Righty starting pitcher Dennis Lamp pitched really well in 1978 for the 79-83 Chicago Cubs, but they just didn’t give him much run support.  Lamp pitched in 37 games (36 starts) for the Cubs in 1978 and he was 7-15 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  He pitched in 127 games (108 starts) in his four years with the Cubbies and he was 28-41 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.  Lamp had a long career in the majors after leaving the Cubs, but he was just an average pitcher overall in his career.

Righty swinging SS Shawon Dunston was a solid player for the Cubs, but he wasn’t the big-time player that they thought he would be in Chicago.  He played in 1,254 games in his 12 years with the Cubs and he was 1,219 of 4,570 (.267 avg, .702 OPS) with 563 runs scored, 107 homers, 489 RBIs and 175 stolen bases.  Dunston did make it onto the N.L. All-Star team twice (1988 and 1990).  Dunston played in 155 games in 1988 for the Cubs and he was 143 of 575 (.249 avg, .627 OPS) with 69 runs scored, 9 homers, 56 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.  In 1990, Dunston played in 146 games in which he was 143 of 545 (.262 avg, .709 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 17 homers, 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.  Dunston was playing in the shadow of the great Ryne Sandberg when they played together for the Cubbies.

Righty closer Lee Smith was a bad ass for the Chicago Cubs. He came in late in games for the Cubbies for 8 years and he slammed the door on the competition. Smith pitched in 458 games (6 starts) in his 8 years with the Cubs and he was 40-51 with 180 saves, a 2.92 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His best year for the Cubs came back in 1983 when he finished 9th in the N.L. Cy Young Award Voting. Smith pitched in 66 games (0 starts) for the Cubs in 1983 and he was 4-10 with a N.L. leading 29 saves, a 1.65 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Smith was an All-Star two times with the Cubs and he saved at least 30 games four times for them. Smith is still the Cubs’ all-time leader with 180 saves and he is #2 in games pitched with 458 of them. Smith was the all-time leader in saves (478) in major league history for quite a while before Trevor Hoffman (601) and Mariano Rivera (608) passed him up.

Righty swinging shortstop Ernie Banks used to always say “Let’s Play Two!”. He played in 2,528 games in his 19 years with the Cubbies and he was 2,583 of 9,421 (.274 avg, .830 OPS) with 1,305 runs scored, 512 homers, 1,636 RBIs and 50 stolen bases. Banks won back to back N.L. MVPs in 1958 and 1959. He played in 154 games for the Cubs in 1958 and he was 193 of 617 (.313 avg, .980 OPS) with 119 runs scored, 47 homers, 129 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He followed that up in 1959, by playing in 155 games for the Cubs in which he was 179 for 589 (.304 avg, .970 OPS) with 97 runs scored, 45 homers, 143 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Banks had 5 seasons in which he hit at least 40 homers and he knocked in 100+ runs 8 times for the Cubs! Banks was an N.L. All-Star 11 times in his 19 years with the Cubs and he also won 1 Gold Glove. Banks is #1 in games played (2,528) in Cubs’ history. He is also #2 in hits (2,583), #5 in runs scored (1,305), #2 in homers (512), #2 in RBIs (1,636), #3 in doubles (407), #7 in triples (90) and #8 in walks (763) in Cubs’ history. Ernie Banks was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1977.

Righty swinging 2B Ryne Sandberg had an outstanding career with the Chicago Cubs. Sandberg played in 2,151 games in his 15 years with the Cubbies and he was 2,385 of 8,379 (.285 avg, .796 OPS) with 1,316 runs scored, 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 stolen bases. Sandberg won the N.L. MVP Award back in 1984 with the Cubs. He played in 156 games for the Cubs in 1984 and he was 200 of 636 (.314 avg, .887 OPS) with 114 runs scored, 19 homers, 84 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. He also made the All-Star team, won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award in 1984 for the Cubs. Sandberg scored 100 or more runs seven times, he had 30 or more homers twice, drove in 100 runs twice and he stole at least 30 bases in a season five times in his 15 years with the Cubs. Sandberg is #4 in games played with 2,151 in Cubs’ history. He is also #4 in hits (2,385), #3 in runs scored (1,316), #4 in doubles (403), #5 in homers (282), #7 in RBIs (1,061), #4 in steals (344) and #9 in walks (761) in Cubs’ history. Sandberg won 9 Gold Gloves, 7 Silver Slugger Awards and he was selected to 10 All-Star teams in his 15 years with the Cubs. He was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2005 as a Chicago Cub.

The Veterans Committee has inducted 3B Ron Santo into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame on July 22nd in Cooperstown N.Y. Santo made it to nine All-Star Games as a Chicago Cub and he also won 5 Gold Gloves with them. He played in 2,126 games in his 14 years with the Cubbies and he was 2,171 of 7,768 (.279 avg, .838 OPS) with 1,109 runs scored, 337 homers, 1,290 RBIs and 35 stolen bases. Sadly, Ron Santo died last year at the age of 70 due to complications from diabetes. He will be remembered in Chicago was one of best players the Cubs ever had.

Righty swinging Andre “The Hawk” Dawson burst onto the scene for the Chicago Cubs in 1987. Dawson played in 153 games for the Cubs in his first year with the Cubs and he was 178 for 621 (.287 avg, .896 OPS) with 90 runs scored, 49 homers, 137 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Dawson led the majors in both homers and RBIs in 1987. He was the N.L. MVP in 1987 and he also won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger Award and he was on the N.L. All-Star team. Dawson never came close to matching his 1987 with the Cubbies. Dawson played in 867 games in six years with the Cubs and he was 929 for 3,262 (.285 avg, .834 OPS) with 431 runs scored, 174 homers, 587 RBIs and 57 stolen bases. Dawson made it to the All-Star team five times in his six years with the Cubs. He also won 2 Gold Glove Awards and 1 Silver Slugger Award for the Cubs. Dawson was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2010.

Pete (Grover Cleveland) Alexander pitched really well in his time with the Cubs. Alexander’s best season with the Cubs came in 1920. He pitched in 46 games (40 starts) for the Cubs in 1920 and he was 27-14 with 5 saves, a 1.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Alexander led the N.L. in wins, games started, complete games, strikeouts (173) and innings pitched (363 1/3) in 1920. He also led the majors in ERA with his 1.91 mark. Alexander pitched in 242 games (224 starts) in his 9 years with the Cubs and he was 128-83 with 10 saves, a 2.84 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He is #10 in Cubs’ history in complete games with 159 and he is also #7 in Cubs’ history in shutouts with 24 of them. Alexander finished his major league career with 373 career wins and he is tied for #3 in major league history in wins with Christy Mathewson. Alexander was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1938.

Righty starting pitcher Rick Reuschel was a workhorse starting pitcher for some very bad Chicago Cubs’ teams. His best year came in 1977 when he pitched in 39 games (37 starts) for the Cubs in which he was 20-10 with 1 save, a 2.79 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Reuschel finished 3rd in the N.L. Cy Young voting in 1977 and he made the All-Star team for the Cubs that year. Reuschel has now pitched in 358 games (343 starts) in his 12 years with the Cubbies and he was 135-127 with 3 saves, a 3.50 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Reuschel is #8 in Cubs’ history in games pitched with 358. He’s also #2 in games started (343), #6 in innings pitched (2,290) and he’s #5 in strikeouts (1,367) in Cubs’ history. Reuschel was never a dominating pitcher for the Cubs (except in 1977) but he was a solid one when their wasn’t a lot to get excited about at Wrigley Field.

Rick Sutcliffe is a baseball announcer on ESPN broadcasts of MLB but in 1984 he was on top of the world. It didn’t start that way as Sutcliffe was with the Cleveland Indians when that year started. He pitched in 15 games (all starts) for the Indians and he was 4-5 with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. That didn’t stop the Cubs from trading for Sutcliffe and the rest is history. Sutcliffe pitched in 20 games (all starts) for the Cubbies in 1984 and he was 16-1 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He only gave up 123 hits for the Cubs in 150 1/3 innings with 155 whiffs showing how nasty he was for them. Sutcliffe went on to win the N.L. Cy Young Award despite barely playing more than half of the year for the Cubs. He pitched 8 years for the Cubs appearing in 193 games (190 starts) in which he was 82-65 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.