James Russell is the only lefty reliever and one of three lefty pitchers on the Cubs. Is he enough?
There are many right-handed relievers, each with a sizable chunk of failures on success, on the Chicago Cubs. Bowden, Villanueva, Strop, Parker, and on. But for lefties, there is only James Russell. It's not like Russell is horrible. His ERA is 3.51 this year and was 3.25 last year. But if you look closely, you'll notice things like...
So it's obvious James Russell is not our long-term setup lefty of the future. Needing one, the Cubs will invariably turn to the free-agent market, as what rebuilding team trades for a lefty reliever?
They'll probably want somebody under thirty, as the reliever is for the playoff runs (hopefully) of 2015 and 2016 and onwards. So, here are those 30-and-under lefties, by order in fangraphs:
JP Howell, Dodgers: Gives up almost no home runs this year with a puny 2.6% HR/FB rate. He's a ground-ball hurler anyways at 57% ground balls. It's pretty obvious that giving up few home runs is luck, as Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are almost the same in home run park factor, says espn.com. He's thirty, yet righties aren't hitting him too well, although there is still a seventy-point gap.
Boone Logan, Yankees:
A high-punchout reliever with a great K/BB ratio well over four. He's giving up a lot of home runs this year, but still has a 2.68 ERA. Will the Yankees pay to keep Logan? It's worth noting that this year, lefties are hitting him nine points better than righties. He's twenty-nine, but he could be a good choice.
Manny Parra, Reds:
Almost thirty-one, the oldest of the bunch. Very high BABIP this season at over .320, but a high LOB cancels that out. High walks. Huge righty-lefty gap at over one hundred points. Meh.
Eric O'Flaherty, Braves:
Coming off of TJ Surgery, but still 28. K/BB nothing spectacular. Huge BABIP, and seems to be more of a LOOGY with a sixty-point split.
Keep in mind that Wrigley Field = more home runs, which discounts Howell. A lot. O'Flaherty's uncertain with TJ. For some reason, I just don't like Parra as much as I like Logan.
Boone Logan for the Cubbies!
There are many right-handed relievers, each with a sizable chunk of failures on success, on the Chicago Cubs. Bowden, Villanueva, Strop, Parker, and on. But for lefties, there is only James Russell. It's not like Russell is horrible. His ERA is 3.51 this year and was 3.25 last year. But if you look closely, you'll notice things like...
- His .257 BABIP.
- A 5.54 ERA in the second half.
- How opponents are slugging over .700 against him in high leverage spots.
So it's obvious James Russell is not our long-term setup lefty of the future. Needing one, the Cubs will invariably turn to the free-agent market, as what rebuilding team trades for a lefty reliever?
They'll probably want somebody under thirty, as the reliever is for the playoff runs (hopefully) of 2015 and 2016 and onwards. So, here are those 30-and-under lefties, by order in fangraphs:
JP Howell, Dodgers: Gives up almost no home runs this year with a puny 2.6% HR/FB rate. He's a ground-ball hurler anyways at 57% ground balls. It's pretty obvious that giving up few home runs is luck, as Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are almost the same in home run park factor, says espn.com. He's thirty, yet righties aren't hitting him too well, although there is still a seventy-point gap.
Boone Logan, Yankees:
A high-punchout reliever with a great K/BB ratio well over four. He's giving up a lot of home runs this year, but still has a 2.68 ERA. Will the Yankees pay to keep Logan? It's worth noting that this year, lefties are hitting him nine points better than righties. He's twenty-nine, but he could be a good choice.
Manny Parra, Reds:
Almost thirty-one, the oldest of the bunch. Very high BABIP this season at over .320, but a high LOB cancels that out. High walks. Huge righty-lefty gap at over one hundred points. Meh.
Eric O'Flaherty, Braves:
Coming off of TJ Surgery, but still 28. K/BB nothing spectacular. Huge BABIP, and seems to be more of a LOOGY with a sixty-point split.
Keep in mind that Wrigley Field = more home runs, which discounts Howell. A lot. O'Flaherty's uncertain with TJ. For some reason, I just don't like Parra as much as I like Logan.
Boone Logan for the Cubbies!
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