While batting average is slowly being left behind as a tool to evaluate offensive performance, it provides us a general idea of how teams, and players, are doing at the plate.
In this particular case, it’s a useful tool to say that the Chicago Cubs are off to a good start offensively.
According to the editor of Bleacher Nation, Michael Cerami, “the Chicago Cubs are leading MLB with a .281 batting average.”
The Chicago Cubs are leading MLB with a .281 batting average.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) April 17, 2022
Perhaps more importantly, they’re also leading MLB with a .364 OBP.
Getting on base is more important than average, because the latter could be misleading and depends on lots of things.
OBP, however, carries a lot of weight in offensive stats and metrics because it includes walks.
In any case, the Cubs are making a lot of contact and getting on base at healthy clips, and that bodes well for the future.
Of course, we only have roughly two weeks of play, and there is a lot of road for the Cubs to cover to really show they are a competent team.
But they are off to a good start with the bat.
The Cubs’ Bats Are Performing Well
They are slugging .281/.364/.447 in the early going, and have scored 44 runs so far.
Those 44 runs are good for tenth-place in MLB, which doesn’t sound terribly impressive, but if their current rates stand over the long haul, the runs will keep coming in bunches.
Seiya Suzuki, for example, is off to a blistering start to the season.
He is slashing .400/.543/.960 with four home runs, which makes him one of the most productive hitters in baseball.
Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Jonathan Villar, Jason Heyward and Yan Gomes have also impressed.
Can the Cubs remain competitive until the end of the season?
That’s a tricky question to answer, but for now, fans should enjoy the ride.
NEXT: Seiya Suzuki Is Off To A Historic Start With The Cubs
