Chicago Cubs, Heyward create headaches for opposing managers

The Chicago Cubs built their monstrous lead in the NL Central without much help from Jason Heyward.

As ESPNChicago’s Jesse Rogers said if their $184 Million dollar man starts delivering like he did on Sunday, watch out.

After dropping a well-struck ball by Hunter Pence, leading to the game’s first run, Heyward recovered.  He singled in Anthony Rizzo in the fourth to tie the game. Jason then retied the game at two with a liner in the ninth before hitting a walk-off single.

Heyward now has five multi-hit games in his last eight starts.

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“It’s huge because we have a good team,” Heyward said of his recent uptick, “and when you add that to it, it just makes us that much better.”

Before Cubs skipper Joe Maddon benched Heyward for four games in late August, he was batting .250/.345/.613.

“I really believe when a very good major league player may be struggling, if he just sits and watches a major league game being played and then understands, `I’m one of the best’,” it does something internally,” Maddon said.

It’s this newfound confidence that will make dealing with Heyward a real headache for opposing managers.

Bruce Bochy made the correct decision by walking Addison Russell to get to Heyward in the 13^th—statistically speaking. Russell had three hits in the game and was the catalyst that started the Cubs comeback in the ninth. Heyward has been a much lesser threat this season.

October

These situations will come about more frequently in October—where an opposing manager is going to look to statistics in order to make a strategic decision. This approach reduces a manager’s analytical approach to the situation, especially with a player like Heyward at the plate.

In his career, Heyward has been an aggressive hitter with RISP. He makes contact with 80.3% of pitches he sees and is slashing .261/.377/.742 with 17 home runs, 33 doubles, and 277 RBI.  In 929 plate appearances, he’s struck out only 169 times, or 18% of the time.

Next: Heyward put Cubs on his back in walk-off win

This season, his contact rate is up (85%) even though his K% (16.6%) is higher than it’s been in the past three seasons. He currently has career lows in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, making it easy for opposing managers to attack him in high-leverage situations.

Hanging this decision on statistical information is misleading, and ultimately plays to the Cubs advantage

As Cubs fans begin remodeling for their “Clinch Parties”, it may be best for managers around the league to redo their approach to Chicago’s lineup.