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Cubs go from worst to first in 2007
The 2007 season was one of transition, and it ended abruptly for new manager Lou Piniella and the Cubs.
After a 96-loss season in 2006 and $300 million makeover, the Cubs became the first Central Division team to go from worst to first.
In Piniella's first year at the helm, the team rallied from 8 1/2 games back on June 23 to catch Milwaukee and win the division for the first time since 2003. However, the Cubs were quickly eliminated in the postseason as the Arizona Diamondbacks posted a three-game sweep in the National League Division Series.
It took some time for Piniella to get the roster the way he wanted it. The first two months of the regular season were more like extended Spring Training. Catcher Michael Barrett and shortstop Cesar Izturis, both Opening Day starters, were traded by July 20. The team shuttled players into the mix from the Minor League system, like Mike Fontenot and Billy Petrick, and they didn't disappoint.
"This is just a start," Piniella said. "We're going to get better -- this is just a start."
January
The Cubs finalized what was a busy offseason by agreeing to a two-year deal with Will Ohman, and signing free-agent outfielder and Chicago native Cliff Floyd to a one-year deal. The biggest splash came at the Cubs Convention, when the team announced it had signed former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija to a five-year, $10 million contract. Jeff Samardzija had decided to forego football and focus on baseball. "This is where I want to be, this is what I want to do, and I didn't want any mistake about it," Jeff Samardzija said.
Piniella told Convention goers the team needed to develop a "Cubs swagger." Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg was greeted by sellout crowds during the Cubs Caravan stop in Peoria, Ill., where he was to manage the Class A Chiefs. Longtime Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson was denied entry to Cooperstown in his sixth year on the HOF ballot.
February
A sign of the times: the Cubs announced Wrigley Field would have advertisements on the two outfield doors tucked into the ivy in left and right. Kerry Wood reported to Spring Training 30 pounds lighter, and ready to begin his new career as a reliever. But his spring workouts were delayed when he bruised his ribs falling out of a hot tub at home. Piniella was greeted at his first Cubs camp by Alfonso Soriano, who reported early to get a head start. Soriano had suggested he play center, and was to spend all spring getting used to the position.
Carlos Zambrano avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $12.4 million deal a few steps before his hearing. A disappointed Ron Santo learned he once again was denied entry to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. "There's no doubt in my mind -- I'll be honest, I want this badly," Santo said.
March
Piniella set the tone early. The Cubs lost their first four games of Cactus League play, including a 13-2 loss to the White Sox. "I've only been here four days, but I certainly don't like what I see," Piniella said. On March 5 in Peoria, Ariz., Wood and Mark Prior both appeared in the same Spring Training game, their first Cactus League appearances since 2005. Infielder Ryan Theriot impressed Piniella so much in spring, he was told he'd made the 25-man roster early in camp. "You get the sense that, hey, they're counting on me to help," Theriot said.
The Cubs showed support for Derrek Lee, and Barrett and pitcher Ryan Dempster both pledged money to Project 3000, created to raise awareness and find a cure for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). Lee's daughter, Jada, has LCA, a rare vision disease.
Minor Leaguer Jake Fox made an impression by going into Piniella's office, and asking for playing time. At the end of Spring Training, Prior ran out of time. An 18-game winner in 2003, he was optioned to Triple-A because the team decided he needed more time to strengthen his right shoulder. He maintained his sense of humor. "I'll go down and help that team win, and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team and maybe I'll get invited to the Futures Game or something," Prior said.
April
The Tribune Co. announced on Opening Day it had accepted an $8.2 billion buyout offer from real estate investor Sam Zell. The company owns the Cubs, the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and TV and radio stations. "I told the ballclub it'll be business as usual," general manager Jim Hendry said. Zambrano had set Opening Day as the deadline to reach a contract extension, but he extended that. However, the two sides would not agree to a new deal until August. Zambrano lost the season opener, 5-1, to the Reds. Kerry Wood, hoping to comeback from shoulder surgery, began the season on the disabled list again.
Prior was forced to leave an extended Spring Training outing early, and would eventually undergo surgery April 25 on his right shoulder. Lee, Floyd, Daryle Ward, Jacque Jones, and coaches Gerald Perry and Lester Strode each wore No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15. Highly touted outfielder Felix Pie finally made his Major League debut in mid-April.
A hamstring injury sidelined Soriano, who began the season playing center field. He was then switched back to left later in the month, where he stayed the rest of the season. Theriot started at short April 25, a position he would eventually claim for the rest of the year. The month ended on a sad note as the Cubs' game against the Cardinals April 29 was postponed because of the death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock.
May
Sandberg showed he may be well suited for managing. He was ejected in early May in the Class A Peoria Chiefs game in Fort Wayne, Ind. Dempster was bumped from the closer role, at least for a few hours, after a heartbreaking loss to the Mets May 17 in which New York scored five runs in the ninth for a 6-5 win. Piniella promised some surprises, and the first was calling up Carlos Marmol on May 18. Marmol would become a key factor in the 'pen in the second half. In the first crosstown showdown against the White Sox May 18-20, the Cubs took two out of three. Lee, who had missed five games because of a neck injury, helped win Game 2 with a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth.
On May 30, when the Cubs were six games back, they held a players only meeting. Why? "It's obvious," Lee said. "We're not playing well."
June
The month began with a bang as Zambrano and Barrett scuffled in the dugout in the Cubs' 8-5 loss to Atlanta. The fight carried over into the clubhouse, and the two were fined by the team. The next day, June 2, Piniella was ejected for arguing a call at third base, his first of the season and 60th of his career. He was suspended for four games.
The Cubs selected third baseman Josh Vitters with the third overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft. The California infielder was ranked as the top pure high school hitter by Baseball America. Soriano hit three home runs in his first three at-bats against the Braves June 8 to spark a 9-1 win. Two days later, Ted Lilly was ejected after 10 pitches when he hit Atlanta's Edgar Renteria in the first inning.
Zambrano took a no-hitter into the eighth inning June 16 against the Padres, but eventually took the loss in a 1-0 decision. The game was marred by a bench-clearing fracas sparked by Lee taking a swing at San Diego's Chris Young. On June 20, the Cubs dealt Barrett to the Padres for catcher Rob Bowen. That same day, former Cub Sammy Sosa belted his 600th career homer in a 7-3 Texas win over Chicago. Sosa did so off Jason Marquis, who now wears Sosa's No. 21 for the Cubs. Zambrano struck out 12 over eight innings in a 5-1 win over the White Sox. The month ended on a high June 29 as Aramis Ramirez hit a two-out, two-run walkoff homer for a 6-5 win over the Brewers. Soriano was named National League Player of the Month for June, hitting .336 with 11 homers, 18 RBIs and posting a .697 slugging percentage. Mike Fontenot also had a June to remember, hitting .397.
July
Soriano was named to his sixth straight All-Star Game in San Francisco and Lee was named to his second. Both were selected by player votes. For Lee, the trip to the Midsummer Classic was special because he had several family and friends attending from his home of Sacramento.
On July 16, the Cubs acquired veteran catcher Jason Kendall from Oakland for Bowen and a Minor League pitcher. "I don't know any manager in the game who wouldn't want Jason Kendall on their club," Hendry said. Lee, suspended five games for his part in the fracas with Chris Young, dropped his appeal and served the suspension. On July 19, the Cubs continued to shuffle the roster and dealt shortstop Cesar Izturis to the Pirates for a player to be named. Zambrano was named NL Pitcher of the Month, going 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA in six starts.
August
On Aug. 1, Matt Murton scored from third on a wild pitch by Phillies closer Brett Myers to give the Cubs a 5-4 win and a share of first place in the NL Central. The Cubs had been 8 1/2 games back on June 23. The team got more good news on Aug. 3 when Wood was activated from the disabled list and added to the bullpen. But Soriano was sidelined with a one-centimeter tear in his right quad, and not expected back until Labor Day. Theriot was inserted into the leadoff spot.
Zambrano got his wish to stay with the Cubs and some security when he signed a five-year, $91.5 million contract. It was the highest average salary awarded to a pitcher in a multi-year contract in Major League history. However, Big Z would finish the month winless in five starts. Ward hit his third career grand slam to lift the Cubs to a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Aug. 18. Earlier in the day, several players attended funeral services for Floyd's father. The Cubs added a right-handed bat when they acquired Craig Monroe from the Tigers, and added veteran and former Cub Steve Trachsel to the rotation.
September
Geovany Soto, MVP of the Pacific Coast League, was among the callups, and he made such a good impression in his 18 games that he would start two of the three playoff games. Prior began a throwing program in mid-September, and stopped by Wrigley Field for a checkup. The Cubs were tied with the Brewers for first in the NL Central on Sept. 18, then won four in a row to open a 3 1/2-game lead. Zambrano had to leave his start early because of cramping, but held on to win his 17th in an 8-0 win over the Pirates. The team clinched its first Central Division crown since 2003 on Sept. 28 with a win over the Reds. The Cubs had 30 bottles of champagne on hand to celebrate in Cincinnati. The next day, the Reds looked hungover as Rich Hill combined with Sean Marshall and Scott Eyre on a one-hitter.
Soriano finished the month with 14 home runs, the most in the Majors, and most for any Cub in that month since Ernie Banks hit 13 homers in September 1957. Soriano also had seven leadoff homers in September, the most by any batter in any month in ML history.
October
The Cubs faced the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series. One surprise on the playoff roster was rookie Kevin Hart, who had opened the year at Double-A Tennessee. Another surprise was that Soto started at catcher. Before the best-of-five series began, Piniella said he wanted Zambrano to start Games 1 and 4, and pulled the right-hander after six innings in the first game. Mark Reynolds hit a tiebreaking homer off Marmol in the seventh to back Brandon Webb and give the D-Backs a 3-1 win over the Cubs. Ted Lilly took the loss in Game 2, giving up six runs on seven hits and four walks over 3 1/3 innings. The series shifted to Wrigley Field on Oct. 6, but Livan Hernandez shut down the Cubs in a 5-1 win. For the series, Chicago batted .194, and stranded 27 baserunners. Piniella stayed positive. "To go from last place to first, to have a 19-game differential, win a division, I think you should be pleased," he said.
With the season over, crews began a $1.5 million renovation project at Wrigley Field which included removing the infield "crown" and installing a new drainage system.
November
While players like Wood, Floyd and Kendall filed for free agency, Ward and the team exercised a mutual option for 2008. Lee picked up his third Rawlings Gold Glove award as the top defensive first baseman in the NL. The Cubs continued to tweak the roster, trading Jones to the Detroit Tigers for infielder Omar Infante. The Cubs also dealt Monroe to the Twins for a player to be named later.
Outfielder Sam Fuld picked up two awards in the Arizona Fall League. He was named the AFL MVP and also was honored as the 2007 winner of the Dernell Stenson Award, presented to the player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership.
The surprise transaction was Nov. 20 when team president John McDonough announced he was leaving to take a similar post with the NHL Chicago Blackhawks. Cubs management said it would be "business as usual." Wood chose to stay with the Cbus, signing a one-year, $4.2 million contract on Nov. 26.
December
At the Winter Meetings in Nashville, the Cubs dealt reliever Will Ohman and Infante to the Braves for reliever Jose Ascanio. They added another right-handed pitcher in the Rule 5 Draft when Tampa Bay selected Tim Lahey, then dealt him to the Cubs for cash considerations. The Cubs patiently waited for Kosuke Fukudome to decide whether to stay in Japan or play in the U.S. Major Leagues, and their patience was rewarded Dec. 12 when the outfielder picked the Cubs and agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract.
However, the team parted ways with Prior, choosing to not tender a contract to the right-handed pitcher, who was arbitration eligible. The Cubs did sign lefty Neal Cotts to a one-year, $800,000 contract. On Dec. 13, the Mitchell Report was released concerning the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. No current Cubs were in the report.
See more at http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com
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