Anyone who has lived through the heartbreak of rooting for the Cubs knows that we've had a bit of a closer problem over the last twenty years or so.

Would it make you even more angry if you knew that the Cubs traded away 690 future saves in the span of six months in 1987? It's true. And they only traded away two guys.

In exchange for Dennis Eckersley, the Cubs got David Wilder, Brian Guinn, and Mark Leonette. None of those guys made it to the majors. Eckersley, seemingly washed up at 32, saved 390 games over the next twelve years.

Six months later, the Cubs traded Lee Smith for Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi. Nipper pitched one season for the Cubs and won 2 games. Schiraldi lasted 1 ½ seasons, and won 12 games (the Cubs converted him to a starter). Lee Smith saved 300 more games after he left.

After the Cubs traded Lee Smith, they floundered at the closer's position for years. In seventeen years, the Cubs had 15 different closers.

*In 1988 they brought in Goose Gossage. He lasted exactly one year and saved only 13 games.

*In 1989, they brought in Mitch Williams. He had one good year for the Cubs before falling apart in 1990.

*In 1991, they brought in Dave Smith. He had a great career with the Astros before joining the Cubs, but he couldn't close anymore. He had 17 saves and an ERA of 6.

*In 1992, Bob Scanlan was the closer. He saved a whopping 14 games.

*They had a good run with Randy Myers from 1993-1995, before they let him go in free agency. Then back to the lousy closers.

*Turk Wendell was a decent relief pitcher, but he was no closer. He led the '96 Cubs with 18 saves. (They started the year with Doug Jones as their closer, and he was released by June 15).

*Mel Rojas was brought in as a big money free agent for 1997 and he was appallingly bad. He didn't lead the team in saves a single year, and gave up 11 home runs in 59 innings. Terry Adams, another decent reliever, but no closer, led the team that year with 18.

*Rod Beck had one good year in 1998, with 51 saves, but his arm was hanging by a thread at the end of the season.

*In 1999, it was back to Terry Adams again who led the team with a whopping 13 saves.

*In 2000, Rick Aguilera was acquired—but he was not the pitcher he once was. Despite his 29 saves, his ERA was pushing 5.

*Flash Gordon was brought in for 2001, and he had one good year before encountering arm problems.

*So, in 2002, the Cubs acquired the six fingered Antonio Alfonseca, who might have been the worst of all of them. He led the Cubs in saves, but he only had 19.

*The Cubs got one good year out of Joe Borowski in 2003, but he encountered arm problems the following year.

*That handed the job to LaTroy Hawkins, who collapsed in the closing weeks of the season, helping the Cubs lose in spectacular fashion in 2004.

*Ryan Dempster was given the job the following year and had a couple of good seasons, but there were enough fingernail-chewing moments to raise the blood pressure of a dead man.

Just as a footnote: Lee Smith pitched another ten seasons after the Cubs traded him. He retired in 1997. Dennis Eckersly pitched another twelve seasons after the Cubs traded him. He retired in 1998. Eckersly is already in the Hall of Fame. Smith should be.

David Wilder, Brian Guinn, Mark Leonette, Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi? Not so much.