Call to the pen
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Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff’s x-factor in 2016

By Jordan Wevers

Apr 7, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Hector Rondon (left) celebrates with catcher Miguel Montero following the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Hector Rondon (left) celebrates with catcher Miguel Montero following the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 Chicago Cubs are a very well rounded baseball team. Perhaps the two most underrated players on the 25-man roster right now are Cubbies backstops, Miguel Montero and David Ross.

At 20-6, Chicago Cubs pitching has been crucial to their hot start. Starters especially, as the rotation has picked up 17 of the clubs 20 wins through May 4. This is also a testament to a bullpen that can maintain and hold leads when called upon. But there are other factors at play here as well.

The Cubs’ pitching staff as a whole has the second best team ERA in MLB at 2.37, a fraction behind Washington’s 2.36. Starters rank second with a collective ERA of 2.21, while the pen ranks first with a mark of 2.51 in the NL.

Arms like Jake Arrieta (6-0, 0.84), Jason Hammel (4-0, 1.24) and Jon Lester (3-1, 1.58) have been stellar at opening games. The trio of Justin Grimm (0-0, 2.16), Pedro Strop (1-0, 3.28) and closer Hector Rondon (0-1, 1.00, 4 /4 SVO) have been equally as impressive finishing games off. Behind it all, are the two men behind the dish.

Apr 21, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (left) is congratulated by catcher David Ross (right) after Arrieta pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Cubs won 16-0. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (left) is congratulated by catcher David Ross (right) after Arrieta pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Cubs won 16-0. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

Miguel Montero may only be hitting .208 right now and David Ross marginally better at .250 with a combined three home runs and 14 RBI between the two, but their work on defense is getting lost in all the early noise surrounding these Cubs.

While Chicago has a special ensemble of arms who have held opposing hitters to a .195 BAA thus far through the season ranking first in the NL, they are getting help. The Cubs have allowed the second fewest number of free passes to batters (64), resulting in an opposing OBP of .260, also the lowest total in the NL.

A lot of this success can be attributed to Montero and Ross’ abilities to frame pitches and turn balls into strikes. Montero ranks first amongst all MLB catchers in turning a pitch thrown as a ball into a strike, with an 0Sr% of 11.1. Ross comes in 10th, doing so 9.5 percent of the time.

Skipper Joe Maddon has essentially been splitting his catchers’ playing times down the middle in 2016. Montero has caught 107 innings, while Ross has logged 105.2. With no Kyle Schwarber around anymore, look for that balance to persist, pending any unforeseeable injuries. Both seem to be on the same page as one another and with whoever is on the mound. The pitcher/catcher relationship is in sync, working harmoniously with pure symbiosis.

Limiting base runners and decreasing a pitcher’s WHIP will drastically lead to less opportunities for an opposing offense. Not coincidentally, thanks to Montero and Ross being efficient, Chicago Cubs’ pitching ranks last in the NL for team WHIP (0.97), pitches thrown (3458) and batters faced (900).

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From a defensive standpoint, catchers are typically praised for what their arm brings to the club in their ability to throw out base runners. While Montero and Ross have been average at that so far this season, it’s been their gloves when the ball is not in play that has contributed to bringing about real optimism in the Windy City.

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