What players do you wish would have stayed a Cub for their career

[CubbieBlue]

Obviously one of the big ones would be Greg Maddux or Mark Grace. I was irked when both left via free agency, yet I am happy that at least they got there World Series rings. What other Cubs do you wish never would have left Chicago either by trade or free agency?

One player for me was Paul Assenmacher. I loved this guy coming out of the bullpen. One of the better relievers the Cubs had for a few years, then was given to the Yankees for Tuffy Rhodes who came from the Royals in a three team trade.

Doug Glanville is another player who could have been our everyday centerfielder for a long time. I was a little pissed they traded him for Mickey Morandini but I liked Morandini as well. Just shocked they would trade a guy that just came off a .300 season in his first full season.

Doug Dascenzo was another guy I liked having on the Cubs. More because he was an overall nice guy and played hard than for what he did for the Cubs. Got to meet him and talk to him once, so that was kind of cool and he was right up there as one of my favorite players.

I know I kept a lot of bigger names off.

 

[X]

Augie Ojeda...I loved that guy! haha

 

[grammarita]

Dog Gone

Ones that got away: several lefty relievers to the Dodgers, namely, Ron Perranoski (for Don Zimmer), Jim Brewer (had his jaw broken by Billy Martin), oh, and I'll throw in Steve Wilson, though he wasn't really that significant. Keep in mind that some might never have done much in our organization--a term I must use loosely. Geoff Zahn won 20 in a season after leaving us. I doubt Lou Brock would have become so good with us while trying to roll singles through the jungle we called an infield and then steal bases. Ken Holtzman really helped Oakland, but at that time the AL hardly had any great righthanded hitters except an aging Hank Aaron. Oh, yes, we finally got Holtzman back--at the expense of Ron Davis, who blew away a ton of AL batters. Probably the two I hated to lose the most were Bill Madlock (twice batting champ with us, twice with Pittsburgh) and Greg Maddux. Wouldn't mind having Ricky Nolasco back, and I'd probably trade Ramirez to get Casey McGehee back. One problem: the Brewers wouldn't do it. We missed a bunch of home runs by Raphael Palmeiro, not to mention Viagara ads and steroids.

 

[grammarita]

Sometimes the Best Trades are the Ones You don't Make

Then, again, they can be the worst. Remember Orlando Cepeda and how he helped the Cards to a couple of pennants? Seems he could have been a Cub. Lefty Dick Ellsworth was never able to approach his near-Cy Young season of '63 (only Sandy Koufax could top him), and the Giants offered Cepeda for Ellsworth. "You guys'll have to throw in a young pitcher--what if Cepeda's bad knee gives out?"--Leo Durocher. The Giants said no. Well, the rest is history. The Cards got Cepeda for lefty Ray Sadecki and picked up a World Series in '67. What happened to Ellsworth? Why he was traded for righty Ray Culp, who had a modicum of success with the Cubs. Then Culp, for all intents and purposes, went to Boston for a young lefthanded hitter, Bill Schlesinger. You remember him. Or not. So instead of Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, we ended up with Bill Schlesinger. And now you know--the rest of the story!

 

[grammarita]

Holtzman for Sandberg?

Speaking of threads, how about Ken Holtzman for the very first draft choice, Rick Monday. Monday and, I believe, reliever Mike Garman went to the Dodgers for Ivan DeJesus and Bill Buckner. DeJesus brought us Larry Bowa, and, of course, Ryne Sandberg from Philly. Funny, too, that Buckner went to Boston for Dennis Eckersley, because Buckner, unfortunately and unrighteously became infamous for, " . . . it gets through Buckner's legs and the Mets are going to win it!"; while the eventual great closer Eckersley is often paired with gimpy-kneed Kirk Gibson and, "There's a high fly ball to right field. She is gone! In the year of the improbable, the impossible has happened!" By the way, Eckersley was highly instrumental in our winning in '84, but for whom was he traded? Would you believe four guys? Would you believe I can't name one of them?

 

[WCulbertson]

Kerry Wood. He was the only remaining Cub from my childhood. It just doesn't seem right that he's in the league not in a Cubs uni.

 

[Elmhurst Steve]

Fergie jenkins-after winning 20 or more games 6 years in a row, he had a couple seasons that were not as outstanding, though still very good. he got traded to the Rangers for Bill Madlock and won 24 the following season with the Rangers. he also pitched for the Red Sox, and returned to pitch for the Cubs, before retiring. later he became the pitching coach for the Cubs for a few seasons.

Also Billy Williams...seeing him in an Oakland A's uniform, was horrible. The guy was one of the best pure hitters the Cubs ever had. Hit for average (won a batting title one year) as well as power (over 400 HR's). He was a very good Left Fielder as well. Always a fan favorite, he should have been a Cub for life.

 

[poodski]

Matt Murton mostly comes to mind.

Him and Corey Patterson.

 

[JCM]

I would of loved to see derosa stay as a cub.

 

[JCM]

Matt Murton mostly comes to mind.

Him and Corey Patterson.

Whoa!

CP

but i agree with MM.

 

[WCulbertson]

DeRosa wasn't a career Cub though. He played in Atlanta and Texas before us. But I agree, he's my favorite player (minus Starlin Castro of course).

 

[CubbieBlue]

Ronny Cedeno is another one. I always liked him even though he wasn't a great player.

 

[JCM]

DeRosa wasn't a career Cub though. He played in Atlanta and Texas before us. But I agree, he's my favorite player (minus Starlin Castro of course).

yeah i know, he just one of those players that i wished would of remained with us.

he is a good guy and club house leader.

 

[yoshiki89]

Matt Murton mostly comes to mind.

Him and Corey Patterson.

Matt Murton! YES!!!

:buttrock:

 

[Elmhurst Steve]

I would of loved to see derosa stay as a cub.

But DeRosa came up as an Atlanta Brave and also played for the Texas Rangers, prior to signing with the Cubs. Doesn't that disqualify him from this discussion??

 

[beardown28]

Whoa!

CP

but i agree with MM.

Before the injury CP was actually playing well and looked very promising.

 

[CarlosSilva]

Mark Grace

 

[CubbieBlue]

I think Corey Patterson would have been a good player had they not rushed him and put so much hype on him. I think all the hype fed into his ego and he tried coasting on his pure talent. Felix Pie was the same way.

 

[bossdrb]

DeRosa. Murton.

 

[N3]

Kerry Wood and Mark Grace.