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

Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Two of the most unhittable

When you start to look at some of the more traditional numbers, a clearer picture begins to develop. Each of these guys has been difficult to hit. Period. Greinke has a WHIP of 0.856–tops in the NL while Arrieta is third with a 0.921. In hits per 9/IP they are the top two with Greinke at 6.213 and Arrieta at 6.220. Almost a wash, but slight advantage to Greinke.

Arrieta leads the two in strikeouts per 9/IP with 9.3. Greinke doesn’t crack the NL top 10 with his 8.1. While Greinke doesn’t strike out as many hitters, he doesn’t walk many either. With a BB/9IP of 1.5 he is third in the NL while Arrieta carries a 2.1.

What’s intriguing is that even with more strikeouts, that hasn’t translated to more pitches and shorter outings for Arrieta, on the contrary, Greinke and Arrieta are separated by just an 1 2/3 innings, with each having 28 starts (Greinke – 192.2, Arrieta – 191). Arrieta isn’t going about it in the way Carlos Zambrano did when he was with the Cubs. Constantly hitting 110+ pitch counts to strikeout 10 in six innings. Arrieta is much more efficient.

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