There is more to pitching than having a big arm.
Many of the top pitchers in MLB don’t have 100 mph fastballs.
They rely on active spin, command, secondary stuff, and smarts to get outs consistently.
Some of them even help themselves with elite defense.
This is the case of Chicago Cubs starter Marcus Stroman.
When it comes to fielding excellence, Stroman is right up there with the best in MLB.
“We know one pitcher who takes his defense seriously: Marcus Stroman leads MLB pitchers in ‘Good Fielding Plays’ the last 2 seasons for the Mets & Cubs A sample of @STR0‘s defensive excellence,” SIS Baseball tweeted.
We know one pitcher who takes his defense seriously:
Marcus Stroman leads MLB pitchers in “Good Fielding Plays” the last 2 seasons for the Mets & Cubs
A sample of @STR0‘s defensive excellence⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5Pe3wMpqER
— SIS_Baseball (@sis_baseball) February 15, 2023
A video of Stroman’s best plays with the glove was included in the tweet.
Just by watching the footage, you can tell he has solid footwork, a great arm, soft hands, and even some creativity.
However, the most important thing for a pitcher to effectively field his position is awareness.
Stroman certainly has it.
He knows what is happening around him, and is always attentive to cover empty bases if he needs to.
He didn’t win the 2017 Gold Glove award by coincidence: he knows what he is doing out there.
Stroman will try to help the Cubs reach the postseason after a couple of rough years.
They will need his stellar defense, but they will need his on-mound performance even more.
He posted a 3.50 ERA in 25 starts and 138.2 innings in 2022, and has a solid 3.62 ERA for his career.
The Cubs need a similar performance from him, and he is more than capable of providing it as long as he is healthy.
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