ESPN selects Cubs as MLB's #1 defense

ESPN selects Cubs as MLB's #1 defense


by - Senior Editor -

CHICAGO -- The Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 and one of the undervalued reasons why they won it all was because of their stellar overall defense. How solid was it though compared to the rest of baseball?

ESPN senior writer Buster Olney released his latest article ranking the top defenses in baseball and had the Cubs #1 overall.

"But there are numbers that suggest the Cubs' glove work was historically great," Olney said. "Joe Maddon's team posted the highest number of defensive runs saved (107) since the stat was first traced in 2003, breaking the record of the 2005 Jimmy Rollins-Chase Utley Philadelphia Phillies."

The Cubs had great defensive players in the outfield and in their young talented infield.

"Jason Heyward was fourth among all outfielders in DRS; Addison Russell was tied for the most among shortstops with the Giants' Brandon Crawford; Rizzo led all first basemen," Olney said. "And Maddon deployed a special weapon in Javier Baez, placing him wherever the ball was most likely to be hit. With only 383 innings at second base -- fewer than 45 games -- he had more DRS (11) than all but two second basemen."

The Cubs should continue to be impressive in the outfield with the addition of John Jay in centerfield and the normal maturation process of young infielders Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez.

These are indeed the good ole' days for Cubs fans.

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