Regular Season Recap

We lost game #1 at home to Milwaukee. We lost game #161 on the road to Milwaukee. In between, Chicago piled up 97 wins to take the NL Central title for the second year in a row. That is a feat not accomplished since the 1907 and 1908 years.

The win total of 97 is the best since the 1945 season, when Chicago posted 98 wins. 1945 is a common reference point for most of the statistical categories for this team. In addition to the win totals, their winning percentage is the best since 1945. There was a stat on FOX during yesterday's game that showed five categories that had the best numbers since 1945, and in some cases 1935. In addition to wins and winning percentage, run differential was in there too.

Individual leaders this year put up some pretty good numbers too. Ryan Dempster put up 17 wins, and Ted Lilly matched him. Dempster also led in strikeouts (187) and ERA (2.96). Kerry Wood was the obvious saves leader with 34 in 40 chances. Carlos Marmol led the team with almost twelve (11.75) strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Hitting awards were more dispersed. Ryan Theriot led in average (.306) and OBP(.386). Aramis drove in 111 runs to lead the team, while Soriano knocked 29 out of the yard for the team lead. DeRosa was the leader for runs scored (103) while Derek Lee tallied the most hits on the team (181).

Five Cubs hit 20 or more home runs, and Jim Edmonds (19) almost made it six in just 85 games with Chicago. The same five players also drove in 75 or more runs apiece. Just for the record, they are Ramirez (27,111), Lee (20,90), DeRosa (21,87), Soto (23,86), and Soriano (29,75).

Let's look forward to Chicago putting up eleven wins in the post season to put the proper end to what is already a fantastic season.