2003 Chicago Cubs: 5 More Outs

2003 Chicago Cubs: 5 More Outs

[paypal_donation_button]2003 Chicago Cubs: 5 More Outs

2003 was the year the Chicago Cubs had come the closest to realizing their dream as an organization, which was to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945 and win the World Series for the first time since 1908. However, as their unfortunate team history would indicate, something happened along the way to prevent them from realizing that dream.

The Cubs went 88-74 in the 2003 regular season, winning the National League Central division by 1 game over the Houston Astros and 3 games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs went 9-7 against the Astros and 8-9 against the Cardinals in head-to-head play. The Cubs went 44-37 at home and on the road.

Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek batted .314 with 151 hits, 38 doubles and 6 stolen bases. Center fielder Corey Patterson batted .298 with 13 home runs, 98 hits, 17 doubles, 7 triples and 16 stolen bases in 83 games. First baseman Eric Karros batted .286 with 12 home runs, 96 hits and 16 doubles in 114 games. Left fielder Moises Alou batted .280 with 22 home runs and 91 RBI’s off 158 hits and 35 doubles. Infielder Ramon Martinez batted .283 with 83 hits and 16 doubles in 108 games.

Right fielder Sammy Sosa batted .279 with 40 home runs and 103 RBI’s off 144 hits and 22 doubles. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez had 15 home runs and 60 hits in 63 games. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez had 20 home runs, 122 hits and 37 doubles. Catcher Damian Miller had 82 hits and 19 doubles. Center fielder Kenny Lofton batted .327 with 68 hits, 13 doubles and 12 stolen bases in 56 games. Center fielder Tom Goodwin had 19 stolen bases in 87 games.

Starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano went 13-11 with 168 strikeouts and a 3.11 ERA, recording 3 complete games and 1 shutout. Mark Prior went 18-6 with 245 strikeouts and a 2.43 ERA, recording 3 complete games and 1 shutout. Kerry Wood went 14-11 with 266 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA, recording 4 complete games and 2 shutouts. Matt Clement went 14-12 with 171 strikeouts, recording 2 complete games and 1 shutout. Despite going 8-11 Shawn Estes had 103 strikeouts, 1 complete game and 1 shutout.

Closer Joe Borowski wet 2-2 with 33 saves and a 2.63 ERA. Relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth went 3-2 with a 3.30 ERA. Mike Remlinger went 6-5 with a 3.65 ERA. Antonio Alfonseca went 3-1 from the bullpen.

The Cubs went through a back-and-forth 5-game battle against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series. In Game 1 on September 30 at Turner Field, the Cubs won 4-2. Kerry Wood pitched 7.1 innings and gave up 2 hits, 5 walks and 2 runs, but he recorded 11 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 3rd inning second baseman Marcus Giles hit a solo home run. In the top of the 6th catcher Paul Bako had an RBI ground-out, Wood had an RBI double, and then Kenny Lofton had an RBI single. Third baseman Larry “Chipper” Jones had an RBI ground-out in the bottom of the 8th, but it wouldn’t be enough for Atlanta.

In Game 2 on October 1 the Braves beat the Cubs 5-3. In the top of the 1st inning Sammy Sosa had an RBI double, and Moises Alou followed by hitting into a fielder’s choice to score another run. Chipper Jones had an RBI ground-out in the bottom of the 1st, and then in the bottom of the 4th center fielder Andruw Jones had an RBI single. Giles had an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th. In the top of the 8th Tom Goodwin into a sacrifice fly double play to score outfielder Doug Glanville, and infielder Mark DeRosa’s 2-run double in the bottom of the 8th proved to be the deciding play of the game.

In Game 3 on October 3 at Wrigley Field, the Cubs won 3-1. Mark Prior pitched a complete game, giving up 2 hits, 4 walks and 1 run, but he recorded 7 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 1st inning first baseman Randall Simon had a 2-run single. After Giles had a sacrifice fly in the top of the 8th, Aramis Ramirez had an RBI ground rule double in the bottom of the 8th.

In Game 4 on October 4 the Braves beat the Cubs 6-4. In the bottom of the 3rd inning Alou had an RBI double. In the top of the 4th right fielder Darren Bragg had an RBI ground-out. In the top of the 5th Chipper Jones smacked a 2-run home run, and third baseman Vinny Castilla had an RBI single. In the bottom of the 6th Eric Karros hit a solo home run. In the top of the 8th Chipper Jones belted a 2-run home run, and in the bottom of the 8th Karros hit a solo home run. Miller then had an RBI double in the bottom of the 9th, but Chicago would fall short.

In the deciding Game 5 on October 5 at Turner Field, the Cubs won 5-1 to eliminate the Braves. Kerry Wood pitched 8 innings and gave up 5 hits, 2 walks and 1 run, but recorded 7 strikeouts. In the top of the 1st inning Alou had an RBI single. In the top of the 2nd Alex Gonzalez hit a solo home run, and then in the top of the 6th Ramirez clubbed a 2-run home run. Right fielder Gary Sheffield grounded into a force-out at second base to score shortstop Rafael Furcal in the bottom of the 6th, but Tom Goodwin’s RBI double in the top of the 9th silenced Atlanta for good.

In the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins, the Chicago Cubs seemed primed to finally return to the World Series as they had a 3 games to 2 lead going into Game 6 on October 14 at Wrigley Field. However, during Florida first baseman Derrek Lee’s at-bat in the top of the 8th inning, a foul ball was hit toward the left field bleachers, though Moises Alou appeared to have an opportunity to catch the foul ball. Along with a group of other Cubs fans down the left field line, Steve Bartman reached out for the foul ball and made contact with it, but he had also come in contact with Alou simultaneously.

After this incident and a series of Cubs defensive blunders, the top of the 8th would snowball into an 8-run rally in favor of the Florida Marlins, who would go on to win Game 6 and Game 7 to win the National League pennant. The Marlins then defeated the New York Yankees 4 games to 2 to win the 2003 World Series. The Chicago Cubs only needed 5 more outs to possibly change baseball history.