Chicago Cubs: How the Cubs match-up with their NLCS opponent

The National League Championship Series is here, and once again features the Chicago Cubs. How do they compare to their opponent?

The Chicago Cubs are once again in the NLCS. Their opponents are the Los Angeles Dodgers, winner of the National League West. Both teams took dramatic paths to make it to this point. The Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants in an amazing ninth inning rally. It took a Game 5 win on the road with Clayton Kershaw earning a save against the Washington Nationals for the Dodgers to earn their spot.

The season series was won by the Cubs, with both teams taking their home series. Of all opponents, the run differential in games against the Dodgers is the Cubs’ closest. The Cubs had the best home record. The Dodgers? Second best. The road records are not as close.

So, how do these teams stack up against one another? Here is a position-player comparison for the NLCS contenders.

Second Base: Baez vs. Utley

Chase Utley may not be the same as he was earlier in his career, but he is still dangerous. Sure, his 2016 splits are .252/.319/.396, but he did not hit into a double play all year. Get behind him in the count and he gets on base 44% of the time.

Javier Baez is half the reason the Chicago Cubs made it to the NLCS. His performance against the Giants built his and his teammates’ confidence. In that series, Baez hit .375/.412/.563 with a home run and two batted in. He also scored four runs. His bat won Games 1 and 4, and his defense saved games.

We could also state that the Cubs have Ben Zobrist, who was the everyday second baseman, but he played the outfield in the NLDS. The Dodgers do have a few others that can play second but not to the caliber of the Cubs depth.

Advantage: Cubs

Shortstop: Russell vs. Seager

I would like to say this position battle is close. Truth is, it’s not. At least not offensively. Corey Seager will be the NL Rookie of the Year this year. The kid is an offensive machine. Not only did Corey crush 32 home runs, but also hit 40 doubles. And he scored 105 runs. However, he did ground into 12 double plays and his defense can be a liability. Seager committed 18 errors during the season, his defensive runs save is 0.

Not so for Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. His stellar defense saved an average 19 runs this year. He as great range and instincts. And offensively, Russell knocked in 95 runs, but other offensive numbers are dwarfed by his counterpart.

So, maybe it is close. The numbers between the two players are separated by a wide margin. Seager produces runs. Russell saves them. Both were All-Stars.

Advantage: Draw

Third Base: Bryant vs. Turner

Here is another close statical matchup. There is no doubting Justin Turner came alive after leaving the New York Mets. This is the first year that Turner played a full season in his eight-year career. And, his numbers are respectable. For the season he hit .275/.339/.493, with 27 home runs, 90 runs batted in, and 79 runs scored. Every team in the league would take those stats. And, his defense has been great as well.

But, then you have Kris Bryant. A viable MVP candidate. Not only did he hit 39 home runs but he led the National League with 121 runs scored. While he can commit errors, his defense at third saved an average of 12 runs (19 for Turner).

The wild card with this is Bryant plays all over the field. If he is in the outfield, Maddon can place Baez at third. Turner is limited to third base.

Advantage: Cubs (but it is close)

Catcher: ??? vs. Grandal

Here is an interesting battle. You have the young kid in Yasmani Grandal, who started 115 games at catcher for the Dodgers, and the three-man rotation of the Chicago Cubs. Grandal did have a break-out season in terms of power, hitting a career high 27 home runs with 72 runs batted in. But average and other stats follow career performance. And, although the Cubs do not steal bases, he only throws out 27% of attempts. Grandal also leads the NL in most passed balls. This could spell trouble for the Dodgers in a close game.

In addition to Grandal, who is ideally Clayton Kershaw’s catcher. His batting average was .264 for the year, but other offensive stats are negligible as he is rarely used.

Now, the Cubs bring three players to the mix. David Ross has enjoyed his “#YearLongRetirementParty” and is a leader of the Cub clubhouse. Miguel Montero struggled most of the season but had clutch hits at the end of the year. Add the strong performance for rookie Willson Contreras, and you have a solid rotation. They can throw out runners or pitch them off. And combine for 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in.

Advantage: Cubs

Right Field: Heyward vs. Reddick

Here is another close position battle. Josh Reddick was one of the most sought out offensive players at the trade deadline this year. His solid average and on-base percentage drew teams to him. I even said the Cubs should pick him up. When he arrived in Los Angeles, he struggled, finishing the season with a .256 batting average.

Heyward. What can we say that has not been said regarding his struggles. Career low average and power marks. Grounded into 12 double plays. All this after signing a huge contract. Most of the balls put in play were grounders to second. But, his defense is the league’s best, saving 27 runs this year. Many have wondered if he were in right field in game three of the NLDS if the catch would have been made and saved the game.

Wild Card: Dodgers also have Yasel Puig. His defense can be just as good as Hayward’s, and he can hit for power. This puts Dodgers over the top in this battle.

Advantage: Dodgers

Center Field: Fowler vs. Pederson

Here is a great match-up. The Dodgers’ Joc Pederson is a powerhouse of a young player. Two years into his career with 25+ home runs in each. And a solid defender. but that is about it. Even with 25 home runs, he only had 68 runs batted in and scored 64 times. Not numbers you hope to see with that many long-balls.

Dexter Fowler, in contrast, is the table setter for the Chicago Cubs offenses. “He goes, we go” is the common quote from teammates. And he can go. This year, Fowler set a career high in on-base percentage at .393. Because of his ability to get on base, he scored 84 times.

Defensively, it is a wash between the two, as both have very similar numbers.

Advantage: Cubs

Left Field: Zobrist vs. Kendrick

Another interesting match-up. Because Ben Zobrist started in left field during the NLDS, we will use him in this discussion.

Howie Kendrick is a seasoned veteran, and can produce offensively. However, in 2016, Kendrick struggled to hit .255 for average and grounded into 20 double plays. But he does not commit errors in the outfield. He is not going to keep a hit from becoming a double by running it down, but he makes catches and can through a runner out.

Ben Zobrist compares well to Kendrick. His performance at the plate is exactly what the Chicago Cubs need. The veteran gets on-base, does not strikeout, can hit a home run, and score. As a matter of fact, he scored 94 runs this year, second best in his career.

Both Kendrick and Zobrist play multiple positions. The Dodgers and Cubs have several players that can be slotted in left field. Andrew Toles started multiple NLDS game for the Dodgers in addition to 18 games started in left field during the season.  The rookie played well this year, but only had two hits and two run in the NLDS.

The Cubs can place Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant, or Willson Contreras in left field and feel great.

Advantage: Cubs

Conclusion

There you have it. The Cubs hold an advantage when comparing position players. It is close in many places, but the depth of the Cubs puts them over the top.

Why not compare the benches? We could, and that be useful. But it is the regular players that will set the tone for the series. And, in many cases, the bench players perform as pinch-hitters only and many not see significant time. And, some may never get into the games.

Next: Chapman's workload too much?

The same can be done with the pitching staff. However, the starting rotation for the Chicago Cubs was the best in the majors, and there are still questions about the Dodgers’ rotation after Clayton Kershaw. Or even with Clayton Kershaw. Both pens feature solid options for match-ups or long relief. And, both closers are good. I still give the edge to the Cubs.

But, anything can happen in the NLCS. The series starts tonight!