The Top 100 Cubs Of All Time - Ivan DeJesus

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 8:17 AM CST in Top 100 Cubs

Bio written by BCB reader flyingdonut

Note from Al: The fact that DeJesus is #100 on the list, and thus the first in the series to appear, is strictly a coincidence (though a heck of one!), as I had completed the list long before DeJesus was hired this week as Lou Piniella's "Special Assistant".

DeJesus hit .261/.329/.336 in 768 games as a Cub, with 756 hits in 2900 at-bats, 14 HR, and 154 stolen bases.

Ivan DeJesus' career stats from baseball-reference.com

Ivan DeJesus was the Cubs starting shortstop from 1977-1981. Named the 100th best shortstop of all time by Bill James in the Historical Baseball Abstract, the slick-fielding, light-hitting DeJesus is best known to Cubs fans as being the main part of the trade with the Philadelphia Phillies in January, 1982 that brought Ryne Sandberg to Chicago.

DeJesus was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 1969, and broke in with Los Angeles in 1974. He played 88 games for the Dodgers, mostly in defensive situations. On January 11, 1977, he was traded to the Cubs along with Jeff Albert and Bill Buckner for Rick Monday and Mike Garman. Installed as the starting shortstop, DeJesus responded with a fine year, leading the Cubs in AB, runs, hits, triples and stolen bases, as the Cubs led the National League Eastern Division as late as August 5 before collapsing down the stretch.

DeJesus followed up his 1977 season with another strong season in 1978, leading the National League in runs with 104, while leading the Cubs in AB, runs, hits and stolen bases. The Cubs finished 79-83, collapsing down the stretch. DeJesus had perhaps his best overall season in 1978, hitting .283 in 636 AB with an on base percentage of .345. James, in his 1979 Baseball Abstract, listed Ivan as the third best shortstop in the league, and the third best player on the Cubs, behind Kingman and Sutter. The Cubs had another mediocre season, finishing 80-82, and fired Herman Franks with seven games remaining.

DeJesus was named the best player on the Cubs in 1980 in the 1981 Baseball Abstract, which probably said something about the Cubs. In his Age 27 season, DeJesus slipped to .259, usually hitting first or second in the batting order. The Cubs cratered to a 64-98 record. In that year, he had the best game of his career, on April 22 vs. the Cardinals, going 5-for-6 and hitting for the cycle.

DeJesus' last season with the Cubs was the strike-shortened 1981 season, which had one of the worst Cubs teams over the past 60 years, as the team finished 39-64. DeJesus had the worst season of his career, falling to a .194 batting average in 403 AB, with a stunning .233 slugging percentage, the worst in the National League for a starter. In one of the best trades in Cubs history, new Cubs GM Dallas Green traded DeJesus to the Phillies on January 27, 1982 for Bowa and a throw-in 3B named Sandberg.

DeJesus served as the Phillies starting shortstop from 1982-1984, playing in the World Series in 1983. He was traded to the Cardinals in April, 1985, where he appeared in his second straight World Series. He was granted free agency from the Cardinals in 1985, and kicked around baseball for the next three years, playing his last game with the Tigers in July, 1988.

Since retiring from the majors DeJesus has been coaching and managing in the minor league systems - with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 1990-91, Seattle Mariners in 1992, and as a coach with the Houston Astros organization starting in 1994. Since 2001 DeJesus has been a manager with various Astros minor league teams, and received the 2003 Player Development Man of the Year award. DeJesus was named the 2005 Carolina League Manager of the Year after guiding Salem within one game of the playoffs. He finished 2006 as the manager of the Greenville Astros, Houston's Appalachian League team.

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DeJesus

Ivan DeJesus and Manny Trillo formed an electric double play combo. That is until that idiot Bob Kennedy (who, by the way, Jim Hendry bears remarkable similarity) traded Trillo for Barry Foote (ugh), Jerry Martin (ugh) and Ted Two Pack Sizemore (ugh).

by BlueMike on Nov 10, 2006 8:14 AM CST reply actions

Sizemore...

... was not only a useless player, he had a really bad attitude; he had to be dumped to the Red Sox 2/3 of the way through his only season as a Cub, for backup catcher Mike O'Berry.

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 8:19 AM CST up reply actions

Please don't remind me

I cried the day the Cubs traded Manny Trillo. Next to Billy Buck, he was my favorite Cub. And a massively underrated player.

by BlueMike on Nov 10, 2006 8:26 AM CST up reply actions

And Jerry Martin

had a drug problem.

Great trade, that. Of course, this discussion should be under a Manny Trillo topic.

We traded Ivan DeJesus for Ryne Sandberg. That overshadows everything else he's done as a Cub.

by Josh Timmers on Nov 10, 2006 2:08 PM CST up reply actions

Ivan DeJesus

is the 100th best player in Cubs history? Yikes.

by Jhoratio on Nov 10, 2006 9:06 AM CST reply actions

Yikes, indeed

I'd definitely put him in my top 1,000, however.

That's a great picture of good old number 11. Looks like it was taken on fan photo day in either 1978 or 1979. I was at both of those days, and was so excited to be allowed to go out onto the field with my camera. Unfortunately, I was rather short (being all of 8 years old), so it was a bit hard for me to see all the players. But I do remember the huge crowds surrounding Dave Kingman on the 1979 photo day.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 9:26 AM CST up reply actions

Good Lord

I'm not saying it's wrong, especially since you said you were weighting toward modern day players. But top 100? Speaks sadly of how brutal the Cubs have been since, oh say, 1938. With things weighted to the more recent I look forward to reading about #85, Al Spangler #76, Ray Burris and of course # 64, Shane Andrews.

by TR on Nov 10, 2006 10:39 AM CST reply actions

Without revealing too much...

... trust me, none of the players you mention are on the list. DeJesus was a far better player than any of them.

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 11:00 AM CST up reply actions

DeJesus

was a pretty darn good ballplayer for a decent stretch with the Cubs. He was an excellent shortstop and not too shabby of a leadoff hitter under Herman Franks.

by BlueMike on Nov 10, 2006 11:37 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed. He was a good SS and fits in

on the list at 100. The Cubs don't have 100 HOF players over the years and as the article points ouit, DeJesus was one of the better SS in the game for a 3 year stretch. He was a favrite player of mine during that period.

In the game where he hit for the cycle, did Foote win that game with a grand slam? If so, then Iattended that one (I am sure there are many here who have attended far more than me, but just trying to recall whether that was the game..either Dejesus or Templeton hit for the cycle the game that I attended, lol...)

by DudeVf1 on Nov 10, 2006 3:45 PM CST up reply actions

Please dont remind me

of Barry Foote, the moustache wearing big fat tuna waste of a catcher. Or Jerry Martin. Or Ted Sizemore.

by BlueMike on Nov 10, 2006 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

Foote

(He of the moustache and bushy, curly hair and fat belly) did indeed win that game with a grand slam). Good memory.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:19 PM CST up reply actions

Thanks!

And I just realized that there is a link to that game's box score in the post--Yes. Foote appeared to check his swing from our vantage point and dropped a grand slam into the RF basket to win the game. It was an awesome game if you love offense.

years later I went to the game v. the Astros that the Cubs won 22-7? I think there were 2 or 3 grand slams hit in that game.

by DudeVf1 on Nov 10, 2006 9:27 PM CST up reply actions

Some perspective on DeJes?s' Aprill 22nd game.

That '80 April 22 game vs. the Cardinals seemed a bit short on pitching talent for both sides... as I see the Cubs Barry Foote and Jerry Martin had a steller day as well - Bob Forsch didn't do too bad for himself either.

DeJesús seems to have done well moving into coaching and I'm glad to see a solid player make our #100 list. I believe it is noteworthy to look at his work ethic as well as plate appearances. I'll agree though, that I'd like to add much more to Cubs playing history to migrate him much farther down the list.

The link led me to http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/X1L_CHN.htm where I killed my lunch strolling down memory lane and got depressed... Coffee time.

Should I start getting excited about the off season roster moves now or wait till October?

by stelmodad on Nov 10, 2006 10:51 AM CST reply actions

Al, it was a joke on how few good players

the Cubs have had since the late 30s. I realize he DeJesus was better than them. That was the point. To list a group of players as good as or better than the giant-thighed shortstop would not have made a point of how bad the Cubs have been. I exaggerated for comic effect. Oh well, nothing less funny than explaining jokes.

by TR on Nov 10, 2006 11:11 AM CST reply actions

We definitely...

... need a joke font here!

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 11:45 AM CST up reply actions

comic effect or heartbreaking effect?

El Jefe

by Reverend Jim Ignatowski on Nov 10, 2006 2:00 PM CST up reply actions

In that picture...

...the dude looks like he's a bobble-head!!!

Granted, DeJesus was before my time (not time on earth, but time at which I could reasonably be expected to comprehend the game of baseball), but what did he weigh? All of 122 lbs, soaking wet?

by Santos L Halper on Nov 10, 2006 11:12 AM CST reply actions

His baseball-reference page...

... says he was 5-11, 175.

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 11:45 AM CST up reply actions

Well his thighs alone weighed 160 lbs.!!!!!!!

I will forever remember Dejesus as having the largest thighs I've ever seen on a baseball player.

by Rotodaddy on Nov 11, 2006 7:22 AM CST up reply actions

You will note

that this picture reflects Cubs attendance at this time. For most weekday games (I think Fridays were excepted) the upper deck was.....CLOSED. I know this is kind of hard for you young'uns to imagine. (You too, Al.)

by Smooth Jazz Man San Diego on Nov 10, 2006 11:27 AM CST reply actions

Duly noted.

I remember watching those games during the summer with my family on tv... it didn't seem weird then to have the games barely attended, but nothing really seems odd as a kid.

These days it seems absurd to not have the park packed for each and every game (day or night). This latter truth has mad it a nuisance trying to get tickets for `family reunion' games - it's also made it too expensive to attend on whim or often.

Should I start getting excited about the off season roster moves now or wait till October?

by stelmodad on Nov 10, 2006 12:08 PM CST up reply actions

upper deck

I remember when it used to be closed. With only 5,000 to 10,000 people there, you didn't need an upper deck. Just for history's sake, I'd be interested in finding out when the last time they played with it closed was. My guess would be 1981 or 1982.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:22 PM CST up reply actions

I'm guessing 1981...

... because with the ownership change in 1982, I think that's when they started selling season tickets in the upper deck, and opened it every day.

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 8:23 PM CST up reply actions

That makes sense

The Tribune came along with "Building a new tradition" and started modernizing the ballpark. But attendance didn't really start climbing until 1984. It's never been the same since.

One game I fondly remember was Aug. 10, 1981 - the first game back after the strike. My friend Ronnie and I were 10, and we sat in the bleachers. Everyone who came to the game got handed a color photo of Wrigley. On the back was the message, "Welcome back, Cub fans. You've got Style" (It was sponsored by Old Style).

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:27 PM CST up reply actions

Aug. 10, 1981

I just checked Retrosheet.org and found out that my friend and I were two of the 7,551 who showed up that day to watch the Mets beat the Cubs 7-5 in 13 innings.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:29 PM CST up reply actions

Aug., 10, 1981

Ivan DeJesus went 0 for 5 that day. So did Ken Reitz. Bobby Bonds was 1 for 5. That was one awful lineup. Any team that had to bat Steve Dillard second must have really been struggling.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:33 PM CST up reply actions

The 1981 team...

... was probably the only one in my lifetime that was worse than the 2006 version. That team would have lost well over 100 games if not for the strike.

They were, at various times before the strike: 1-13, 3-17, 5-27, and 10-36 before winning five of their last six before the strike to finish the "first half" 15-37.

Ugh. They were awful.

by Al Yellon on Nov 11, 2006 8:42 AM CST up reply actions

Off-Topic

Does anyone know where I can find a list of all past Cy Young CANDIDATES? Not just the winners but candidates.

by BadGuy on Nov 10, 2006 12:59 PM CST reply actions

Not sure what you mean by "candidates"

... but on baseball-reference.com, you can find the voting results for each year for the Cy Young (and MVP too) here.

by Al Yellon on Nov 10, 2006 1:02 PM CST up reply actions

Ahhhh

I'm an idiot. I was there and didn't even think to click on that little V....

Thanks.

by BadGuy on Nov 10, 2006 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

I think it's funny...

(and NOT a coincidence) that the two biggest steroid users on the lists at the bottom are also the biggest winners.

It says (to me), a) steroids can elevate your game to unbelievable heights and b) steroids won't make you great unless you already have incredible talent.

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -- Albert Einstein

by tyger1147 on Nov 10, 2006 1:56 PM CST up reply actions

I've said this

last time we discussed Ivan DeJesus, but he was my mother's favorite Cub. Whenever she watched a game with me as a kid, she'd see his name on the screen and say "Oh, it's Da JEEZ-us."

I can't think of him without my mother voice in my head.

by Josh Timmers on Nov 10, 2006 2:12 PM CST reply actions

Was '77 the year

that Trillo was batting in the mid-.300s in May and then just absolutely crashed until he was barely batting .300 at the All-Star break? I remember he was really pissed because Franks had started someone in his place a few times and Trillo said, "I'm good enough to start for the National League but not the Chicago Cubs." Anyway, if you'd seen how brutal Trillo looked during that stretch you could hardly blame Franks for sitting him down for a few games.

It's good Trillo made it to the Phillies. He was the type of player who fit in well to a great lineup but could certainly not be couted on offensively to carry much of the load. His offense did pick up a bit when he played in the better lineup in Philly as well. Great defensive player. I used to imitate him when I played second in high school - holding the ball and making the batter bust his ass down to first before throwing him out.

by TR on Nov 10, 2006 4:54 PM CST reply actions

DeJesus

I used to imitate all the Cubs' different batting stances. The one I remember most clearly from the late 1970s was that of Jerry Morales. He held the bat way, way above his head. I remember when Jewel had a promotion giving out color photos of different Cub players, Jerry Morales was one of the ones I got and taped to the wall of my room. Others I had were Pete LaCock, Joe Wallis and Manny Trillo.

by danimal15 on Nov 10, 2006 8:24 PM CST up reply actions