Cubs Players Project Round Up: Two Cardinals Defects and The Man Traded For Theo Epstein

[Brandon Glick]

The Chicago Cubs Players Project continues to receive various updates, including some notable players who spent their prime years with the Cubs' biggest rival.

What is the Players Project? It's a community-driven, wiki-style project focusing on Cubs players of all stripes. It's open to all North Side Baseball users, and we've had contributions from current players, past players, and players who never even made the major leagues but played in the Cubs’ farm system. Create your favorite player today!

Welcome back to our Players Project updates, everyone! The database continues to be filled with notable Cubs players, whether they played their prime years in Chicago or came to Wrigley Field to ride off into the sunset before retirement. This edition of the Players Project round up features a couple of outfielders more known for their exploits with the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as the reliever who served as the main compensation for the Cubs' acquisition of Theo Epstein.

We also ask that members of the community who are interested in the project join us in the forums to discuss what the future of it should look like!

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So Taguchi played professional baseball for 20 seasons, splitting that time between the NPB (12 years) and MLB (eight years). He spent six games of that long career with the Chicago Cubs. Following World Series victories with the Cardinals (2006) and Philadelphia Phillies (2008), The Cubs signed Taguchi as a reserve outfielder, replacing Jim Edmonds' spot on the roster in an effort to give Kosuke Fukodome a teammate he could communicate with more easily. Taguchi slashed .273/.333/.364 (79 OPS+) in 12 plate appearances with the Cubs, becoming only the second player in franchise history to wear No. 99.

 

 

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Speaking of Jim Edmonds, the longtime Cardinals center fielder spent one season with the Cubs in 2008. He produced a 1.1 WAR, .937 OPS half-season in Chicago, even starting in all three of their postseason games in the NLDS where they were swept by the Dodgers. It remains incredibly odd to see him in a Cubs uniform in photos, as he spent most of his career terrorizing Cubs faithful (.930 OPS in 452 career at-bats against the Cubs).

 

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We'll wrap up with Chris Carpenter, not to be confused with the starting pitcher Chris Carpenter, yet another Cardinals icon from the 2000s who tortured Cubs fans for years. No, this Chris Carpenter was a reliever who didn't last long in the major leagues, but he was a notable prospect in the 2011 offseason when the Cubs traded him for Jair Bogaerts — Xander Bogaerts' twin brother. Of course, Jair never suited up for the Cubs, and instead, the lasting legacy of that trade is that Theo Epstein came to Chicago as an "unofficial" part of it.

 

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Of course, other entries, like Carlos González and Jerry Hairston Jr., continue filling up our database. The Chicago Cubs Players Project is open to all North Side Baseball users. If you're a Cubs history buff or just want to dive into the background of your favorite player, come on board!

Please stop by the Players Project by hitting the button below!

 

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