Cubs 2003 Athletic Article (Greenberg)

[CubinNY]

https://theathletic.com/4890443/2023/10/05/chicago-cubs-2003-season-oral-history/?source=user_shared_article

Even after 20 years it’s still too painful to read until the end. But that season changed everything for Cubs fan’s expectations about the team. And brought to life a little message board that survives to this day. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by CubinNY

[We Got The Whole 9]

Game 1 is not often talked about but we came out and touched Beckett for 4 runs in the first but they slammed Zambrano for 3 homers and 5 runs in the 3rd. Z had allowed just 9 HR in 214 IP and that was a shocker to see. Then Sammy blasted Urbina to tie it in the 9th and erase the narrative around him as a postseason-nothing (even though it was 15 AB lol) and it felt like we were gonna win until Guthrie threw an absolutely awful pitch to Lowell for the eventual GW.

 

I always look at that 2003 team and imagine if we had had the 400 ISO Sammy from just 2 years prior, they probably win 95 games and clinch a couple weeks earlier. Sosa was a 10 win player in 01 and a 3 win player in 03. 

[CubinNY]

16 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Game 1 is not often talked about but we came out and touched Beckett for 4 runs in the first but they slammed Zambrano for 3 homers and 5 runs in the 3rd. Z had allowed just 9 HR in 214 IP and that was a shocker to see. Then Sammy blasted Urbina to tie it in the 9th and erase the narrative around him as a postseason-nothing (even though it was 15 AB lol) and it felt like we were gonna win until Guthrie threw an absolutely awful pitch to Lowell for the eventual GW.

 

I always look at that 2003 team and imagine if we had had the 400 ISO Sammy from just 2 years prior, they probably win 95 games and clinch a couple weeks earlier. Sosa was a 10 win player in 01 and a 3 win player in 03. 

Z was toast by the time the playoffs rolled around. Dusty rode him hard during the season. Prior was too. 

[Brian707]

Yeah game 1, who knows, they win that game its probably a sweep. Although, maybe they don't win game 3. That was a nailbiter. 

[UMFan83]

29 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

slammed Zambrano for 3 homers and 5 runs in the 3rd. Z had allowed just 9 HR in 214 IP

haha I've been toting around that factoid for 20 years.  I think Z was just gassed by that point of the season.  Not sure how many IP he had in earlier minor league/major league seasons but I'm guessing he surpassed his high that season.  He did look pretty sharp for most of game 5 though.

Edited October 5, 2023 by UMFan83

[We Got The Whole 9]

23 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Z was toast by the time the playoffs rolled around. Dusty rode him hard during the season. Prior was too. 

Blah blah I don't buy it. So many HOF pitchers made 100 IP jumps early in their career and showed no ill effects. He was still throwing gas, his command was probably just off. 

[muntjack]

Just re-watched game 3 of the nlds, Prior vs. Maddux .  Prior was ridiculous,  and I had to laugh at my own surprise every inning that Dusty kept sending him back out.  He ended up with over 130 pitches, dominating the best offense in the NL.  Would have rather had him for 10 seasons,  though.  

[Rex Buckingham]

honestly, i was expecting a lot more from the article.  Kind of a blah retelling just hoping to generate clicks based off of Cubs fans being gluttons for punishment.  

[Y2J]

I’ll never forget Kerry’s HR in Game 7. No cell phones. Every fan was living in the moment, hanging on and reacting to every pitch. I still get goosebumps watching that video.