Cubs Stats

Drinking The White Sox Kool Aid

2012-05-30T10:06:00.000-05:00

It's hot.

As I was walking from the North Face store, beads of sweat were dripping from my face. I thought to myself: "Self, I could go for some Kool-Aid right about now." Typically, kool-aid is the summer drink for kids -- and some adults -- during those blistering summer days. I would come home, mix a pitcher of the cherry goodness with about three extra cups of sugar. It was delicious.

But who knew that the White Sox would bring heat of their own this summer and make baseball relevant in Chicago? The Southsiders have been on a tear as of late and are producing some interesting subplots for this season:

Will Paul Konerko Hit .400?
I'm much more bearish on this narrative than most of my White Sox friends. Paul Konerko hitting .400 for the season will undoubtably be a great story. But it will mean less if the Sox don't make the playoffs. I expect Paulie to come back down to earth but what I'm keeping my eye on is his WAR -- which is currently at 2.8 (he had a total WAR of 3.1 last season) -- his Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), and his Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA).

The average BABIP for hitters is around .290-.300. Paulie's career BABIP (prior to this season) is .290 this is important to know because if a player's BABIP is extreme (very high, low) a player will regress back to the average. Konerko's current BABIP is .430. (wowza.)

Paulie's wOBA has been other-worldly: an excellent wOBA is .400, he is at... .473.

This why I'm bearish on Konerko. Regression will eventually catch up with him. When? I don't know. Updated ZiPS projections have Paulie with a WAR of 5.7, BABIP of .354 and a wOBA of .418 -- all great numbers. If Paulie does finish with these numbers, it will be fun to watch and bring more hope to the Southside.

Hello There, Adam Dunn
I was quite bullish on Adam Dunn last season. I mistakenly predicted he would have 50 (yes, 50) home runs at mobile phone park last season. I was egregiously incorrect.

But Dunn has bounced back from what seemed to be just an unfortunate outlier on a very good career. He has experienced an increase in both his fly ball and line drive percentage and a decrease in his ground ball percentage -- perfect ingredients for a new kool-aid flavor: BABIP Blueberry Blast (copyright pending). His current BABIP (.313) is higher than his career BABIP of .288.

Will Dunn regress? Probably. But it's good to see the Adam Dunn we hoped we would get on the Southside.

NOTE - Bill Petti at Fangraphs wrote an excellent piece explaining Dunn's resurgence and offers a cautionary tale about his performance against lefties. It's a recommended read.

Who's this De Aza Guy?
Alejandro De Aza is quietly becoming my third favorite White Sox player (behind my boy Alexei Ramirez (who is having not so good of a season) and Paul Konerko. Mainly because I like the two aspects of his game that are most commonly overlooked: defense and speed.

To be a good leadoff guy, one must A) see pitches B) get on base and C) run well

And De Aza does those three things decently.

His current pitch count per at bat is around 5 pitches. I like this.
De Aza currently has 9 stolen bases for the season with an updated ZiPS projection of 25... I think this will be around 30.
His OBP is .361 and I'm hoping he can get this to around .380.

Will the White Sox cool off? Eventually. But the key for the White Sox will be to mitigate this regression. If Konerko, Dunn, De Aza, and AJ cool off simultaneously (which I don't see happening), then the White Sox may finish slightly above average, but fall short of winning the division to make the playoffs.

But considering the Detroit Tigers were everyone's darling to win the AL Central, the White Sox came into this season with a new manager and lower expectations. Perhaps Kenny Williams and Robin Ventura already dipped into the punch bowl and are laughing together as the White Sox compete to win the division.

So pour me a glass of this White Sox kool-aid... extra sugar, please.

Are Epstein And Hoyer Above Reproach?

2012-05-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

The alternate title of this post is: Two Smart Guys Argue With One Other Guy:

Paul Sullivan of the Tribune strikes me as somewhat of a troll. As I noted on the Cubs Den article that brought this video to my attention, the Cubs front office is not above reproach, but if you are going to criticize them, DON'T DO SO LIKE AN IGNORANT FAN WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE SPORT AND BUSINESS OF BASEBALL, SULLY.

Here is comment, reproduced in full:

Only Sullivan, who attacked Zambrano like a racist, who lambasted the man for leaving during the season to adopt a needy, South American child, would say, "We trade Zambrano too hastily."

Each one of the organization's moves has been easily defended -- and even the moves that for the Red Sox have since become problems (Lackey, Crawford, etc.) were defendable at the time (which means they are still defendable because you evaluate trades when they happen, not fifteen months later when, say, Chris Volstad struggles to start the season).

Sullivan is and likely shall remain a Published Troll. Such has become the fare of major media outlets of the Old World Press as they scramble to retain the dying business model.

Thanks, Tom, for bringing a little logic to the matter. And I agree that Epstein/Hoyer should not be overly praised or undoubted. There are sound counterarguments to the contract they gave Crawford.

Fans and writers need to post a sign over their television / game-watching device that says, "This is what rebuilding looks like." Not a soul in the front office said we were in contention for the NL Central in 2012. Being terrible right now is part of what will make the team great later.

(And no, "defendable" is not a word. At least it wasn't until I made it one.)

I do disagree with the Two Guys about Carlos Zambrano. I am not against the trade because I think the book is yet written on Chris Volstad. Also, I'm high on Michael Bowden who has a decent SIERA right now and could potentially edge towards the rotation someday. And Ian Stewart is among the top Cubs poised for a strong regression.

But I think we can say with certainty it is dumb to criticize the results of a trade just two months post facto. Extra dumb.

A Glove Slap To Kerry Wood

2012-05-19T11:03:00.000-05:00

Good Things On The Horizon For Cubs Hitters?

2012-05-17T11:27:00.000-05:00

My latest work at FanGraphs suggests more than a few Cubs hitters should be doing MUCH better than they presently are. Namely: Ian Stewart, Geovany Soto, and — surprise! — Darwin Barney. Of course, caveats abound.

The bad news is that Starlin Castro may need to change his approach in order to stay successful. His .366 BABIP is carrying too much of the weight of his production.

Bob Brenly And Stats

2012-04-26T10:35:00.000-05:00

Weird, right?

I don't always agree with Chicago Cubs announcer Bob Brenly — and here's another instance where I don't: My FanGraphs piece entitled, "Bob Brenly: You Were a Good Hitter."

Since time forever, Chicago Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly has joked good-humor’dly about how terrible a hitter he was. For years, I had just taken him at his word, assumed that Bob Brenly was the worst worst hitter ever — a hitter whose home runs came on windy days, whose singles bounced ten times before leaving the infield, and whose walks came only on failed beanings.

But that is simply not true. Recently Mr. Brenly remarked he wanted to see an advanced stat that said he was a good hitter. I’ll give him three.

I've really enjoyed Len Kasper and Bob Brenly taking new stats to the people. It's time Cubs fans started enjoying the insight that management now has.

Baseball In Englewood, Cookoffs, And Helping Youths

2012-04-20T12:45:00.003-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a new friend (we'll call him Greg) and he told me he coaches baseball in Englewood for the organization called Play for Life International.

(from the website):

PFLI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses sports to engage and empower at-risk youth . For us, it’s not just about winning, it’s about empowerment: the power to live a positive lifestyle, the power to treat others with respect, and the power to make responsible choices. Every day, we’re reminding these kids that they’re not victims of circumstances – they’re contenders.

Then, I received this story that made me almost choke on my Big League Chew trying to hold back the tears:

Last week, one of the 12 year olds in our baseball program was attacked and beaten by a group of adults. He still came to baseball a few days later and went about his daily normal daily activities. This is a fact of life growing up in Englewood. In any city, instances like this will happen occasionally, but it's unacceptable that this is an inevitability for the youth in our program.

You have the opportunity to prevent it. Play for Life works with Englewood youth from ages 5-18 to help provide them with the skills to get into college and get some of the opportunities that most of us take for granted. We provide a place for them to go after school and on the weekends. A place where they can participate in a team activity. A place where they can get support for their schoolwork, so that they aren't stuck in Englewood.

If that's not enough for you to support this cause, there is a "Best of the Ball Park" cookoff!!!

Play for Life's fundraiser is tonight at the Newberry Library, 6:30-10:30PM.

You can donate and buy the ticket here.

Donations cover equipment, league fees, transportation, food, umpires, and a few part time coaches. I would also like to encourage you to invite your friends, co-workers and spread the word to this event as every additional ticket sale provides significant returns to the kids.

VIDEO: Blackhawks Beat Coyotes In OT

2012-04-15T11:40:00.002-05:00

Seriously, that Blackhawks-Coyotes game was nuts.

We had opened our windows because the weather — although stormy — was pleasant. When Patrick Kane shot that game-tying goal, the neighborhood erupted. It was a magnificent game, and I feel like I may need to go to a sports bar on Tuesday night just to watch with a crowd.

Here's video highlights in case you missed it / went to bed at a normal hour:

The Score: A Better Understanding Of Baseball Teams

2012-04-12T16:29:00.001-05:00

Now THIS is a season preview:

Chicago Cubs

Hopes are high for this year’s Cubs. Not only did they win the world series in an MLB 12 commercial, they also hired famous exorcist Theo Epstein. Rumour is, they may even sacrifice him on the pitcher’s mound. Just like they did in Boston.

But you know and I know that, if they ever get close, the baseball Gods will strike them all dead.

At their best, the Cubs are like a fat guy chilling with a beer, looking at the world and shrugging it off. At their worst, they’re like that same guy buying lottery tickets to win the big jackpot. Cause they figured out the system. And now it’ll be different.

I suspect that when the Baseball Gods heard a Chicago team threw the World Series, they may have made a clerical error of some kind.

I don't agree with, maybe, any of the things my buddy Parkes says in this preview, but man does he say it beautifully and perfectly. So much so that I wish I had written it. Or at least hacked his site and changed his name to mine.

And, by the way, Frank Thomas is my all-time favorite White Sox player:

Chicago White Sox

After being banned from baseball following the infamous 1919 Stock Market fixing scandal that led to the First World War, the White Sox have finally been allowed into MLB’s semi-professional American League Central Division. Here, they look to get one really good player. If they have that, who knows what can happen? In the meantime, a giant golden statue of Frank Thomas will play first base.

Glove slap to Will.

Things To Be Happy About

2012-04-11T08:13:00.000-05:00

Cubs

Bryan LaHair has been scalding the ball.
The starting pitching — and especially Jeff Samardzija — has been beyond exceptional. The bad Maholm start notwithstanding. (Maholm still should be the best 5th starter in the division, though.)
Bill Murray.

White Sox

Adam Dunn hit a homer.
Paul Konerko is playing like White Sox legend Paul Konerko.
Jake Peavy, Chris Sale, and John Danks all had good starts.

Ozzie Guillen, Fidel Castro: Best Buds

2012-04-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Not only did Ozzie Guillen laud Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Guillen also failed to fully retract his statement:

"I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that (expletive) is still there."

This Ozzie Guillen guy. He's nuts, but how can we do anything but love him?

Happy Easter, everyone. Even if you don't celebrate, tough luck, I wish you a happy Easter anyway.

White Sox Vs. Rangers: Opening Day On The South Side

2012-04-06T13:12:00.000-05:00

I strained my back playing basketball last night. It hurts to look at my monitor while I type, so I'm going to try to keep this short.

John Danks starts on the mound today for the White Sox. He's good. Colby Lewis apposes him. Lewis is not bad. It's a shame the White Sox don't get to face Yu Darvish... But actually that's probably a good thing. I'm pretty sure Darvish is the real deal.

Things I'm looking forward to / hoping for today:

Adam Dunn going deep.
Alejandro De Aza making an impressive play in CF.
Brent Morel going nuts. In a good way.
Tyler Flowers getting some freakin' playing time.

That last one probably won't happen today, but in general, I would like some more Flowers please. I know that Alishia will protest that assessment. Sorry Alishia.

Source: FanGraphs

Cubs / White Sox Commercial With Ron Swanson And Darryl Philbin

2012-04-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

Yeah. This is pretty rich.

Cubs Vs. Nationals: 2012 Opening Day!!!

2012-04-05T11:21:00.000-05:00

The Cubs finally get real baseball underway today! And, y'know what, ~~the matchup actually kind of favors the Cubs and~~ I'm feeling optimistic for no good reason.

For those interested, I will be dropping by FanGraphs' opening day chat around 4:00 p.m. CDT, presumably to talk about Ryan Dempster's perfect game in progress and Bryan LaHair's multi-home-run day.

Here's the lineup for the Chicago Cubs vs. the Washington Nationals, Game 1:

#Cubs #OpeningDay lineup vs. @Nationals: DeJesus RF, Barney 2B, Castro SS, Soriano LF, Stewart 3B, Baker 1B, Byrd CF, Soto C, Dempster P
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 5, 2012

What's sort of funny about Opening Day this year: Don't we say that the teams all start the season in first place or something to the nature? Well, the Cubs start the season down half a game to the St. Louis Cardinals. Yeah, that's a portent.

FanGraphs Organizational Rankings: Cubs At No. 14

2012-04-02T19:20:00.001-05:00

I got summoned to write this article, so obviously it is excellently written.

2012 Organizational Rankings: #14 – Chicago Cubs | FanGraphs Baseball:

Given the methodology we employed this time around, the Cubs payroll and payroll potential plays a huge role in their No. 14 ranking. Their farm system is relatively uninspiring; their on-field offering for 2012 should be pretty miserable; and their baseball operations department has not yet had even 12 months in command. Still, the Cubs are moving up, and in a league where disparities in payroll have determined which teams succeed more than most other leagues, the Cubs may not stop moving up until they are at the top.

Haters gonna hate, in the comments section, but I stand by my belief. This new front office group could easily make the Cubs a perennial playoff team and the masters of the NL Central.

VIDEO: Joakim Noah Ears, Feet Burning

2012-04-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

When people are talking behind your back, sometimes the best thing to do is just dance out your feelings.

The One That Got Away

2012-03-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Twenty years and one day ago, the Cubs released Jamie Moyer.

The Cubs and Jamie Moyer

Look at this madman's stats; they're longer than some Old Testament genealogies!

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	ERA	IP	ERA+	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	Awards
1986	23	CHC	NL	5.05	87.1	80	1.0	4.3	4.6
1987	24	CHC	NL	5.10	201.0	83	1.3	4.3	6.6
1988	25	CHC	NL	3.48	202.0	105	0.9	2.5	5.4
1989	26	TEX	AL	4.86	76.0	82	1.2	3.9	5.2
1990	27	TEX	AL	4.66	102.1	85	0.5	3.4	5.1
1991	28	STL	NL	5.74	31.1	65	1.4	4.6	5.7
1993	30	BAL	AL	3.43	152.0	130	0.7	2.3	5.3
1994	31	BAL	AL	4.77	149.0	105	1.4	2.3	5.3
1995	32	BAL	AL	5.21	115.2	92	1.4	2.3	5.1
1996	33	TOT	AL	3.98	160.2	126	1.3	2.6	4.4
1997	34	SEA	AL	3.86	188.2	116	1.0	2.1	5.4
1998	35	SEA	AL	3.53	234.1	131	0.9	1.6	6.1
1999	36	SEA	AL	3.87	228.0	130	0.9	1.9	5.4	CYA-6
2000	37	SEA	AL	5.49	154.0	83	1.3	3.1	5.7
2001	38	SEA	AL	3.43	209.2	122	1.0	1.9	5.1	CYA-4
2002	39	SEA	AL	3.32	230.2	128	1.1	2.0	5.7
2003	40	SEA	AL	3.27	215.0	132	0.8	2.8	5.4	AS,CYA-5
2004	41	SEA	AL	5.21	202.0	87	2.0	2.8	5.6
2005	42	SEA	AL	4.28	200.0	98	1.0	2.3	4.6
2006	43	TOT	MLB	4.30	211.1	105	1.4	2.2	4.6
2007	44	PHI	NL	5.01	199.1	91	1.4	3.0	6.0
2008	45	PHI	NL	3.71	196.1	118	0.9	2.8	5.6
2009	46	PHI	NL	4.94	162.0	85	1.5	2.4	5.2
2010	47	PHI	NL	4.84	111.2	84	1.6	1.6	5.1
24 Yrs				4.24	4020.1	104	1.1	2.5	5.4
162 Game Avg.				4.24	208	104	1.1	2.5	5.4
				ERA	IP	ERA+	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	Awards
SEA (11 yrs)				3.97	2093.0	113	1.1	2.3	5.3
PHI (5 yrs)				4.55	720.2	96	1.3	2.5	5.5
CHC (3 yrs)				4.42	490.1	90	1.1	3.6	5.7
BAL (3 yrs)				4.41	416.2	108	1.1	2.3	5.2
TEX (2 yrs)				4.74	178.1	84	0.8	3.6	5.1
STL (1 yr)				5.74	31.1	65	1.4	4.6	5.7
BOS (1 yr)				4.50	90.0	113	1.4	2.7	5.0
AL (16 yrs)				4.10	2778.0	110	1.1	2.4	5.3
NL (9 yrs)				4.53	1242.1	93	1.2	3.0	5.6

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/31/2012.

White Sox Sign Yet Another First Baseman

2012-03-31T12:03:00.001-05:00

The White Sox have signed Conor Jackson to a minor league contract, reports Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). The SFX client was assigned to Triple-A.

Why are the White Sox stocking up on first basemen? Paul Konerko, Adam Dunn, Dan Johnson, Conor Jackson. Okay, well maybe that's not too many, but that's certainly two first basemen for Triple-A, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Unless someone's getting cut.

White Sox Sign Conor Jackson: MLBTradeRumors.com.

I Miss You, Wheaties

2012-03-28T16:58:00.000-05:00

Wheaties has fallen on hard times. Yup, this is true. The cereal that I grew up with with Jordan on the cover, finds itself with only 0.5% of the market. This is not good. The Street reports:

In total, yearly Wheaties sales have brought in $38.7 million, down 18.6% versus a year ago. Total boxes sold are under 10 million, down 22.5%, meaning roughly 4,000 fewer orange boxes are being sold in the U.S. per day than were being sold just three years ago.

Wheaties has gotten itself into a [brand] identity crisis — where's Michael Jordan when you need him?

A Montage Of Marquette Fever

2012-03-22T12:57:00.001-05:00

Who wouldn't want to play for this guy?

He can dance:

Drain half court shots:

And speak from the heart (Postgame vs. Murray State):

We are Marquette!

Columbia Sportswear And Clever Marketing

2012-03-21T09:56:00.000-05:00

On an unrelated note, I recently saw the Columbia Sportswear commercial with the Angry Cat. My first thought (aside from copyright infringement against our Pessimism Cat) was "Wow, that's clever."

Hat tip to you, Columbia Sportswear. You had me at "15 minute tongue bath."

Ryan Braun, PEDs, And Secrets

2012-03-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

There's a lot that we, the public and the fans, just do not know. The MLB has secrets, many of them are not terribly surprising (more humanizing than anything) and some are pretty shocking. It sounds like the Ryan Braun drug test issue may have some of the shocking kinds of secrets.

The New York Times had some juicy quotes from some of Braun's teammates:

Lucroy said there was more to the situation than Braun has said publicly, and his explanation to teammates, Lucroy said, has been convincing.

"I’m not going to get into the details, but if you knew what we knew, people would be like, ‘Wow,’ " Lucroy said, adding that he understood why Braun has elaborated only in private. "You’ve got to do that because it’s his prerogative. It’s up to him, it’s his choice. And honestly, if some of the things came out, it would be a lot more negative than positive. There are reasons."

In my recent trip to Phoenix with the FanGraphs writers, I had the distinction of overhearing some fascinating insider talk, and it really affirmed — more than anything — that baseball is a business like any other, and the people involved in it are exactly that, people. And people are sometimes despicable, sometimes terrifying, sometimes awesome, sometimes socially inept, and sometimes they are Dan Haren at the In-N-Out Burger, letting his little daughter put stickers on his face.

All this to say: I would not be surprised that if in 10 years time, the Ryan Braun history is written with a very different pen.

Hat tip to Rob Neyer on this.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Bears Acquire Brandon Marshall From Dolphins

2012-03-13T16:42:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bears sent the NFL world aflutter on Tuesday afternoon when they — without any preceding rumors or public sense of anticipation — traded for dynamic wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Quick history here: In 2006, the Denver Broncos draft QB Jay Cutler in the 1st round of the NFL draft (No. 11 overall) and then, some 100 picks later, select WR Brandon Marshall in the 4th round (119th overall).

After three tumultuous seasons in Denver, Cutler gets traded to the Bears, where then-GM Jerry Angelo says, essentially, "The quarterback makes the wide receiver. Look at Brandon Marshall — he was nothing until Cutler made him something!"

Meanwhile, in 2009, a year after the Cutler trade, Brandon Marshall gets shipped off to the Miami Dolphins where he signs a contract extension. Deprived of his Pro-Bowl quarterback, Marshall's career gets ripped asunder in the unforgiving Miami heat... right?

Wrong. He goes on to post two more 1000-yard years, earning his third Pro Bowl appearance in 2011 — a game in which he breaks the Pro Bowl record with 4 TDs and 176 yards.

Meanwhile, Cutler throws for 3666 yards, 27 TDs, then 3247 yds, 23 TDs, and then 2319 yds and 13 TDs (in an injury-shortend 2011 season) without a single wide out going over 1000 yards or 5 TDs (TE Greg Olsen had 8 TD receptions in 2009, but that's the only WR/TE to do so since Cutler arrived).

The QB-WR relationship is a symbiotic one. Cutler has been throwing to blown routes, aggressive DBs (or at least DBs more aggressive than the Bears' receivers), and just-not-fast-enough deep threats. Personally, I think if Cutler have another 1.5 seconds in the pocket on each pass play, he'd make WR Devin Hester and WR Earl Bennett look like Pro Bowlers, but upgrading the offensive line is a difficult and slow, or quick and expensive (draft vs. free agency), process. With one swift move, the Bears are able to upgrade their whole receiving corps and Jay Cutler as well.

Plus: All this for a pair of third rounders? Right now, this looks like a really solid move for the new GM, Phil Emery.

Konerko Cocktail'd

2012-03-13T16:16:00.001-05:00

Too funny:

10 Questions, 2 Teams

2012-03-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

The Hardball Times are in the middle of their "Five Questions" series, and they start their dissection of the Chicago Cubs with a quick bonus question that kind of answers any remaining questions:

Pop quiz question: What can Cubs fans look for in 2012?

2013.

As always, their analysis is prescient and their prose is enjoyable. Read it if you have a moment.

For White Sox fans, the future is even more murky:

Are the White Sox rebuilding?

According to Kenny Williams, yes, they are. This offseason, he addressed the media and said that in his entire decade-plus long tenure as GM, he’s never used the R-word. Well, he’s using it now. They’re rebuilding.

But then...

Can the White Sox compete in 2012?

...

The Sox should be a bit worse [than last year], but not terribly worse. Sure, if Sale bombs and Dunn and Rios remain offensive black holes and Peavy is never healthy, the team is doomed, but the dark side scenario is no more likely [than] the sunny one.

Sitting from here, the White Sox look like a team that will win 75-80 games. They shouldn't be that much worse than last year, but they look a bit below 2011's disappointment.

Unfortunately for the White Sox, the addition of the second Wild Card is probably not going to help out too much. The strength in the AL East (Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox) and the AL West (Angels and Rangers) should pretty soundly absorb all the available Wild Cards, but the AL Central is still not a strong division, and a key injury or two can open a door for the Sox.

Oh well, it's still Spring Training and anything can happen from here.

Derrick Rose, Clutchiness, And Big Macs

2012-03-10T11:42:00.000-06:00

Clutchiness, which in NBA terms means "Player performance in the last 5 minutes of games when the score margin is within 5 points" can be the Narrative Ninja of the NBA; for some, the narrative can be good (See: Jordan, M) or bad (See: James, L). For Chicago's native son, Derrick Rose, his clutchiness -- at first look -- has been head scratching in 2012. Yes, his buzzer beater in Milwaukee was amaaaaazzzinnnnggg. But, in the clutch, he has seen a decline in his Effective Field Goal and True Shooting Percentage while having an increase in his usage:

2011
2012
2011
2012 (so far)
I do think that this abbreviated season -- where DRose has missed 10 games -- has affected his output in the clutch. Just last week (while I was thinking about writing this post) I took a look at his clutch numbers (via NBA Stats Cube):

(just last week)
Comparing with the 2012 image from above, we see an increase in his mid-range jumper (C) and restricted area (A). Is Rose moving back towards the mean? Possibly.

More importantly, who knew making free throws to win Big Macs was such a big deal?