World Series: Kyle Schwarber Did What the Cubs Couldn’t Do and Did What the Astros Didn’t
The World Series is a strange, emotional game. You’d think the series would be all about the drama, but a lot of it turns on what the team actually does at the end of the season. Every game is tied after the last out and the momentum is carried by the last batter.
So it was the Chicago Cubs that won it, and a lot of it turned on just one player.
Kyle Schwarber was the Cubs’ key to their comeback victory over the Houston Astros in Game 6.
The star left-handed hitter for the Cubs, Schwarber was just as crucial for the Cubs as their other five key regulars: Anthony Rizzo (2,1,1,0,0), Kris Bryant (0,0,0,0,0), Javier Baez (0,0,0,1,0), Eduardo Rodriguez (1,0,0,1,1), and Addison Russell (1,1,0,0,2).
Schwarber, who was selected as the MLB’s September MVP, was one that the Houston Astros had to overcome. In the regular season, the Cubs were a better ballclub even though they had only 45 wins and were in last place in the NL Central.
But the Astros didn’t turn the ball over. They kept everything in the field.
In the regular season, the Astros had a.666% (46-for-69) clip in left-handed pitchers when swinging at pitches outside the zone. The Cubs had a.688% (55-for-76) clip. The difference was stark. The Cubs would win 90 games with their.914% (67-for-80) clip against left-handed pitches.
Even with the Astros swinging at