WALKING TO AN IMPROVEMENT:CHICAGO NORTH SIDE

Grabbed the Cubs Stats at the exact halfway point. Can probably get a pretty good scan of their performance by simply doubling their halfway stats.

Doing so gets us this:

Walks Rec'd 2006--394

Walks Rec'd 2007--494

Walks Allowed 2006 --718

Walks Allowed 2007 --570

This means about a 20% improvement in patience at the plate from last year to this year and a little better than 20% in walk-avoidance by pitchers. It still means that the Cubs are surrendering about 75 more baserunners than they are getting but the current team could offset that with a high batting average (such a retro stat).

If nothing else, this suggests the current above .500 performance is not just the product of flukey hot streak. This team, with this kind of control and plate discipline continuing could win 86-88 games. Whether that will catch Milwaukee is another matter but the Cubs are not an illusion. Their offense is solid and their pitching is avoiding the killer walk.

Of course, when you allow 300+ more walks than you get (2006) there is really no place to go but up.