Lindholm: Anthony Rizzo’s Path To A Higher Batting Average

" (CBS) As the Cubs enter 2014, they could be on the precipice of sustained success if efforts by Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to shore up the farm system, expand international signings and play smarter baseball on the field begin to bear fruit. Much has to go right in order for their plans to work, but a big part of that success rests on the shoulders of first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

At 24 and with only two full seasons under his belt, it’s too soon to make definitive pronouncements regarding his future. The Cubs already believe he’ll be a cornerstone, signing him to a generous contract last year. In 2013, Rizzo hit 23 home runs and drove in around 15 percent of the base runners, right around the major league average. His problem appeared to be his batting average, which at .233 was among the worst in the majors. A closer look at some of his peripheral numbers suggests this can rise.

One telling statistic is batting average on balls in play (BABIP) "

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