothing). So, we are hitting well, we are pitching well and our fielding might look bad, but it is not resulting in errors. Stolen bases are above average and CS% is below.

Not to get too "mathy", but our Pythagorean Difference is -6. This means with the amount of runs we score vs. the amount we give up, you should take 6 losses off the board and tack on 6 wins. This basically flip-flops our record and would put us toward the top of the NL Central (if you factor the +2 games of the mildly lucky Brew Crew, we'd be leading).

The scientific explanation? We suck. When you look at averages, they weight two games where you score 5 runs the same as one game scoring 9 and the other game scoring 1. Well, in baseball, consistency is the key. And the Cubs are anything but consistent. Look at the losing streak:
1-2, 3-5, 4-9, 0-9, 5-8, 3-5, and then wins 10-1 and 7-2. You can just see how our averages are on track, but we lost almost every game. Over 8 horrible, pathetic games, we only scored 1 less run per game than we gave up, but we went 2-6.

Now I'm out of stats and we have to try to draw conclusions. I blame the bullpen a lot, because they make a game we could come back during, a blowout. But you have to share blame with the hitters, who are also really inconsistent. Maybe it is the line-up (Lou shuffles it every day). Maybe mis-use of the bullpen (they all suck anyway). Unfortunately they just aren't getting it done consistently. I like shuffling the line-up, but I have never thought that we were using it to its best ability. You can't bat Soriano 1st just because he's fast! How many runs are you leaving on the field when he hits a dinger?!? Sorry, sore subject.

As always, I use the Hardball Times as my resource for stats.