• EveryCubEver

    Today’s Cubs Birthday (May 18)

    By Rick Kaempfer
    In Today's Cub Birthday
    May 18th, 2023
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    ~Eric Young 1967– (Cubs 2000-2001)
    EY was acquired from the Dodgers in 2000 in a very good trade for the Cubs. The Cubs got a starting second baseman and a starting pitcher (Ismael Valdes) in exchange for a relief pitcher (Terry Adams). Young was a dynamic leadoff man. In 2000, he hit .297 and stole 54 bases. His totals went down a bit the following season, and the Cubs let him go in free agency. EY can now be seen on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight and his son Eric Young Jr. followed in his big league footsteps. EY still shares a Cubs record (with Cliff Heathcote) for reaching base seven times in a single game. (Photo: 2002 Topps Heritage Baseball Card)

    ~David Patton 1984– (Cubs 2009)
    Patton was a Rule V draft choice, who pitched in the Cubs for part of the 2009 season. He made twenty appearances and won three games, but also registered an ERA of 6.83. He never made it back up to the big leagues.

    ~Rich Garces 1971– (Cubs 1995)
    Rich only pitched for the Cubs for two months in 1995. He appeared in seven games and posted a 3.27 ERA. Garces was nicknamed “El Guapo” by former teammate Mike Maddux because he looked like the villain in the movie The Three Amigos. After he left the Cubs he became a pretty good reliever for the Red Sox. He pitched in the big leagues until 2002.

    ~Jim Sundberg 1951– (1987-1988)
    Sundberg was the backup catcher for the Cubs in 1987, catching 57 games behind Jody Davis. He hit only .201. He was 36 at the time. Jim also played with the Cubs in 1988 for a few months. But that doesn’t begin to tell the Jim Sundberg story. Before he came to Chicago Sundberg was a six-time Gold Glover, three-time All-Star, and caught a Hall of Famer’s no-hitter in 1977 (Bert Blyleven). He also won a World Series as a member of the 1985 Kansas City Royals.

    ~Chris Ward 1949– (Cubs 1972-1974)
    Ward only got one at-bat in 1972, on September 10th. He pinch hit for Milt Pappas in the sixth inning of a game against the Phillies. He was retired by former Cubs fan favorite Dick Selma. (The Cubs won 5-3). In 1974 Ward got a much better chance. He got 137 at-bats as a backup left fielder/first baseman, but only hit .204.

    ~Randy Rosario 1994– (Cubs 2018-2019 )
    The Cubs claimed the young Dominican off waivers from the Minnesota Twins, and he became a key part of their bullpen during the 2018 season. The lefty appeared in 44 games and posted a 3.66 ERA.In 2019 he wasn’t nearly as effective and was released in September. In a classy move, Rosario took out an ad to thank the Cubs fans for their support during his time in Chicago. He was picked up shortly thereafter by the Royals.

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