2001 Chicago Cubs season

{{Infobox baseball team season

|name=Chicago Cubs

| image = Chicago Cubs logo.svg

|season=2001

|misc=

|league=National League

|division=Central

|ballpark=Wrigley Field

|city=Chicago

|record=88–74 (.543)

|divisional_place=3rd

|owners=Tribune Company

|general_managers = Andy MacPhail

|managers=Don Baylor

| television = WCIU/Superstation WGN
(Chip Caray, Joe Carter)
FSN Chicago
(Chip Caray, Dave Otto)

| radio = WGN
(Pat Hughes, Ron Santo)

|espntn=chc

|brtn=CHC

|}}

The 2001 Chicago Cubs season was the 130th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 126th in the National League and the 86th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished third in the National League Central with a record of 88–74.

Offseason

November 18, 2000: Bill Mueller was traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Chicago Cubs for Tim Worrell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/muellbi02.shtml|title = Bill Mueller Stats}}
December 18, 2000: Jason Bere was signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bereja01.shtml|title=Jason Bere Stats}}
December 19, 2000: Todd Hundley signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hundlto01.shtml Todd Hundley Statistics] Baseball-Reference.com
January 10, 2001: Ron Coomer was signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coomero01.shtml?redir|title=Ron Coomer Stats}}

Regular season

During a forgettable 2000 season, Jim Hendry sent pitcher Scott Downs to Montreal and acquired Rondell White. This laid the groundwork for the 2001 season, which saw the North Siders make another drive for the playoffs. Mack Newton was brought in by the club to preach "positive mental thought", and it paid off. Matt Stairs started the season at first base, but ultimately the Cubs made a mid-June trade to acquire All-Star 1B Fred McGriff, though McGriff took over a month debating whether or not to approve the deal and leave his hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays, ultimately waiving his no-trade clause and allow himself to be dealt to Chicago on July 27. "The Crime Dog" hit a respectable .282 with 12 homers in 49 games with the Cubs, hitting cleanup behind Sammy Sosa, who had perhaps his best season, hitting 64 homers with career highs in batting average (.328) and RBI (160) for Don Baylor's club. Jon Lieber had a 20 win season, and along with Kevin Tapani and Kerry Wood made up a solid rotation. The Cubs led the eventual Wild Card winning Cardinals by 2.5 games in early September, but Preston Wilson's walk-off homer off of closer Tom "Flash" Gordon took the wind out of the team's sails, failing to make another serious charge. The Cubs did manage to finish 88–74, only 5 games behind both St. Louis and Houston, who tied for first.

One of the season's most memorable moments came on September 27, when Sammy Sosa carried an American flag around the bases after hitting a home run in the Cubs first home game since the September 11 attacks.

=Season standings=

==Record vs. opponents==

=Transactions=

July 4, 2001: Trenidad Hubbard was signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hubbatr01.shtml|title=Trent Hubbard Stats}}
July 30, 2001: Dave Weathers was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers with Roberto Miniel (minors) to the Chicago Cubs for Ruben Quevedo and Pete Zoccolillo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weathda01.shtml|title=David Weathers Stats}}
September 10, 2001: Trenidad Hubbard was released by the Chicago Cubs.

==Draft picks==

June 5, 2001: Mark Prior was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 2001 amateur draft. Player signed August 23, 2001.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/priorma01.shtml Mark Prior Statistics] Baseball-Reference.com
June 5, 2001: Geovany Soto was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 11th round of the 2001 amateur draft. Player signed June 26, 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sotoge01.shtml|title=Geovany Soto Stats}}

=Roster=

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
colspan="10" style="background-color: #0e3386; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;" \| 2001 Chicago Cubs
colspan="10" style="background-color: #EE1422; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;" \| Roster
valign="top" \| Pitchers {{MLBplayer\|38\|Manny Aybar}} {{MLBplayer\|46\|Jason Bere}} {{MLBplayer\|48\|Joe Borowski}} {{MLBplayer\|37\|Scott Chiasson}} {{MLBplayer\|51\|Juan Cruz}} {{MLBplayer\|55\|Courtney Duncan}} {{MLBplayer\|44\|Kyle Farnsworth}} {{MLBplayer\|13\|Jeff Fassero}} {{MLBplayer\|31\|Mike Fyhrie}} {{MLBplayer\|45\|Tom Gordon}} {{MLBplayer\|94\|Félix Heredia}} {{MLBplayer\|32\|Jon Lieber}} {{MLBplayer\|54\|Ron Mahay}} {{MLBplayer\|35\|Will Ohman}} {{MLBplayer\|36\|Kevin Tapani}} {{MLBplayer\|50\|Julián Tavárez}} {{MLBplayer\|47\|Todd Van Poppel}} {{MLBplayer\|49\|David Weathers}} {{MLBplayer\|34\|Kerry Wood}} {{MLBplayer\|38\|Carlos Zambrano}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Catchers {{MLBplayer\|27\|Joe Girardi}} {{MLBplayer\|99,9\|Todd Hundley}} {{MLBplayer\|72\|Robert Machado}} Infielders {{MLBplayer\|40\|Miguel Cairo}} {{MLBplayer\| 6\|Ron Coomer}} {{MLBplayer\|16\|Delino DeShields}} {{MLBplayer\|12\|Ricky Gutiérrez}} {{MLBplayer\|29\|Fred McGriff}} {{MLBplayer\|33\|Bill Mueller}} {{MLBplayer\| 1\|Augie Ojeda}} {{MLBplayer\|56\|Jason Smith}} {{MLBplayer\|30\|Matt Stairs}} {{MLBplayer\| 7\|Eric Young}} {{MLBplayer\|15\|Julio Zuleta}} Outfielders {{MLBplayer\|28\|Roosevelt Brown}} {{MLBplayer\| 9\|Damon Buford}} {{MLBplayer\|11\|Todd Dunwoody}} {{MLBplayer\|19\|Gary Matthews, Jr.}} {{MLBplayer\|40\|Chad Meyers}} {{MLBplayer\|20\|Corey Patterson}} {{MLBplayer\|21\|Sammy Sosa}} {{MLBplayer\|24\|Michael Tucker}} {{MLBplayer\|22\|Rondell White}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Manager {{MLBplayer\|25\|Don Baylor}} Coaching Staff {{MLBplayer\| 8\|Oscar Acosta}} (pitching) {{MLBplayer\| 2\|Sandy Alomar Sr.}} (first base) {{MLBplayer\| 3\|Gene Glynn}} (third base) {{MLBplayer\| 5\|Rene Lachemann}} (bench) {{MLBplayer\| 4\|Jeff Pentland}} (hitting) {{MLBplayer\|26\|Billy Williams}} (special asst)

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

colspan="10" style="background-color: #0e3386; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;" | 2001 Chicago Cubs

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

valign="top" | Pitchers

{{MLBplayer|38|Manny Aybar}}
{{MLBplayer|46|Jason Bere}}
{{MLBplayer|48|Joe Borowski}}
{{MLBplayer|37|Scott Chiasson}}
{{MLBplayer|51|Juan Cruz}}
{{MLBplayer|55|Courtney Duncan}}
{{MLBplayer|44|Kyle Farnsworth}}
{{MLBplayer|13|Jeff Fassero}}
{{MLBplayer|31|Mike Fyhrie}}
{{MLBplayer|45|Tom Gordon}}
{{MLBplayer|94|Félix Heredia}}
{{MLBplayer|32|Jon Lieber}}
{{MLBplayer|54|Ron Mahay}}
{{MLBplayer|35|Will Ohman}}
{{MLBplayer|36|Kevin Tapani}}
{{MLBplayer|50|Julián Tavárez}}
{{MLBplayer|47|Todd Van Poppel}}
{{MLBplayer|49|David Weathers}}
{{MLBplayer|34|Kerry Wood}}
{{MLBplayer|38|Carlos Zambrano}}

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Catchers

{{MLBplayer|27|Joe Girardi}}
{{MLBplayer|99,9|Todd Hundley}}
{{MLBplayer|72|Robert Machado}}

Infielders

{{MLBplayer|40|Miguel Cairo}}
{{MLBplayer| 6|Ron Coomer}}
{{MLBplayer|16|Delino DeShields}}
{{MLBplayer|12|Ricky Gutiérrez}}
{{MLBplayer|29|Fred McGriff}}
{{MLBplayer|33|Bill Mueller}}
{{MLBplayer| 1|Augie Ojeda}}
{{MLBplayer|56|Jason Smith}}
{{MLBplayer|30|Matt Stairs}}
{{MLBplayer| 7|Eric Young}}
{{MLBplayer|15|Julio Zuleta}}

Outfielders

{{MLBplayer|28|Roosevelt Brown}}
{{MLBplayer| 9|Damon Buford}}
{{MLBplayer|11|Todd Dunwoody}}
{{MLBplayer|19|Gary Matthews, Jr.}}
{{MLBplayer|40|Chad Meyers}}
{{MLBplayer|20|Corey Patterson}}
{{MLBplayer|21|Sammy Sosa}}
{{MLBplayer|24|Michael Tucker}}
{{MLBplayer|22|Rondell White}}

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Manager

{{MLBplayer|25|Don Baylor}}

Coaching Staff

{{MLBplayer| 8|Oscar Acosta}} (pitching)
{{MLBplayer| 2|Sandy Alomar Sr.}} (first base)
{{MLBplayer| 3|Gene Glynn}} (third base)
{{MLBplayer| 5|Rene Lachemann}} (bench)
{{MLBplayer| 4|Jeff Pentland}} (hitting)
{{MLBplayer|26|Billy Williams}} (special asst)

Player stats

=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

class="wikitable sortable"
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
C !Todd Hundley !79 !246 !46 !.187 !12 !31
1B !Matt Stairs !128 !340 !85 !.250 !17 !61
2B !Eric Young !149 !603 !168 !.279 !6 !42
3B !Ron Coomer !147 !528 !153 !.290 !8 !53
SS !Ricky Gutiérrez !111 !349 !91 !.261 !10 !66
LF !Rondell White !95 !323 !99 !.307 !17 !50
CF !Gary Matthews !106 !258 !56 !.217 !9 !30
RF !Sammy Sosa !160 !577 !189 !.328 !64 !160
align="center"

class="wikitable sortable"

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

!Todd Hundley

!79

!246

!46

!.187

!12

!31

!Matt Stairs

!128

!340

!85

!.250

!17

!61

!Eric Young

!149

!603

!168

!.279

!42

!Ron Coomer

!147

!528

!153

!.290

!53

!Ricky Gutiérrez

!111

!349

!91

!.261

!10

!66

!Rondell White

!95

!323

!99

!.307

!17

!50

!Gary Matthews

!106

!258

!56

!.217

!30

!Sammy Sosa

!160

!577

!189

!.328

!64

!160

align="center"

==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" \| Joe Girardi	78	229	58	.253	3	25
align=center \| Bill Mueller	70	210	62	.295	6	23
align=center \| Michael Tucker	63	205	54	.263	5	31
align=center \| Fred McGriff	49	170	48	.282	12	41
align=center \| Delino DeShields	68	163	45	.276	2	16
align=center \| Augie Ojeda	78	144	29	.201	1	12
align=center \| Robert Machado	52	135	30	.222	2	13
align=center \| Corey Patterson	59	131	29	.221	4	14
align=center \| Miguel Cairo	66	123	35	.285	2	9
align=center \| Julio Zuleta	49	106	23	.217	6	24
align=center \| Damon Buford	35	85	15	.176	3	8
align=center \| Roosevelt Brown	39	83	22	.265	4	22
align=center \| Todd Dunwoody	33	61	13	.213	1	3
align=center \| Chad Meyers	18	17	2	.118	0	0
align=center \| Jason Smith	2	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" \| Jon Lieber	34	232.1	20	6	3.80	148
align=center \| Jason Bere	32	188.0	11	11	4.31	175
align=center \| Kerry Wood	28	174.1	12	6	3.36	217
align=center \| Kevin Tapani	29	168.1	9	14	4.49	149
align=center \| Julián Tavárez	34	161.1	10	9	4.52	107
align=center \| Juan Cruz	8	44.2	3	1	3.22	39
align=center \| Joe Borowski	1	1.2	0	1	32.40	1

==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" \| Carlos Zambrano	6	7.2	1	2	15.26	4

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"

| Carlos Zambrano

7.2

15.26

==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" \| Tom Gordon	47	1	2	27	3.38	67
align=center \| Jeff Fassero	82	4	4	12	3.42	79
align=center \| Kyle Farnsworth	76	4	6	2	2.74	107
align=center \| Todd Van Poppel	59	4	1	0	2.52	90
align=center \| Félix Heredia	48	2	2	0	6.17	28
align=center \| Courtney Duncan	36	3	3	0	5.06	49
align=center \| David Weathers	28	1	1	0	3.18	20
align=center \| Manny Aybar	17	2	1	0	6.35	16
align=center \| Ron Mahay	17	0	0	0	2.61	24
align=center \| Mike Fyhrie	15	0	2	0	4.20	6
align=center \| Will Ohman	11	0	1	0	7.71	12
align=center \| Scott Chiasson	6	1	1	0	2.70	6

Awards and records

Sammy Sosa became the first player to hit at least 60 home runs in three different seasons.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.372, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}

Farm system

{{MLB Farm System|level15=AAA|team15=Iowa Cubs|league15=Pacific Coast League|manager15=Bruce Kimm

|level16=AA |team16=West Tenn Diamond Jaxx|league16=Southern League|manager16=Dave Bialas

|level17=A |team17=Daytona Cubs|league17=Florida State League|manager17=Dave Trembley

|level18=A |team18=Lansing Lugnuts|league18=Midwest League|manager18=Julio Garcia

|level19=A-Short Season|team19=Boise Hawks|league19=Northwest League|manager19=Steve McFarland

|level20=Rookie|team20=AZL Cubs|league20=Arizona League|manager20=Carmelo Martínez}}Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

References

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/2001.shtml 2001 Chicago Cubs season at Baseball Reference]

Category:Chicago Cubs seasons

Chicago Cubs season

Cub

Category:2001 in Chicago