1979 Chicago Cubs season

{{Infobox baseball team season

|name = Chicago Cubs

| image = Chicago Cubs logo.svg

|season = 1979

|misc =

|league = National League

|division = East

|ballpark = Wrigley Field

|city = Chicago

| record = {{winpct|80|82|record=y}}

| divisional_place = 5th

|owners = William Wrigley III

|general_managers = Bob Kennedy

|managers = Herman Franks, Joey Amalfitano

|television = WGN-TV
(Jack Brickhouse, Lou Boudreau)

|radio = WGN
(Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau)

|espntn = chc

|brtn = CHC

|}}

The 1979 Chicago Cubs season was the 108th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 104th in the National League and the 64th at Wrigley Field, and the first to be beamed via satellite and cable television to viewers all over the United States on WGN Television, thanks to a postseason decision by the company management to uplink its broadcast signals via satellite with the help of Oklahoma-based United Video Satellite Group, making them the pioneer superstation in the country's midwest and the Cubs games of that season the third superstation baseball broadcasts live via satellite relay after the Braves and the Yankees.{{cite web|title=Birth of a Nation's Superstation: WGN executives were aghast when the channel was first put up on satellite, but the 'curse' turned into quite the blessing|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-115224993.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105132013/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-115224993.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|author=Kathy Haley|periodical=Multichannel News|publisher=Reed Business Information|date=April 5, 2004}} It was the first season of over 40 to be broadcast all over the country, slowly making the team a national brand. The Cubs finished fifth in the National League East with a record of 80–82. This was the first season in which the players last names appeared on the uniforms but only on the away jerseys. It wouldn't be until 1993 when names would appear on the home jerseys.

Offseason

October 26, 1978: Rudy Meoli was released by the Cubs.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/meoliru01.shtml Rudy Meoli] at Baseball Reference
February 23, 1979: Manny Trillo, Greg Gross, and Dave Rader were traded by the Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies for Barry Foote, Ted Sizemore, Jerry Martin, Derek Botelho, and Henry Mack (minors).[https://www.baseball-reference.com/t/trillma01.shtml Manny Trillo] at Baseball Reference
March 20, 1979: The Cubs traded a player to be named later to the Detroit Tigers for Steve Dillard. The Cubs completed the deal by sending Ed Putman to the Tigers on March 24.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/putmaed01.shtml Ed Putman] at Baseball Reference

Regular season

On May 17, the Phillies beat the Cubs 23–22 at Wrigley Field in ten innings,{{cite web |title=Box Score of Game played on Thursday, May 17, 1979, at Wrigley Field|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=197905170CHN |publisher=Baseball Almanac |access-date=October 13, 2009}} with a 30-mph wind blowing out to left field.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}} This was only the second time since 1913 that both teams scored 20 or more runs in a game, the only previous instance also being a Cubs–Phillies game.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/w7EUj|title=Team Pitching Game Finder, From 1913 to 2017, (requiring tgl_stats.RA>=20)|publisher=Baseball Reference|access-date=August 1, 2017}}

= Season standings =

= Record vs. opponents =

= Notable transactions =

May 23, 1979: Ray Burris was traded by the Cubs to the New York Yankees for Dick Tidrow.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/burrira01.shtml Ray Burris] at Baseball Reference
June 26, 1979: Bobby Murcer was traded by the Cubs to the New York Yankees for Paul Semall (minors).[https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murcebo01.shtml Bobby Murcer] at Baseball Reference
August 17, 1979: Ted Sizemore was traded by the Cubs to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later and cash. The Red Sox completed the trade by sending Mike O'Berry to the Cubs on October 23, 1979.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sizemte01.shtml Ted Sizemore] at Baseball Reference

= Roster =

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
colspan="10" style="background-color: #0e3386; color: white; text-align: center;" \| 1979 Chicago Cubs
colspan="10" style="background-color: #EE1422; color: white; text-align: center;" \| Roster
valign="top" \| Pitchers {{MLBplayer\|34\|Ray Burris}} {{MLBplayer\|35\|Doug Capilla}} {{MLBplayer\|36\|Bill Caudill}} {{MLBplayer\|46\|Dave Geisel}} {{MLBplayer\|38\|Willie Hernández}} {{MLBplayer\|30\|Ken Holtzman}} {{MLBplayer\|39\|Mike Krukow}} {{MLBplayer\|47\|Dennis Lamp}} {{MLBplayer\|40\|Lynn McGlothen}} {{MLBplayer\|49\|Donnie Moore}} {{MLBplayer\|48\|Rick Reuschel}} {{MLBplayer\|33\|George Riley}} {{MLBplayer\|42\|Bruce Sutter}} {{MLBplayer\|41\|Dick Tidrow}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Catchers {{MLBplayer\| 9\|Tim Blackwell}} {{MLBplayer\| 8\|Barry Foote}} {{MLBplayer\| 7\|Bruce Kimm}} Infielders {{MLBplayer\|22\|Bill Buckner}} {{MLBplayer\|29\|Steve Davis}} {{MLBplayer\|11\|Iván DeJesús}} {{MLBplayer\|15\|Steve Dillard}} {{MLBplayer\|20\|Mick Kelleher}} {{MLBplayer\|12\|Steve Macko}} {{MLBplayer\|16\|Steve Ontiveros}} {{MLBplayer\|17\|Kurt Seibert}} {{MLBplayer\| 6\|Ted Sizemore}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Outfielders {{MLBplayer\|26\|Larry Biittner}} {{MLBplayer\|32\|Miguel Diloné}} {{MLBplayer\|24\|Ken Henderson}} {{MLBplayer\|10\|Dave Kingman}} {{MLBplayer\|28\|Jerry Martin}} {{MLBplayer\|32\|Sam Mejías}} {{MLBplayer\| 7\|Bobby Murcer}} {{MLBplayer\|25\|Scot Thompson}} {{MLBplayer\|27\|Mike Vail}} Other batters {{MLBplayer\|18\|Gene Clines}} {{MLBplayer\|45\|Karl Pagel}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Manager {{MLBplayer\| 5\|Joey Amalfitano}} {{MLBplayer\| 3\|Herman Franks}} Coaches {{MLBplayer\| 5\|Joey Amalfitano}} {{MLBplayer\| 2\|Peanuts Lowrey}} {{MLBplayer\| 4\|Mike Roarke}} {{MLBplayer\| 1\|Cookie Rojas}}

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"

colspan="10" style="background-color: #0e3386; color: white; text-align: center;" | 1979 Chicago Cubs

colspan="10" style="background-color: #EE1422; color: white; text-align: center;" | Roster

valign="top" | Pitchers

{{MLBplayer|34|Ray Burris}}
{{MLBplayer|35|Doug Capilla}}
{{MLBplayer|36|Bill Caudill}}
{{MLBplayer|46|Dave Geisel}}
{{MLBplayer|38|Willie Hernández}}
{{MLBplayer|30|Ken Holtzman}}
{{MLBplayer|39|Mike Krukow}}
{{MLBplayer|47|Dennis Lamp}}
{{MLBplayer|40|Lynn McGlothen}}
{{MLBplayer|49|Donnie Moore}}
{{MLBplayer|48|Rick Reuschel}}
{{MLBplayer|33|George Riley}}
{{MLBplayer|42|Bruce Sutter}}
{{MLBplayer|41|Dick Tidrow}}

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Catchers

{{MLBplayer| 9|Tim Blackwell}}
{{MLBplayer| 8|Barry Foote}}
{{MLBplayer| 7|Bruce Kimm}}

Infielders

{{MLBplayer|22|Bill Buckner}}
{{MLBplayer|29|Steve Davis}}
{{MLBplayer|11|Iván DeJesús}}
{{MLBplayer|15|Steve Dillard}}
{{MLBplayer|20|Mick Kelleher}}
{{MLBplayer|12|Steve Macko}}
{{MLBplayer|16|Steve Ontiveros}}
{{MLBplayer|17|Kurt Seibert}}
{{MLBplayer| 6|Ted Sizemore}}

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Outfielders

{{MLBplayer|26|Larry Biittner}}
{{MLBplayer|32|Miguel Diloné}}
{{MLBplayer|24|Ken Henderson}}
{{MLBplayer|10|Dave Kingman}}
{{MLBplayer|28|Jerry Martin}}
{{MLBplayer|32|Sam Mejías}}
{{MLBplayer| 7|Bobby Murcer}}
{{MLBplayer|25|Scot Thompson}}
{{MLBplayer|27|Mike Vail}}

Other batters

{{MLBplayer|18|Gene Clines}}
{{MLBplayer|45|Karl Pagel}}

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Manager

{{MLBplayer| 5|Joey Amalfitano}}
{{MLBplayer| 3|Herman Franks}}

Coaches

{{MLBplayer| 5|Joey Amalfitano}}
{{MLBplayer| 2|Peanuts Lowrey}}
{{MLBplayer| 4|Mike Roarke}}
{{MLBplayer| 1|Cookie Rojas}}

Player stats

style="background:#fc0; border:1px solid #aaa; width:2em;"|

| = Indicates team leader

= Batting =

== Starters by position ==

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" \| Pos ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| RBI
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| C	{{sortname\|Barry\|Foote}}	132	429	109	.254	16	56
align="center" \| 1B	Bill Buckner	149	591	168	.284	14	66
align=center \| 2B	{{sortname\|Ted\|Sizemore}}	98	330	82	.248	2	24
align="center" \| SS	Iván DeJesús	style="background:#fc0;\|160	style="background:#fc0;\|636	style="background:#fc0;\|180	.283	5	52
align=center \| 3B	Steve Ontiveros	152	519	148	.285	4	57
align=center \| LF	Dave Kingman	145	532	153	.288	style="background:#fc0;\|48	style="background:#fc0;\|115
align=center \| CF	{{sortname\|Jerry\|Martin\|Jerry Martin (baseball)}}	150	534	145	.272	19	73
align="center" \| RF	Scot Thompson	128	346	100	.289	2	29

== Other batters ==

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| RBI
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| Larry Biitner	111	272	79	.290	3	50
align=center \| Bobby Murcer	58	190	49	.258	7	22
align=center \| Mike Vail	87	179	60	.335	7	35
align=center \| {{sortname\|Steve\|Dillard\|Steve Dillard (baseball)}}	89	166	47	.283	5	24
align="center" \| Mick Kelleher	73	142	36	.254	0	10
align=center \| Tim Blackwell	63	122	20	.164	0	12
align=center \| Ken Henderson	62	81	19	.235	2	8
align=center \| Steve Macko	19	40	9	.225	0	3
align=center \| {{sortname\|Miguel\|Diloné}}	43	36	11	.306	0	1
align="center" \| Sam Mejías	31	11	2	.182	0	0
align=center \| Bruce Kimm	9	11	1	.091	0	0
align=center \| Gene Clines	10	10	2	.200	0	0
align=center \| Steve Davis	3	4	0	.000	0	1
align=center \| Kurt Seibert	7	2	0	.000	0	0
align=center \| Karl Pagel	1	1	0	.000	0	0

= Pitching =

== Starting pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| Rick Reuschel	36	style="background:#fc0;\| 239.0	style="background:#fc0;\|18	12	3.62	125
align=center \| Lynn McGlothen	42	212.0	13	style="background:#fc0;\| 14	4.12	style="background:#fc0;\|147
align=center \| Dennis Lamp	38	200.1	11	10	3.50	86
align=center \| Mike Krukow	28	164.2	9	9	4.21	119
align=center \| Ken Holtzman	23	117.2	6	9	4.59	44

== Other pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

class="wikitable sortable"
bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bill\|Caudill}}	29	90.0	1	7	4.80	104
align="center" \| {{sortname\|George\|Riley\|George Riley (baseball)}}	4	13.0	0	1	5.54	5

class="wikitable sortable"

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | G

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | IP

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | W

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | L

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ERA

! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | SO

align="center"

| {{sortname|Bill|Caudill}}

90.0

4.80

104

align="center"

| {{sortname|George|Riley|George Riley (baseball)}}

13.0

5.54

== Relief pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SV ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| Bruce Sutter	62	6	6	style="background:#fc0;\|37	style="background:#fc0;\|2.22	110
align=center \| {{sortname\|Dick\|Tidrow}}	style="background:#fc0;\|63	11	5	4	2.72	68
align="center" \| Willie Hernández	51	4	4	0	5.01	53
align=center \| Donnie Moore	39	1	4	1	5.18	43
align=center \| {{sortname\|Ray\|Burris}}	14	0	0	0	6.23	14
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Doug\|Capilla}}	13	0	1	0	2.60	10
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Dave\|Geisel}}	7	0	0	0	0.60	5

Farm system

{{MLB Farm System|level16=AAA|team16=Wichita Aeros|league16=American Association|manager16=Jack Hiatt

|level17=AA |team17=Midland Cubs|league17=Texas League|manager17=Randy Hundley

|level18=A|team18=Quad Cities Cubs|league18=Midwest League|manager18=Jim Napier

|level19=A-Short Season|team19=Geneva Cubs|league19=New York–Penn League|manager19=Bob Hartsfield

|level20=Rookie|team20=GCL Cubs|league20=Gulf Coast League|manager20=Ken Rudolph

}}

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Quad Cities

Notes

References

{{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Wolff| editor2-first=Miles| title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball| edition=2nd| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1997| isbn=978-0-9637189-8-3}}

External links

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1979.shtml 1979 Chicago Cubs season] at Baseball Reference

Category:Chicago Cubs seasons

Chicago Cubs season

Chicago Cubs

Category:1979 in Chicago