The overwhelming majority of survey respondents said he’ll pass 50.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Chicago Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Last week, I asked SB Nation Reacts survey members how many bases they thought Pete Crow-Armstrong would steal this year.
Let’s get right to the results:
A slim plurality of survey respondents said PCA will wind up with 50-59 steals, and almost as many said “60 or more.” In all, 75 percent of you think he’ll have at least 50.
Through Sunday PCA has 21 steals in 24 attempts. That projects to 52 steals in 162 games, a bit short of the 60 mark. But PCA seems to steal in bunches, then start hitting home runs, then steal a bunch again. Thus I’d think it’s not impossible for him to get to 60.
As I noted in last week’s article:
Remember, no Cubs player has stolen 60 bases in a season since Frank Chance set the franchise record with 67 in 1903. That’s one hundred and twenty-two years ago! Since then, there have been 124 other player-seasons with 60 or more steals, most recently by Elly De La Cruz (67 last year for the Reds).
In the live-ball era (since 1920) there have been just three Cubs who have 50 or more steals in a season: Ryne Sandberg, 54 in 1985; Eric Young Sr., 54 in 2000; and Juan Pierre (58 in 2006). So a season like that is quite rare in Cubs franchise history.
Next up for PCA: His career high of 27, set last year.
There were a couple of national questions also asked in the Reacts survey. Here are the results.
Good thing the Cubs aren’t in that category this year, and the photo of an Oriole seems appropriate.
The “don’t trade him at all” folks clearly think the Pirates will somehow build around Paul Skenes, which is what they should do. Thing is, they don’t seem inclined to do that. Most likely, they’ll trade him in his walk year, which would be 2029. As always, we await developments.
The SB Nation Reacts surveys are sponsored by FanDuel.