derek lee is one of the most under rated cubs of all time!

@powerpc127

3 жыл бұрын

Not in my book! DLee was the JHey of the 2000's as far as I'm concerned. Wait, is Heyward also underrated?

@nicholasmedovich6729

3 жыл бұрын

@@powerpc127 Moises Alou IMHO was the most underrated

@thedon1570

2 жыл бұрын

@Topper Harley he was neither the man hit over .300 and plus 30 bombs. RACIST.

@DM7817

Жыл бұрын

Agree with most D Lee was solid, not overrated or underrated just appreciated for a few good years in Chicago. Grace and Rizzo both overshadow him though as better 1st basers in Cubs blue.

@ChairmanMeow1

Жыл бұрын

@Topper Harley his 2005 season was pretty damn good

The 2003 Cubs team will always be the "What If" team, but I always refer to the 2004 season as the one that got away. Expectations for the Cubs 2004 season were high. The club and the fans were eager for redemption after their heartbreaking 2003 NLCS loss to the Marlins and were led by the best crop of starters in all of baseball (Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Matt Clement and Carlos Zambrano). They restocked the team by acquiring first baseman, Derrick Lee, catcher Michael Barrett and pitcher Greg Maddux in the off-season. They also welcomed the return of their young superstar, center fielder, Corey Patterson, who was coming back from a knee injury that ended his breakthrough 2003 season in mid-July, the year before. By early June, the Cubs were underachieving. They were in 4th place, barely hovering above .500 and only a game ahead of the last place Pirates. Although their pitching was stellar, the Cubs lost closer, Joe Borowski to injury. Sosa missed significant time to back spasms (caused by a violent sneeze). Patterson regressed from his promising season in 2003, by slumping and displaying poor strike zone judgement (45 Walks, 168 Ks). The offense overall, struggled to score with any consistency. With little chance to catch the red hot Cardinals for the NL Central lead, The Cubs bats woke up in late July as they took aim at the Wild Card lead. They went 33-19, beginning the Friday before they acquired shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra from the Red Sox (In late July) until Sept 24. They eventually took control of the race on Aug 12 and passed up the Padres and Giants. The Padres eventually fell out of the race, while the Cubs and Giants continued to fight for the lead. The Astros had fallen out of contention, 7 games behind. Unfortunately, a series of events completely changed the race. After losing Borowski, Cubs tried unsuccessfully to land a a closer before the trade deadline. When they couldn't acquire one, Baker scrambled for an in-house solution, giving several pitchers a try, including Kyle Farnsworth, Mike Remlinger and Kent Mercker, who all failed miserably. This led to LaTroy Hawkins taking over the role. Hawkins was the Cubs best set-up man, up to that point of the season,. Although Hawkins was adequate as a closer (2.63 ERA), he struggled in close games, blowing 7 of 11 save opportunities with a one run lead. With Hawkins taking over as closer, it left the Cubs without a reliable set up man. Furthermore, a 3 game series vs the Marlins on Labor Day weekend was postponed (due to Hurricane Ivan), forcing several make-up games down the stretch. The Cubs played an incredible 29 games in the final 27 day stretch in Sep/Oct. The loss of off days in between travel, coupled with plenty of road games eventually took its toll on the players, most notably an exhausted bullpen which blew the lead 6 times in a three week span that final month. Meanwhile, the 58-60 Astros, quietly went on a tear, going 34-10 in their final 44 games to get back into the race. Despite all of their challenges, the Cubs still led the Astros and Giants by 1.5 games for the WC lead on Sept 25. With 9 games left, the wheels fell off. They lost 7 of 9 in the final week-and-a-half, including 4 of 6 vs the Mets and Reds (a pair of 4th place teams). Three of those were games the Cubs led late, before the pen coughed up the lead. The Astros (92-70) and Giants (91-71) both passed the Cubs for the final playoff spot, which Houston clinched on the final day of the season. So why did they fail to win the 2004 World Series, or worse yet, even qualify for the playoffs? 1. Perhaps the pressure or the expectations were just too much. The Cubs were expected to repeat as NL Central champs, and were one of the favorites to win the World Series. The 2004 squad was superior to the one that was only 5 outs from going to the Series the year before. The day-to-day scrutiny, as well as the "CURSE" may have weighed too heavily on their shoulders. 2. Maybe it was clubhouse dissension. The once popular Sosa fell out of favor with his teammates and management. The clubhouse was divided and the players were engaged in a nasty war with the team's broadcasters (which led to Steve Stone and Chip Caray leaving the Cubs TV booth at season's end), as well as members of the press covering the team. 3. It could possibly be chalked up to bad timing. Inclement weather, postponements, the excessive travel and immense amount of games they played in the last four weeks of the season definitely took its toll. 4. Possibly, just plain, bad luck. The Cubs expected W/L record based on run differential was 94-68, which would have been more than enough to win the Wild Card. Their run differential was the 3rd best in the NL and their pitching staff gave up the second fewest runs of any team in MLB. Sadly, they were only 19-30 in one run games, which led to the discrepancy in their actual record. It also worth pointing out, that the Cubs had a league worst .141 winning percentage (9-55 record), when they scored 3 or fewer runs and a Major League leading .816 winning percentage (80-18 record) when they scored 4 or more. 2004 will always be the one that got away. The fans would have to endure 11 more seasons of disappointment (including 3 playoff exits), before finally embracing a World Champion Cubs team in 2016.

@rafelinsuero343

5 жыл бұрын

sami Sosa

@patricklee4316

5 жыл бұрын

There was the series, against the Astros in early Sept, where they lost 3 of 4 games. Had they won that series, they probably could have won the wild card.

@ilc3855

5 жыл бұрын

Long post, read it all. I'd like to #5: Dusty being Dusty. Btw I still remember that Saturday loss to the Mets (on 9/25)... Absolutely crushing. Blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth then the "raise the Jolly Roger" walk off in extras. :( That was the beginning of the end

@ogkush1828

4 жыл бұрын

Rocky M A real Cubs fan new they would not recover from that heart break for a long while. I did not expect them to make the playoffs in 04 it’s like the magic that happened 03 was sucked right out of the air to continue on the next season. O well thank goodness for 2016 right???

@MrCubbie87

3 жыл бұрын

I’d also like to note that 2003 Cubs won 88 games and made the playoffs. The 2004 Cubs won 89 games and missed the playoffs. I’ve often wondered which teams in history make the playoffs then the flowing year win more games and miss the playoffs

What a lineup. Alou, Lee, Sosa, Aramis. Only 89 wins....

@rotoninja

7 жыл бұрын

With Nomar added half way as well. :\

@chifanpatt

7 жыл бұрын

That team was far and away better than 2003. Only one more win

@jbobbster

7 жыл бұрын

Letroy Hawkin's blown saves down the stretch really doomed the Cubs.

@hurricanedij3971

7 жыл бұрын

No leadoff man.

@justincaldero5174

6 жыл бұрын

R yea once wood and prior took DL stints that team wasn’t getting passed the cardinals

We seriously had some of the best talent and athletes in the game and couldn't do anything with it. Sammy Sosa, Derrick Lee, Corey Patterson, Moises Alou, Nomar Garciaparra, Aramis Ramirez, Micheal Barret! We had huge Bats and good pitching when they were HEALTHY. That was always the problem our pitching was always out. Like Kerry wood, Mark Prior, Greg Maddox, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster! All great pitchers. 2004 was the best cubs team ever! That's the team that seriously made me a real cubs fan. They were so fun to watch! Wish I could go back and have gotten to go watch them at Wrigley!

@sedrickgipson8088

8 ай бұрын

They was all talented but i think they lacked that competitiveness to win championships

2004, the year LaTroy Hawkins single handedly cost the Cubs a postseason appearance.

I love Derek Lee still remains my fave. that or Soriano

@macipod00

7 жыл бұрын

Daniel Treadwell not really

Forget the players, I miss Steve Stone.

2004 was such a let down....

@hmhm856

7 жыл бұрын

That late September series against the Mets at Shea just ruined their season.

@ChairmanMeow1

7 жыл бұрын

yea it was absolutely brutal at the end :\

@fluffynoses

6 жыл бұрын

2004 and 2008 are my all-time most depressing seasons 2009 had to have been the most disappointing for sure. all the hype of 2008...ruined b/c of that stupid useless fuck Milton Bradley

@musicman76enator

6 жыл бұрын

Doesnt matter anymore now that we won a title in 2016 :-)

@mudoni5160

5 жыл бұрын

Yep, I blame the Dope in the Dugout.

When the wind is blowing out at Wrigley.... 🎇🎆🚀

2004 was such a let down

@hmhm856

7 жыл бұрын

That late September series against the Mets at Shea just ruined their season.

@chifanpatt

7 жыл бұрын

yep

God, I miss Sammy.

@futuregohan4837

4 жыл бұрын

And The Fact That Sosa Was Involved In An Back To Back To Back Home Runs Talk About Overkill

I have the van fan for 60 years

the pitcher that gave up 3 homers for the cubs played 7 games in 2022!

We should have done better with the talent we had.

@netscape82

8 жыл бұрын

+MarliMarl Ovalle The Cubs and Mariners should have done a lot better with all the damn talent that they had in the 90's to the 2000's.

@AlonsoRules

7 жыл бұрын

they did however make brilliant use of their talent in 2016 - CUBS WIN WORLD SERIES

@sedrickgipson8088

8 ай бұрын

Well we had a manager that wasn’t good at winning

Lol Oliver Perez is the remaining active player today from that game

And to do it off 2004 Oliver Perez, who was looking like a mini-Randy Johnson in 2004. He had a nice season in 2004. 2.98 ERA, 240 strikeouts . The best season of his career as a starting pitcher. He had great stuff. He should have had a dominant career, or at least a better career as a starting pitcher.

HRs 30 Lee 31 Sosa 15 Barrett

I lived to see the cubs win the World Series Ativan affair for 60 years

Cubbies HAD the best commentator in baseball ... Steve Stone. Fortunately he is still in town.

I never knew Michael Barrett hit that home run like Piazza with that much power. Yikes hope he didn’t break his bat on that swing

awesomeness but true^^^^^

It bounces off the buildings haha

0:02 0:39 and 1:15 home runs

Coming from a Cubs fan, keep your head up Perez. That was just unlucky

@MrZackavelli

7 жыл бұрын

I realize that. You can still dwell on past failures though after you're done playing. I wouldn't be surprised if a guy like Tim Wakefield still dwells on the 2003 alcs

I blame the Dope in the Dugout.

famguy218 *ONLY* 2004?

I always liked Oliver Perez, but man, he gets shelled sometimes.

@futuregohan4837

6 жыл бұрын

Well Oliver Did Have An 15 Win Season Once

Derek Lee had one good year in Chicago and then disappeared. I wonder what happened. He was one of my favorite Marlins

@Judis91

4 ай бұрын

He broke his wrist. He came back and hit 35 bombs in 2009 with 111 rbis. The year before he hit 20. He didn’t disappear but you try to impress ppl when Albert pujols in the same league as you