The Chicago Cubs are the #1 team in baseball, and while their record isn’t absolutely stellar (92 wins, 52 losses), Chicago fans are cheering and celebrating their team on in hopes of a first-ever World Series victory. In the 5th inning during last night’s game against St. Louis, one author wrote, “Jon Lester is taking matters into his own hands Wednesday as the Cubs hold a 3-0 lead over the Cardinals after 4 innings muggy Busch Stadium. Lester has pitched four innings of one-hit ball, and he hit a single to score Javier Baez with one out in the third.”
As we’ve written about before, Lester is one of a few rare #6 BEIRs in baseball (ala Tom Glavin, or Roger Clemens of yesteryear), and he’s having an exceptional season. “As for Lester, he just wants his 200 innings now that the team goals are nearly wrapped up. He needs to average six innings in his final four starts to get there, and it’s likely to happen considering the way he’s been pitching. He hasn’t given up more than a run in over a month, and despite teammate Kyle Hendricks’ minuscule ERA, most observers believe it would be Lester who’d be given the ball twice in a best-of-five series, if necessary.” And again, “Lester improved to 7-0 with a 1.65 ERA over 10 starts since the All-Star break and has allowed seven runs over his last eight starts covering 53 2/3 innings.”
We’re happy for Lester, and hope he finds continued success in the playoffs. While #6s can indeed be great pitchers, they need to be careful not to rely excessively on their dominant upper-body fine motor movements. (When throwing from the left side, however, #6s utilize gross movements much more than normal such as Lester.) As intense individuals, keeping calm is of paramount importance, controlling the fiery emotions as they stand and wait to make the next pitch (baseball is a slow sport, and as such can mess with the mind).
Written by: Staff
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