When the Cubs got their leadoff man on base four or more times in a game their record was 20-26 in 2007. When the leadoff man got on three times or less, they went 65-51. They are the only team in 2007 and only the second team in the last six years (180 team seasons) to have a winning record with three or less leadoff men getting on in a game and a losing record with four or more. The other team was the 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks. Go figure.
Chicago Cubs
2007 |
| Leadoff Hitter Reached | W | L |
| 6 times | 4 | 4 |
| 5 times | 8 | 5 |
| 4 times | 8 | 17 |
| 3 times | 31 | 13 |
| 2 times | 24 | 17 |
| 1 time | 10 | 17 |
| 0 times | 0 | 4 |
| Total, 4 or more LO men on | 20 | 26 |
| Total, 3 or less LO men on | 65 | 51 |
This is not a Cub team trend nor an Alfonso Soriano trend, by the way. In the five years prior to 2007, the Cubs were significantly better when they managed four or more leadoff men on base in a game. And nearly every previous Alfonso Soriano team has played significantly better with leadoff men getting on base.
This item is a "nugget" from the upcoming book from ACTA Sports, The Bill James Gold Mine, available in February 2008.
Copyright © 2007 by John Dewan.
Permission to reprint or broadcast this information is granted only if used in conjunction with the following citation: "Used with permission from John Dewan's Stat of the Week™,
www.statoftheweek.com."