My Favorite Cubs Teams – 2003

For my first major post thinking about past Cubs teams, I wanted to start with the positive. Here is a countdown of my five favorite Cubs’ teams from the history of my fandom.

The one commonality is that these were all playoff teams, as most of the truly memorable non-payoff seasons were only memorable because the Cubs failed to make the playoffs in those seasons – including 2023 (the horrible Arizona series and the Atlanta sweep), 2019 (the Castellanos trade was not enough) and 2004 (another epic collapse).

Some Playoff Teams that did not make the cut: 2020 (the shortened, Covid year), 2007 & 2008 (really good teams who flamed out in the playoffs), and 2018 (losing the 1-game playoff for the division, then the 1-game Wild Card)

2017 is close. The post World Series team was very good, and had the amazing win in Washington to make it to the NLCS. But expectations we so high, that failing to reach the World Series again felt like a disappointment.

#5 – 2003

Obviously, this season was bittersweet, due to game 6 of the NLCS. But the season itself was a revelation. Of all of the Cubs playoff teams, there were probably only one or two that appeared to have the least chance of making the World Series. But except for 2016, this team came the closest.

The Cubs were coming off a 95-loss season in 2002, and while there was some hope centered around a young pitching staff, the thought that they could possibly be a playoff team in 2003 seemed crazy. But 88 wins was enough to win the NL Central, and an upset playoff victory over the Atlanta Braves got the Cubs to the precipice.

Kerry Wood was an established starter, and the Cubs had added another good starter in Matt Clement. The #2 draft pick from a few years befores was also expected to join the rotation full time…Mark Prior. Plus Carlos Zambrano had entered the picture.

The offense was more of a question mark. Sammy Sosa was still around, and the addition of Moises Alou, a proven hitter was a plus. But their other best hitter, Fred McGriff (who hit 30 home runs at 38-years old), left to go to the Dodgers.

Looking back at the offensive stats, it’s kind of amazing the Cubs won 88 games. Sammy Sosa hat the highest WAR among position players with 2.7. Here are the WAR leaders among position players for the Cubs:

2024 – Dansby Swanson 4.0
2023 – Nico Hoerner 5.1
2022 – Nico Hoerner 4.2
2021 – Willson Contreras 4.1
2020 – Jason Heyward 1.5 (Covid season)
2019 – Javy Baez 6.6
2018 – Javy Baez 6.4
2017 – Kris Bryant 5.7
2016 – Kris Bryant 7.3
2015 – Anthony Rizzo 6.4
2014 – Anthony Rizzo 5.6
2013 – Wellington Castillo 4.0 (with Rizzo 2nd at 2.5)
2012 – Darwin Barney 4.6
2011 – Starlin Castro 3.2
2010 – Marlon Byrd – 3.7
2009 – Derrick Lee – 5.4
2008 – Geovany Soto/Mike Fontenot 3.3
2007 – Aramis Ramirez 5.3
2006 – Aramis Ramirez 3.5
2005 – Derrick Lee 7.7
2004 – Aramis Ramirez 4.4
2003 – Sammy Sosa 2.7
2002 – Sammy Sosa 5.8
2001 – Sammy Sosa 10.3
2000 – Sammy Sosa 5.7
1999 – Sammy Sosa 4.8
1998 – Sammy Sosa 6.5
1997 – Mark Grace 4.2
1996 – Sammy Sosa 5.4
1995 – Sammy Sosa 5.3
1994 – Sammy Sosa 3.8
1993 – Rick Wilkins 6.6
1992 – Ryne Sandberg 7.8
1991 – Ryne Sandberg 7.0
1990 – Ryne Sandberg 7.1
1989 – Ryne Sandberg 6.1
1988 – Andre Dawson 4.9
1987 – Andre Dawson 4.0
1986 – Jody Davis 4.0
1985 – Ryne Sandberg 5.9
1984 – Ryne Sandberg 8.5
1983 – Ryne Sandberg 3.7
1982 – Leon Durham 4.6
1981 – Bill Buckner 1.2 (Strike shortened season)
1980 – Tim Blackwell 3.0
1979 – Dave Kingman 4.1
1978 – Ivan de Jesus 3.7
1977 – Ivan de Jesus 2.8
1976 – Rick Monday 4.4
1975 – Bill Madlock 4.9
1974 – Jose Cardinal 2.6

I had to go back 50 years to find a team with a lower leader for position players in WAR for a full season. Although, if the 1981 strike-shortened season had been completed in full, it might have been close. Bill Buckner had a 1.2 WAR over 106 games. The team WAR for position players in 1981 was -3.4.

Of course, WAR takes defense into account, so there are a few seasons where a middle infielder or catcher had the highest WAR, but did very little at the plate. But to have a season where no position player did well enough for a WAR over 2.7 is pretty amazing. For it to occur AND have the team make the playoffs (and 6 outs away from the World Series) is mind-blowing.

Names like Damien Miller, Mark Grudzielanek, Eric Karros, Randall Simon, and Alex Gonzalez played a significant part. The one major bolster to the lineup was the trade for Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton for Bobby Hill, Matt Burbeck and Jose Hernandez – still one of the most favorable trades in Cubs history.

That brings us to the true reason why 2003 was a success: the pitching staff.

Lets look at the top 10 WAR among starting pitchers for the Cubs since 2000

1. 2015 Arrieta 8.3
2. 2003 Prior 7.4
3. 2008 Dempster 6.9
4. 2004 Zambrano 6.6
5. 2003 Wood 6.1
6. 2016 Lester 5.6
7. 2005 Zambrano 5.6
8. 2016 Hendricks / 2003 Zambrano 5.4
9. ^
10. 2014 Arrieta / 2006 Zambrano 5.3
    

Three of those top 10 (11 with a tie) performances came in 2003 including #2 and #5. Only one other season, 2016, had two performances in this list. Plus, Matt Clement had a respectable 2.8 WAR that year.

I’m not sure we’ll ever see a starting staff as dominant as 2003. Again, 2016 with Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks and Lackey were good, but not that good.

The bullpen was effective, but not too deep. Joe Borowski moved into the closer role after an effective 2002, replacing Antonio Alfonseca. Kyle Farnsworth, Mike Remlinger, and Mark Guthrie were the only other effective relievers. This lack of depth would explain Dusty Baker’s reticence to go to the bullpen in big games.

So the question I ask myself is why is this team not higher on my list. Expectations to start the season were somewhat low, which typically leads to more enjoyment when things go well. But, the ending of the season was so disappointing based on how close they were. And even though over 20 years has gone by, that disappointment is still somewhat fresh. The World Series in 2016 took away some of the sting, but not enough to make me think more fondly of what the team accomplished, which is a shame.

Sure there was the Bartman incident. But there was also the Bernie Mac’s premature 7th- inning stretch celebration”curse”, the Alex Gonzalez Error, and Dusty staying too long with his starters in game 6 and 7. Those incidents and decisions overshadow the enjoyment of the season and playoff series victory. But I have always been a fan who would much rather see a team get to the playoffs and fail, as opposed to sparing me the disappointment of post-season failure.

Unfortunately, that disappointment of the moment was also compounded by the longer-term disappointment of the lack of future success for this group. I was extremely confident that a rotation with Prior, Wood and Zambrano would make the Cubs contenders for several years. And, I thought, the offense was only going to get better. But 2004 is a year for a different list. And Mark Prior is one of those players that will always be thought of as missed potential due to injury as opposed to major accomplishments. Kerry Wood had more success and a longer career than Prior, but he was only an effective starter for one more season, and only for 22 starts. Zambrano was the only starter who had continued success from that team, with several successful seasons, a no-hitter, a few home runs, and some general craziness.

So, 2003 only comes in at #5. But for a 40-year long fandom, that really is not that bad.