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Who's The Worst Cub Of All Time?

We cannot say this with any definitive proof, but we now have a tool by which we can make a pretty good guess, courtesy of David Pinto's wonderful Baseball Musings' Day By Day Database.

What this does is sort each team's players by team games won and lost while that player was in the game. The dataset used comes from Retrosheet, which means it goes back to the beginning of the 1957 season (that's as far back as Retrosheet has every single game so far), fifty years' worth.

I ran the data. Save yourself time, it takes a long time to load (and would take forever if you're on a dialup connection). All the results are here if you want to look, but here are some of the highlights:

  • The "best" player over the last 50 seasons was Raul Gonzalez, who played in three games in 2000. The Cubs won all of them, no mean feat for that 97-loss club. I confess I have little memory of Raul.
  • Only five other players over the last 50 seasons never played in a losing game in a Cub uniform, and there are a couple of interesting names here: Jim Woods (2 games), Jason Smith (2 games), Dave Dowling (one game, a two-run CG win as a pitcher), Tony LaRussa (yes, THAT LaRussa, one game, Opening Day 1973 -- he scored the winning run as a pinch runner, and it was the last ML game he ever played), and Adam Greenberg (you probably remember that one!).
  • The player with the best winning percentage in Cub appearances after the six "undefeateds" is Randy Myers; the Cubs were 136-33 (.805) in his 169 games in a Cub uniform. Not surprisingly, many closers -- Lee Smith, Joe Borowski, Bruce Sutter, even Ryan Dempster (112-48, .700) appear near the top of the list.
  • Great Cubs of the recent past: Don Kessinger, .488, Glenn Beckert, .488, Andre Dawson, .488, Ryne Sandberg, .483, Sammy Sosa, .480, Mark Grace, .479, Ron Santo, .478, Billy Williams, .471, Ernie Banks, .452. The only Cub of note who played in a significant number of games and finished over .500 (and that, just barely) was Randy Hundley (472-471, .501).
  • 63 unfortunate ballplayers wore a Cub uniform over the last fifty seasons without ever appearing in a Cub victory. It'd be too time-consuming (and might freak you out too much) to name them all, but here are the bottom two: Wayne Schurr, a right-handed relief pitcher who threw in 26 games, all losses, in 1964; and Jack Warner, another righty reliever who pitched in parts of four seasons (1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965), appearing in 32 games without ever participating in a victory.
This is either fun or depressing. Or both. Enjoy. Hat tip to the SB Nation Marlins site Fish Stripes for the link and idea.

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Ryan Dempster
is 17-1 against the Cardinals since April of 2000....make of it what you will.

by Neifi Puppy on Jan 30, 2007 9:23 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

the worst cub of all time.....?
TODD HUNDLEY....Hands Down!!
CARL CRAWFORD, PLEASE!!!

by southerncubbie on Jan 30, 2007 9:34 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

There is no doubt in my mind
That the karma of dumping Todd Hundley for Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek offsets all of the other bad trades in Cubs history.

Hundley was awful....simply terrible.  I never knew a baseball player could be as awful as he was.

by Chadnudj on Jan 30, 2007 10:37 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

There have been...
... plenty of Cubs who played that badly.

But Hundley was a jerk about it, too. That's what made him intolerable.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 10:41 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hundley
...and he was paid a king's ransom, to boot.

by jjo31420 on Jan 30, 2007 2:41 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

worst cub
Hundley is defintely the worst of all time, followed closely by Warren Brusstar.

This is my first-ever blog.

by rynofan23 on Jan 30, 2007 3:36 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'd heard..
that he was a jerk all the way back to high scool at Fremd. A guy I talked to about him said that Hundley used to go around the bases backwards after homering...definition of a jerk..
Well, sometimes nothin is a real cool hand.

by wicubfan on Jan 31, 2007 7:19 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have had that confirmed....
... by someone I know who was at Fremd at the same time he was.

A shame, because he did have baseball talent, which he squandered.

Not before getting $24 million for it, though.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 31, 2007 9:05 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Jim Woods
 I remember Woods as being touted as the 3rd base fixture for many years on the Cubs (according to his Topps baseball card).  However, a guy named Santo came up & made him & Al Dark expendable.  We got an aging Ritchie Ashburn for them, and he DID give us two years of decent defense in CF. Until Rick Monday came along in 1976, he was the best I'd seen on the Cubs in center. (pretty sad in itself).

by KedzieKid on Jan 30, 2007 9:37 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Now that you mention it...
... there was an article about Woods in the Tribune magazine a year or two ago; he was a Chicago native, went to Lane Tech, and was signed right out of high school (I guess the Cubs figured they were getting another Cavarretta). He was, as you see on his page, in the major leagues just a few days after his 18th birthday, not nearly ready to be so, and IIRC the article said that he sort of lost the passion for playing the game, and after the Phillies were going to send him down following the 1961 season, he quit and came back to Chicago.

If I can find an online link to that article, I'll post it.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 9:48 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Worst cub
Great research. Very interesting stuff. Surprising to see how many of the Cub greats had below .500 records with the team.
"Eighty-five percent of the $#@&$ world's working! The other 15 come out here! A %&$&# playground for the $&&*@!"

by danimal15 on Jan 30, 2007 10:04 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Raul Gonzalez
Just looked up his stats for the year - 3 games, 2 AB, 2 strikeouts, no chances in the field.

by HolyMackeral on Jan 30, 2007 10:19 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Six Degrees to Raul Gonzalez
This is of course, totally meaningless, but Raul is my wife's best friend's sister-in-law's husband.

Once again, that it is..

* My wife's ---> best friend from college ----> husband's ----> sister's----> husband. By all accounts, he is a very good husband and a nice guy.

Last I heard, he was in Puerto Rico looking for a gig.

Throw Jacque Jones down the well, so the Cubs will be free...

by Ross on Jan 30, 2007 12:36 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Relievers
I'd have to throw Danny Young and Brian Williams out there for consideration.

DmL

by dmlichte on Jan 30, 2007 11:50 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My Vote
Worst has to be The Rifleman - Chuck Connors.
wccubfan

by wccubfan on Jan 30, 2007 11:50 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Not all closers near the top
Dave LaRoche is 27 and 68.  He's still my choice for worst Cub in my lifetime.  I still don't think there was anyone who was good both before and after he was a Cub and was so awful as a Cub.  

by rlpete on Jan 30, 2007 12:39 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Darold Knowles.
Career stats.

We used to call him "the Torch" for the way he lit up opponents' rallies when he'd come in from the bullpen as a Cub. How he managed 15 saves in a year (1975) when he had a 5.81 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP is beyond me.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 12:43 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The Torch
That's really not a fair nickname.  He was a better than average relief pitcher.  In 1975 he had a bad year, in 1976 he had an ERA+ of 134.   And with Oakland and Washington he was quite good.  He posted an ERA+ of 208 with Oakland in 65 innings.   He only got 11 saves, but the closer with that team was some guy named "fingers".

A Hall of Famer? No way.  A Hall of the Very Good.  No, not really, but certainly not a candidate for the worst player in franchise history.   And on one of the teams that he played on (the Second Washington Senator Team), looking only on their time in DC, he might well be one of the top 10 players in their franchise history, perhaps top 5.  (Frank Howard's an easy number one)

by frustratedfan on Jan 30, 2007 1:43 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That was the point, though...
... that he was much better with other teams, before and after he was a Cub. I grant you that his '76 season was better than his '75. The Cubs got a serviceable pinch-hitter (Gene Clines) in trade for him before the 1977 season.
"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 1:53 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

LaRoche was worse than Knowles and Rojas
Here are LaRoche's ERA+ for 1970 through 1978.  

105, 130, 114, 68, 80, 173, 156, 112, 129

Can you guess which 2 years he was a Cub?  I can't think of anyone else that stunk this bad just as a Cub.    

For a closer to have an ERA+ of 68 is really an achievement since that doesn't even include the numerous inherited runners he also allowed to score.  For as much as everyone hated Dempster last season, his ERA+ was 96.  The awful Mel Rojas was 97 in his only season.

LaRoche's ratio was 1.54 (1973) and 1.64 (1974).  Rojas' was 1.424 in 1997.  Granted Darold Knowles 1975 season with an ERA+ of 66 and a 1.619 ratio was just as bad as LaRoche.  I actually didn't realize how bad it was but he redeemed himself somewhat in 1976.  LaRoche was just plain awful in his only 2 seasons.              

by rlpete on Jan 30, 2007 4:48 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

ACK!
Did you have to remind us?

;)

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 12:59 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

one thing I found interesting...
was Angel Guzman, the Cubs are 1-14 when he plays, a whopping .067 winning percentage

by DTJchris on Jan 30, 2007 1:10 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My personal favs are
Dave Smith or Candy Maldonado courtesy of Larry Himes
"A study in the Washington Post says that women have better verbal skills than men. I just want to say to the authors of that study: "Duh." ~Conan O'Brien

by talkingcubs on Jan 30, 2007 1:14 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

A similiar concept
I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this, but there's another Cubs blog that's been running a feature similiar to this diary. (Disclaimer: I'm in no way affiliated with this blog.) It's given me a chuckle or two, so I thought I'd pass it along.
I didn't have the ball, bitch!

by dat cubfan daver on Jan 30, 2007 1:27 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Clearly...
Neifi! Booo, Neifi!

by StanfordCub on Jan 30, 2007 1:41 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This is kind of random...
but on Sunday I was watching the Cubs-Red Sox game that Maddux hit a homerun in, and the Yankees-Cubs game that Carlos pitched.  In both of those Neifi and Corey batted 1-2. I smiled when Len read the lineups.
"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Jan 30, 2007 3:35 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Also...
I was horrified during one of those games when I saw someone wearing number 19 that did not have red hair.
"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Jan 30, 2007 3:36 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

another candidate
I agree with most of the other names that have been mentioned, but one I haven't yet seen is Danny Jackson. He may not have been the all-time worst Cub, but he was one of the most disappointing. Expectations were so high for him, (and he was paid very well), but he didn't even come close to delivering.

Same for Jose Guzman - who never did anything for the Cubs after the near no-hitter he threw in his first start. Another pitcher for whom the hype didn't get matched with performance.

"Eighty-five percent of the $#@&$ world's working! The other 15 come out here! A %&$&# playground for the $&&*@!"

by danimal15 on Jan 30, 2007 3:06 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Kevin Orie, Ty Griffin
Only because I wasted a crapload of money (at least a lot when I was younger) on their rookie cards.
I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 30, 2007 5:36 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have to mention
Hee Seop Choi, mainly because of some of the potential hype building around him - and my old man trying to suprise me with his rookie card.....
Only to open it and discover I was the proud owner of a vintage K.J. Choi card.  

Classic.

by Lost In Cubs Nation on Jan 30, 2007 6:14 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Over 164 games...
the Cubs are 47-117 (.287) with Will Ohman.
Wrigley Field + crosswind = hilarity!

by Troop EY on Jan 30, 2007 7:00 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have to mention
Dusty Baker......I just have to mention Dusty Baker.

by deadcatbounce on Jan 30, 2007 7:20 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Actually, that would make a good thread.
We have talked at length about the worst Cubs player of all-time, how about the worst
manager(s)?  My vote, and this was a few years before my time, goes to Preston Gomez, who managed most of a last-place, 98-loss season in 1980 (he was canned at the end of July of his first and only season as Cubs manager).  Actually, you could make a case for Gomez as the worst manager in Major League history.  In seven seasons of managing San Diego, Houston, and the Cubs, Gomez had only one team that did not finish in last place.  Now that is consistency!  

The worst manager in my time as a Cubs fan (since 1984)?  I would have to say Gene "Stick" Michael (1986-87).  

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Jan 31, 2007 10:08 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

As I said in your manager thread...
... Jim Essian. Not only did he suck in his half season with the Cubs, he never got another job in baseball.
"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 31, 2007 10:33 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Wasn't he in the Cubs Front Office for a while?
I think I remember seeing his name in the Cubs' front office staff for a couple of years after they canned him as manager.  But it was some ridiculous, completely fake job title like "Special Player Consultant".  They should have put an asterisk next to his name that said, "We're just keeping him on the payroll for three more years so he can at least be on the Tribune pension plan."    
"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Jan 31, 2007 6:08 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Great piece...
Which I will be stealing for AZ SnakePit real soon. :-) However, in Jack Warner's defense, his record is actually 0-32-1, since he played in the April 12th 1965 10-10 tie against the Cardinals.

by AZ Snakepit on Jan 30, 2007 8:19 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Thanks for that!
Jack Warner, wherever he is, will thank you, too.
"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 30, 2007 8:40 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The 10-10 Wrigley Field opener in '65
is not considered a game.  Only the stats count from that game which led Mike Shannon of the Cards to say, "The season hasn't even started and I'm already 0 for 4."

by TR on Jan 30, 2007 11:55 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

What do you mean by...
... "is not considered a game". Yes, it's a game -- a tie game.

There are far fewer tie games in the major leagues today, due to suspended game rules, etc. But they still exist, and yes, they count. It's the reason Ron Santo and Billy Williams co-hold the club record for games played, 164 in 1965. There was another tie, the second game of a doubleheader on May 31 against the Mets. Ernie Banks had 163 games played that year.

Only one man -- Maury Wills in 1962 -- has played more than 164 games in a season, and it took the three-game playoff (considered regular season games) against the Giants to do it.

Tie games are absolutely considered "games". They simply don't have a winner or loser.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 31, 2007 4:13 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I should have said they do not
figure in the team's final record which, to a player, Mike Shannon in this case, would make them something less than a game.  You're right, the ties are listed in the final standings though they are meaningless except for anything but stats.

by TR on Jan 31, 2007 8:28 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have always felt...
... that all such games should be suspended and completed later. Today, most of them are; I think the same should be true of rain-shortened games.
"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al on Jan 31, 2007 9:31 AM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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