Chicago Cubs: How is Jake Arrieta being overlooked for the NL Cy Young?

Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

What’s the Score Bill?

Bill James is a fantastic man, and if you love baseball and the stats side of it, you likely know who he is already. If you don’t be sure to immediately familiarize yourself with him. One stat that has become popular with pitchers in the “Game Score”. It was a value developed by James himself to measure the quality of a start.  Essentially the beginning number is 50.Outs recorded and strikeouts will add to the number while hits, runs, walks etc. will deduct from it.

Arrieta has an average game (AGS) score of 65 while Greinke sits at 67. Arrieta has had 80 or more five times (a high of 98 in the no-hitter of the Dodgers), while Greinke has done it only twice. Greinke, however, has only had a sub-50 game score twice while Arrieta has had four of them.

If we’re considering Greinke a favorite because he’s done it “all year”, this stat isn’t going to do anything to hurt Arrieta’s case that he has too.

Next: WHIP, whiffs and free passes