We don't have a large enough sample to know either way. I'm pretty sure he may be leading baseball in the amount of pitches seen. Not a bad thing for a leadoff man. His OBP is plenty respectable too. But personally, if I've got Babe Ruth, I'm hoping for him to get beyond first base on his own a lot and ideally with guys on base.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

How has no one tried to murder you before?

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I apologize for leading you to the realization that Schwarber is Brian Downing and not Babe Ruth.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Way back in the 80s and before all the baseball genuis stuff when my friends and I were big into Stat O Matic we didn't really know crap about advanced metrics but we sure as shit knew by looking at Brian Downings player card that he sure as shit got on base a lot. Throw Gary Redus in that mix too and why Rance fucking Mulliniks was traded straight up for Cal Ripken.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Yikes. In two years the JORR approved comp for Schwarber went from Matt Stairs to Brian Downing.

Wow, that's a huge jump in value. JORR I like how your opinion on Schwarber is trending.

I just looked. Those two have nearly the exact same numbers. They are silly close. Stairs had about the same number of homers in a lot less AB's. Downing had a much higher WAR though.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

If you were drafting one of those guys and would get his entire career for your team who would you take? It's not close.

JORR has a game he plays, and frankly, I admire it a bit (but just a bit).

He takes players whose numbers are shockingly good relative to their lack of notoriety. He then compares those players to young Cubs as comps. When questioned, he acts surprised and says "What? Nick Swisher was a solid hitter for a long time." While the reality of his statement is true, he knows damn well that he's using them as a comp because they were never given enough credit during their career (players who played during the steroid era but probably didn't use steroids are perfect for this). Also, when a Cub fan calls him out, it gives him the ability to say, "What?! You don't want a guy with 250+ career homers!? I guess all Cub prospects are going to be Hall of Famers!"

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You certainly want more AB for your best hitters (which isn't Schwarber). However, you want as many important AB (ones with runners on base) for those hitters as possible. You have eliminated that possibility at least once per game by batting him first.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

You think he's hitting well?

He's getting on base well, which makes him a good leadoff hitter.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

It's like the end of an M. Night Shamalan picture for these Cub fans.

You have to allow them a few angry posts while the shock of reality sets in. They don't really mean the mean words they use during that time.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

He's not hitting "poorly" and it's a small sample at this point. I certainly wouldn't move him for a prototypical leadoff hitter at this point. John Jay is the prototype, but give me Schwarber at number one and I'm fine. The way the Cubs have structured their team, even the positions that typically generate leadoff hitters have guys with decent OBP's and higher OPS. Russell isn't a contact guy, nor is Baez or Almora. And I'm still not convinced on Heyward until he keeps up this production for a couple months.

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We just won the World Series. Do you really think we're upset that our leadoff hitter who gets on base all the time isn't hitting for a high average through 20 games?

Edit: Also, Shyamalan has a "y".

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So... you think Schwarber batting first is good?

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Correct. And a 20 game sample size is a small window. Schwarber has been on enough and the leadoff spot is not a major issue now. Jay is not a guy I want leading off. Or playing everyday. Leave it alone for now.

Wouldn't mind switching him and Zobrist - if Zobrist was hitting better.

In 102 PA, he has a 31.4 K%, .153 ISO, .300 BABIP, and 94 WRC+

That's not very good for a guy who can't field a lick.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

"One of the best hitters in baseball."

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Yeah I'm not sure it isn't time to start worrying about his .220-.230 average he's been at most of the year.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Schwarber feels very idiosyncratic to me. He reminds me of Chris Shelton, the guy who hit like 20 home runs in a month for the Tigers and then got designated for assignment.

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Babe Ruth.

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Elections have consequences.

Fucking Indians dont completely shit the bed in that series and we escape this Cubs era without the doomsday scenario. I hope Cleveland burns down.

He'll be better than AAAA Shelton I suspect.... would Cub fans accept Chris Davis' career?

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

This year? That is around his career. You were blinded by a plastic box

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

As I have told you before pour gas on yourself and light a match. Make sure you are in Cleveland and we have two needs accomplished in one swift strike of a flame. Thanks in advance.

I'll take the .400 plus average in the World Series and the championship it brought. 2016

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Some of the comments are such poor trolling, it's like responding to a first grader. Better just to ignore him when he screams and let him self-soothe when he realizes no one gives a shit.

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Should have traded him.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.