NEWSLETTER
Maybe it’s the reactionary, instantaneous nature of modern fandom, but if you asked me, I’d tell you that the Chicago Cubs have been the worst team at taking walks for the past 20 years.
It’s always a problem,* and this year is no exception – the Cubs are last in all of baseball in walks taken.
It’s a problem that seems to transcend coaches and even personnel at the Major League level, so, it’s fair to ask: what’s the deal?
Well, it looks like the deal might be an organization-wide problem. Take a look at some frightening stats (as of August 8th) for the Chicago Cubs’ minor league affiliates:
It would be reasonable to conclude, based on these stats, that the Cubs’ organization does not place an emphasis on plate discipline and taking walks, something many of us have suspected for years.
It’s also possible that the Cubs, when drafting, do not focus on the kinds of players who come pre-packaged with plate discipline. Perhaps they believe this is a skill that hitters learn in professional ball? If so, that belief does not appear to be borne out in the numbers.
*Except for an aberrant 2008 season, in which the Cubs led the NL in walks (second in baseball), and – total coincidence, the Cubs might tell you – they scored the most runs in baseball.
