On the outfield wall at Clark & Addison, a painted number 368 appears in yellow against the iconic red brick and green ivy. Three hundred and sixty-eight feet marks the distance from home plate to the walls in left-center and right-center fields. In baseball terms the spaces between outfield defenders that lead out to the 368 signs are known as the “gaps.” Outfielders at Wrigley have a lot of ground to defend to make sure they cover the gaps. As Cubs fans, we too have a lot of ground to cover when it comes to being informed on our team. That’s my goal for The 368 Project. In this space I’m going to roam the gaps in my own baseball fandom.
Baseball is captivating because of its rich history, complexity, and nuance in strategy behind every decision. I’ve tried simple, basic research on the things I want to learn more about, but that can be like drinking through a firehose. Sophisticated topics like payroll and contracts, prospect development, pitch informatics, and advanced statistics can be hard to grasp. I want to learn more about concepts like those and be able to connect them with the on-field product in more than a basic, superficial way. That’s why I’m launching The 368 Project. This is my outlet for research, analysis, and sharing my perspective on anything Cubs. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’m excited to learn more about my favorite team and hopefully become a better, more informed fan. If you’re interested in learning something new about baseball with a Cubs twist, I hope you take some time to interact with The 368 Project! Let’s cover the gaps in our baseball knowledge like Dexter Fowler covered the gaps at Wrigley in 2016.
-Aaron
The 368 Project 
Ready to learn!
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Anxious to hear more about replacing the batting average..
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