1998 Cubs

[USSoccer]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow-I just went and looked up the Cubs statistics from that year, and that led me to the MVP voting that year-not only did Sosa win the MVP, but 2 other Cubs were among the 24 who got at least 1 MVP point. Anyone know without looking who those two other Cubs were?

 

Just a guess but Kerry Wood and Mark Grace

 

Those are two good guesses, but surprisingly neither of those is right.

 

Beck and Tapani?

 

Beck is correct-Tapani is incorrect.

 

Henry Rodriguez is the other one, then.

 

You would think so-but that is incorrect also. Beck is the first one, still waiting on the second one.

 

Mulholland?

[Banedon]

You would think so-but that is incorrect also. Beck is the first one, still waiting on the second one.

 

Gaetti?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Someone was dumb enough to vote for 1-Dog?

[daske17]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow-I just went and looked up the Cubs statistics from that year, and that led me to the MVP voting that year-not only did Sosa win the MVP, but 2 other Cubs were among the 24 who got at least 1 MVP point. Anyone know without looking who those two other Cubs were?

 

Just a guess but Kerry Wood and Mark Grace

 

Those are two good guesses, but surprisingly neither of those is right.

 

Beck and Tapani?

 

Beck is correct-Tapani is incorrect.

 

Henry Rodriguez is the other one, then.

 

You would think so-but that is incorrect also. Beck is the first one, still waiting on the second one.

 

Gaeti?

[CubColtPacer]

Beck and Morandini?

 

This one is correct. Morandini received a point in the MVP voting that year, and Beck received 5.

[Banedon]

Beck and Morandini?

 

This one is correct. Morandini received a point in the MVP voting that year, and Beck received 5.

 

Probably Phil Rogers' vote... :D

[chuckywang]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow, I just looked it up the roster, and you're right. That team had no business winning 90 games at all. Servais, Morandini, Blauser, Hernandez, Alexander??? It's like Major League all over again.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow, I just looked it up the roster, and you're right. That team had no business winning 90 games at all. It's like Major League all over again, plus Sammy.

 

It wasn't all bad. Grace and Morandini had some sexy OBPs, Brant Brown had upwards of 400 PA's with an .850 OPS, and Glenallen Hill had upwards of 150 PA's with a near 1.000 OPS.

[stitchface]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow, I just looked it up the roster, and you're right. That team had no business winning 90 games at all. It's like Major League all over again, plus Sammy.

 

It wasn't all bad. Grace and Morandini had some sexy OBPs, Brant Brown had upwards of 400 PA's with an .850 OPS, and Glenallen Hill had upwards of 150 PA's with a near 1.000 OPS.

 

and he hit a ball onto a roof and then complained about the estimated distance.

[Banedon]

and he hit a ball onto a roof and then complained about the estimated distance.

 

There will be no badmouthing of Glenallen! :D

[Garwilly]

-Going along with that, in his 5th start ever in the majors, he throws one of the best games likely in the decade of the 1990's, pitching a 1 hit, 0 walk, CG shutout and striking out 20 in the process. The only hit is questionable at best. If that play is converted, he pitches a 20 K perfect game.

 

To be totally fair, it would have been a 19 K perfect game.

 

He struck out the 27th out of the game, which wouldn't have happened.

 

 

EDIT: NM< forgot about the DP.

[Big T]

I have to say that this thread has really brightened my day. I came on here wanting to vent about last night and I've put it behind me now.

 

1998 was a great year. I think that I can tell you exactly where I was on about 15 of Sosa's home runs and several other moments from that year. It really doesn't even seem that long ago.

[abuck1220]

The great thing about that team (and to a lesser extent 2003) is that it was compiled by a group of guys who had no right being winners.

 

Micky Morandini and Jeff Blauser were on the downside of their careers, Gary Gaeti was on his last legs, the outfield was a patchwork of seven different guys (the only one of whom worth a darn was Sosa). I mean Jose K-Machine Hernandez was our third baseman!

 

This team more resembled a Royals team than a Wild Card winner. But it was that scrappiness and "us against the league" mentality that got them to the playoffs. Then, unfortunately, they ran out of gas against a 106 game-winning Braves.

 

But what a ride. God, that was fun.

 

Wow, I just looked it up the roster, and you're right. That team had no business winning 90 games at all. It's like Major League all over again, plus Sammy.

 

It wasn't all bad. Grace and Morandini had some sexy OBPs, Brant Brown had upwards of 400 PA's with an .850 OPS, and Glenallen Hill had upwards of 150 PA's with a near 1.000 OPS.

 

yeah, while it may be fun to pretend that team was all about hustle, grit, scrappiness, etc, it's not the case. and while beck (the guy a lot of people think represented this team's scrappiness/guts) may have been gassed at the end of the season, he was pretty good during the regular season (despite a somewhat high whip).

[dalgreen]

I actually liked the 2001 season more than I did the 1998 season. Like 2003, the Cubs had to rely on a team losing a post-season spot vs. the Cubs really winning it. There were some really good moments from 1998, but for some reason I really liked the 2001 team better even though they didn't make the playoffs. I think, to me, it's a waste to make the NLDS if you lose it in three games.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I actually liked the 2001 season more than I did the 1998 season. Like 2003, the Cubs had to rely on a team losing a post-season spot vs. the Cubs really winning it. There were some really good moments from 1998, but for some reason I really liked the 2001 team better even though they didn't make the playoffs. I think, to me, it's a waste to make the NLDS if you lose it in three games.

 

I agree. The 2001 team was a lot of fun to watch. It was excruitating to see them fade in August and September because the first four months of the season were so magical. I know somebody posted the link to the youtube clip with the most amazing ending to a baseball game I have ever seen. Guitierrez was running the bases like a chicken with its head cut off and Chip Caray was going ape in the broadcast booth. Good times.

[UMFan83]

I actually liked the 2001 season more than I did the 1998 season. Like 2003, the Cubs had to rely on a team losing a post-season spot vs. the Cubs really winning it. There were some really good moments from 1998, but for some reason I really liked the 2001 team better even though they didn't make the playoffs. I think, to me, it's a waste to make the NLDS if you lose it in three games.

 

Hey, they were 2 outs from winning game 2!

[UMFan83]

From what I remember, the offense was actually above average. They arguably had an equal 3-4-5 then 2003's Sosa, Alou, Ramirez with Sosa, Grace, Rodriguez.

 

The only bad thing thinking back about the team is that this team won like all other Cubs teams won (you can possibly make 2003 the exception with Prior and Z emerging). For the most part the Cubs signed a bunch of makeshift veterans (Blauser, Morindini) to go along with their other makeshift veterans (Lance Johnson, Rodriguez) and relied on luck (emergance of Wood and Sosa) to crawl into the playoffs.

 

2001 team had the same formula. The teams had to staying power. This is how the Cubs have built teams for years and will continue to build teams.

[Andy]

I was not a Cubs fan yet in 1998 (still adjusting to living in Indiana) so my magical team was 2001. I had a long post during the off-season or early in the season about just how awful that 2001 team outside Sammy was, and yet they got into the fall before fading away, and Sammy had a season much better than anything he did in 1998. Without Bonds's steroids Sammy would've far and away been the MVP.

 

And I watched that Rockies/Cubs game. Probably the most exciting game I've ever watched apart from game 1 of the NLCS in 2003.

[soccer10k]

-Crazy Rob Beck (all season long)

-The one game playoff against SFO. Beating Dusty Baker, Gary Gaietti's huge HR, almost blowing it in the 9th, and ending Joe Carter's career on a popup.

 

If I remember correctly, Beck came into that game with absolutely nothing left in the tank. He had no velocity whatsoever. I believe he got Carter to pop out on an inside pitch that barely broke 70 mph.

 

I remember watching that game with my dad partly because, being a Dodgers fan and avid Bonds-hater, he was actually pulling for the Cubs that day. But I remember Dead-Arm Beck coming in and his fastball was barely topping 80 but he got the job done anyway.

[dalgreen]

I'll also add that it helped in 1998 that we didn't lose key players to that team with injuries. The players also knew their roles and did them pretty well.

[IowaCubsFan]

I was living in Lincoln Park that summer on an internship, and that was the first time I ever got to see a Cubs game at Wrigley in person. My first game that summer I got to see Sammy's first two bombs against Florida in his magical month of June in which he hit 21(!) homeruns.

 

I also remember a late July night game comeback against Montreal in which Henry Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer to take the lead, and seemingly every drunk idiot I sat next to in the bleachers threw their beer cups onto the field.

 

The Brant Brown game was memorable, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my apartment's living room after getting home from class, and as soon as Brown dropped that fly ball I was prone on the carpet, pounding my fist into the floor. My future wife was in shock as well. All I remember hearing was Ronnie's "O NO!!! NOOOO!!!"

 

I think Terry Mulholland pitched every inning of that last series in Houston, or so it seemed. That's why I kind of laugh when I think of pampered princesses like Mark Prior not being able to handle pitch counts of 120 or so, while Mullholland and Beck were absolutely gassed at the end of the season and still found ways to get it over the plate.

 

Steve Trachsel had a perfect game going into the sixth inning in the playoff against San Francisco, if memory serves. I remember seeing Gracie catch that fly ball and thinking, "I'm glad he's going to get another shot at the playoffs."

 

I was on my way back from Great America at night, listening to that Saturday night game against Philly when Glenallen Hill hit the homerun on top of the roof across the street and Wood went yard as well.

 

Good memories.

[dalgreen]

I was living in Lincoln Park that summer on an internship, and that was the first time I ever got to see a Cubs game at Wrigley in person. My first game that summer I got to see Sammy's first two bombs against Florida in his magical month of June in which he hit 21(!) homeruns.

 

I also remember a late July night game comeback against Montreal in which Henry Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer to take the lead, and seemingly every drunk idiot I sat next to in the bleachers threw their beer cups onto the field.

 

The Brant Brown game was memorable, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my apartment's living room after getting home from class, and as soon as Brown dropped that fly ball I was prone on the carpet, pounding my fist into the floor. My future wife was in shock as well. All I remember hearing was Ronnie's "O NO!!! NOOOO!!!"

 

I think Terry Mulholland pitched every inning of that last series in Houston, or so it seemed. That's why I kind of laugh when I think of pampered princesses like Mark Prior not being able to handle pitch counts of 120 or so, while Mullholland and Beck were absolutely gassed at the end of the season and still found ways to get it over the plate.

 

Steve Trachsel had a perfect game going into the sixth inning in the playoff against San Francisco, if memory serves. I remember seeing Gracie catch that fly ball and thinking, "I'm glad he's going to get another shot at the playoffs."

 

I was on my way back from Great America at night, listening to that Saturday night game against Philly when Glenallen Hill hit the homerun on top of the roof across the street and Wood went yard as well.

 

Good memories.

 

And that's why they aren't one of my favorite Cub teams. They seemed to just be happy to make the playoffs.

[UMFan83]

I was living in Lincoln Park that summer on an internship, and that was the first time I ever got to see a Cubs game at Wrigley in person. My first game that summer I got to see Sammy's first two bombs against Florida in his magical month of June in which he hit 21(!) homeruns.

 

I also remember a late July night game comeback against Montreal in which Henry Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer to take the lead, and seemingly every drunk idiot I sat next to in the bleachers threw their beer cups onto the field.

 

The Brant Brown game was memorable, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my apartment's living room after getting home from class, and as soon as Brown dropped that fly ball I was prone on the carpet, pounding my fist into the floor. My future wife was in shock as well. All I remember hearing was Ronnie's "O NO!!! NOOOO!!!"

 

I think Terry Mulholland pitched every inning of that last series in Houston, or so it seemed. That's why I kind of laugh when I think of pampered princesses like Mark Prior not being able to handle pitch counts of 120 or so, while Mullholland and Beck were absolutely gassed at the end of the season and still found ways to get it over the plate.

 

Steve Trachsel had a perfect game going into the sixth inning in the playoff against San Francisco, if memory serves. I remember seeing Gracie catch that fly ball and thinking, "I'm glad he's going to get another shot at the playoffs."

 

I was on my way back from Great America at night, listening to that Saturday night game against Philly when Glenallen Hill hit the homerun on top of the roof across the street and Wood went yard as well.

 

Good memories.

 

And that's why they aren't one of my favorite Cub teams. They seemed to just be happy to make the playoffs.

 

Honestly, Brant Brown catches that ball, we wrap things up on the last day of the season, Mark Clark doesnt pitch game 1 and we might have been competitive in that series. We were very competitive in the last 2 games of the series. Should have won game 2, could have won game 3.

[dalgreen]

I was living in Lincoln Park that summer on an internship, and that was the first time I ever got to see a Cubs game at Wrigley in person. My first game that summer I got to see Sammy's first two bombs against Florida in his magical month of June in which he hit 21(!) homeruns.

 

I also remember a late July night game comeback against Montreal in which Henry Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer to take the lead, and seemingly every drunk idiot I sat next to in the bleachers threw their beer cups onto the field.

 

The Brant Brown game was memorable, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my apartment's living room after getting home from class, and as soon as Brown dropped that fly ball I was prone on the carpet, pounding my fist into the floor. My future wife was in shock as well. All I remember hearing was Ronnie's "O NO!!! NOOOO!!!"

 

I think Terry Mulholland pitched every inning of that last series in Houston, or so it seemed. That's why I kind of laugh when I think of pampered princesses like Mark Prior not being able to handle pitch counts of 120 or so, while Mullholland and Beck were absolutely gassed at the end of the season and still found ways to get it over the plate.

 

Steve Trachsel had a perfect game going into the sixth inning in the playoff against San Francisco, if memory serves. I remember seeing Gracie catch that fly ball and thinking, "I'm glad he's going to get another shot at the playoffs."

 

I was on my way back from Great America at night, listening to that Saturday night game against Philly when Glenallen Hill hit the homerun on top of the roof across the street and Wood went yard as well.

 

Good memories.

 

And that's why they aren't one of my favorite Cub teams. They seemed to just be happy to make the playoffs.

 

Honestly, Brant Brown catches that ball, we wrap things up on the last day of the season, Mark Clark doesnt pitch game 1 and we might have been competitive in that series. We were very competitive in the last 2 games of the series. Should have won game 2, could have won game 3.

 

Yeah, and Giant fans can say had they won at Colorado there wouldn't have been a 163rd game of the season. Or had we won at Houston there wouldn't have been a 163rd game. I still remember Javy Lopez hitting that game-tying homer off of Tapani, who missed his location by four+ inches.

[UMFan83]

I was living in Lincoln Park that summer on an internship, and that was the first time I ever got to see a Cubs game at Wrigley in person. My first game that summer I got to see Sammy's first two bombs against Florida in his magical month of June in which he hit 21(!) homeruns.

 

I also remember a late July night game comeback against Montreal in which Henry Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer to take the lead, and seemingly every drunk idiot I sat next to in the bleachers threw their beer cups onto the field.

 

The Brant Brown game was memorable, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my apartment's living room after getting home from class, and as soon as Brown dropped that fly ball I was prone on the carpet, pounding my fist into the floor. My future wife was in shock as well. All I remember hearing was Ronnie's "O NO!!! NOOOO!!!"

 

I think Terry Mulholland pitched every inning of that last series in Houston, or so it seemed. That's why I kind of laugh when I think of pampered princesses like Mark Prior not being able to handle pitch counts of 120 or so, while Mullholland and Beck were absolutely gassed at the end of the season and still found ways to get it over the plate.

 

Steve Trachsel had a perfect game going into the sixth inning in the playoff against San Francisco, if memory serves. I remember seeing Gracie catch that fly ball and thinking, "I'm glad he's going to get another shot at the playoffs."

 

I was on my way back from Great America at night, listening to that Saturday night game against Philly when Glenallen Hill hit the homerun on top of the roof across the street and Wood went yard as well.

 

Good memories.

 

And that's why they aren't one of my favorite Cub teams. They seemed to just be happy to make the playoffs.

 

Honestly, Brant Brown catches that ball, we wrap things up on the last day of the season, Mark Clark doesnt pitch game 1 and we might have been competitive in that series. We were very competitive in the last 2 games of the series. Should have won game 2, could have won game 3.

 

Yeah, and Giant fans can say had they won at Colorado there wouldn't have been a 163rd game of the season. Or had we won at Houston there wouldn't have been a 163rd game. I still remember Javy Lopez hitting that game-tying homer off of Tapani, who missed his location by four+ inches.

 

Thats another thing, he shouldn't have been in to start the 9th, but pen members like Beck and Mullholland were so gassed trying to get the Cubs into the playoffs, Tapani had to keep going