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The Chicago Cubs' 2003 season was the 131st season for the Cubs. The Cubs went 88-74 during the season and won the National League Central Division for the first time since the division's formation in 1994, and the team's first division title since their 1989 NL East title. In the playoffs the Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves 3 games to 2 in the NLDS for their first playoff series win since 1908. The Cubs lost to the Florida Marlins 4 games to 3 in the NLCS.

The Cubs were coming off of a poor year in 2002, and their playoff run which led them nearly to the World Series exceeded the expectations most observers had before the season. The team's success can be attributed first and foremost to its starting rotation, which featured Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Clement, all of whom won at least 13 games. The pitching staff as a whole led the National League in Strikeouts with 1,404, over 100 more than any other team. While not nearly as dominant in hitting, the Cubs' lineup was bolstered by acquisitions at what was a very active trade deadline which included Aramis Ramirez, Randall Simon, and Kenny Lofton.

The 2003 season brought a great deal of national attention to the Cubs franchise, both positive and negative. On one hand, their surprising regular season run to 1st place in the NL Central, and the excellent performances of their top three pitchers, all of which were age 26 or younger, seemed to suggest that the Cubs would be a contender in the NL for the foreseeable future. At the same time, however, the Cubs' squandering of the 3-1 series lead in the NLCS, and the manner in which it occurred, seemed to reaffirm the perceptions of the Cubs as "lovable losers" and a cursed franchise.

Offseason

• December 4, 2002: Todd Hundley was traded by the Chicago Cubs with Chad Hermansen to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros.^[1]
• January 13, 2003: Midre Cummings was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.^[2]
• January 13, 2003: Aaron Small was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.^[3]
• March 4, 2003: Trenidad Hubbard was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.^[4]
• March 29, 2003: Aaron Small was released by the Chicago Cubs.^[3]

Regular season

Season standings

Transactions

• April 21, 2003: Trenidad Hubbard was purchased by the Chicago Cubs from Oaxaca (Mexican League).^[4]
• May 9, 2003: Alan Benes was sent to the Texas Rangers by the Chicago Cubs as part of a conditional deal.^[5]
• June 3, 2003: Sam Fuld was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 24th round of the 2003 amateur draft, but did not sign.^[6]
• June 3, 2003: Tim Lincecum was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 48th round of the 2003 amateur draft, but did not sign.^[7]
• June 20, 2003: Mark Bellhorn was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Colorado Rockies for Jose Hernandez.^[8]
• July 23, 2003: Kenny Lofton was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with Aramis Ramirez and cash to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback (minors). The Chicago Cubs sent Bobby Hill (August 15, 2003) to the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete the trade.
• August 17, 2003: Randall Simon was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Ray Sadler.^[9]

Roster

Game Log

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

Other batters

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Other pitchers

Relief pitchers

2003 NLDS

Atlanta vs. Chicago

Game 1 - Chicago 4, Atlanta 2

In Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the 3rd the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1-0 Braves. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the 6th. The Cubs would load the bases with three consecutive hits to lead off the inning. But Ortiz got the next two outs, with the last of the two being an RBI groundout by Paul Bako. But Wood would add insult to injury by doubling in two runs and then scoring on Kenny Lofton's single. That made it 4-1 Cubs. A forceout gave the Braves a run in the 8th by Joe Borowski closed the door in the 9th. Combined the Cubs bullpen allowed only three hits.

Game 2 - Atlanta 5, Chicago 3

In Game 2, Carlos Zambrano faced Mike Hampton. Hampton immediately ran into trouble in the 1st when two leadoff walks put two men on for Sammy Sosa. Sosa would double in the first run of the game, then Moisés Alou would bring in a run on a fielder's choice. After Aramis Ramirez singled to load the bases, Hampton managed to save the inning and the game by striking out three consecutive batters to end the inning. The Braves would cut the lead in half when Chipper Jones forced Mark DeRosa, allowing Rafael Furcal to score in the bottom half of the 1st. Then Andruw Jones's RBI single tied the game in the 4th. In the bottom of the 6th, Marcus Giles would give the Braves the lead with an RBI hit to left field. A sacrifice fly by Tom Goodwin tied the game in the 8th. But Mark DeRosa's two run double put the Braves ahead 5-3 and John Smoltz would close the door in the 9th.

Game 3 - Chicago 3, Atlanta 1

In Game 3, Greg Maddux faced Mark Prior. In the bottom of the 1st, the Cubs put two runs on the board thanks to Randall Simon's two run single. But no one would be able to score off Maddux or Prior again until the 8th inning. A sacrifice fly by Marcus Giles cut the lead in half after Mark DeRosa doubled and moved to third on a ground out. But Aramis Ramirez would give Prior insurance with an RBI double in the bottom of the 8th. Prior would go on to pitch a complete game two hit masterpiece. Game 3 would Maddux's last postseason start with the Braves.

Game 4 - Atlanta 6, Chicago 4

In Game 4, Russ Ortiz faced Matt Clement, hoping to end the series. Both pitchers held off the opposition until the Cubs broke through in the bottom of the 3rd. Moisés Alou would double in Sammy Sosa to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. But Darren Bragg's forceout allowed Julio Franco to score to tie the game in the top of the 4th. Then Chipper Jones's two run homer gave the Braves a 3-1 lead in the 5th. Then Vinny Castilla would add another run later in the inning with an RBI single to make it 4-1. The Cubs would scratch out a run in the 6th, but Chipper Jones's second two run home run made it 6-2 Braves in the 8th. Eric Karros would give the Cubs a run in the bottom half with a solo homer and then in the 9th the Cubs would score again but John Smoltz would get the save and send the series back to Atlanta.

Game 5 - Chicago 5, Atlanta 1

In Game 5, Kerry Wood this time faced Mike Hampton. Hampton would once again give up early runs when the Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the 1st with a Moisés Alou RBI single. Then Alex Gonzalez's leadoff homer gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Then Aramis Ramirez's two run homer silenced the crowd in the 6th. That made it 4-0 Chicago. An RBI forceout by Gary Sheffield gave the Braves their only run of the night in the 6th. But the Cubs would add a run in the 9th thanks to an error by Vinny Castilla to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The Braves would be sent down 1-2-3 in the 9th and the Cubs' win in Game 5 gave the Cubs their first postseason series win since the 1908 World Series.

2003 NLCS

Game 1

October 7: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

WP: Ugueth Urbina (1-0)  LP: Mark Guthrie (0-1)  SV: Braden Looper (1)  
HRs:  Fla – I. Rodríguez (1), M. Cabrera (1), J. Encarnacion (1), M. Lowell (1)  ChC – M. Alou (1), A. Gonzalez (1), S. Sosa (1)

Game 2

October 8: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

WP: Mark Prior (1-0)  LP: Brad Penny (0-1)  
HRs:  Fla – D. Lee (1), M. Cabrera (2)  ChC – S. Sosa (2), A. Ramírez (1), A. Gonzalez 2 (3)

Game 3

October 10: Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida

WP: Joe Borowski (1-0)  LP: Michael Tejera (0-1)  SV: Mike Remlinger (1)  
HRs:  ChC – Randall Simon (1)

Game 4

October 11: Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida

WP: Matt Clement (1-0)  LP: Dontrelle Willis (0-1)  
HRs:  ChC – Aramis Ramírez (2)

Game 5

October 12: Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida

With the Marlins facing elimination, Josh Beckett kept them alive by dominating the Cubs, holding them to just two hits and one walk as part of his standout 2003 postseason. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer. Iván Rodríguez and Jeff Conine homered in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. Even with the loss, the Cubs looked good going back home with their two aces, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood ready to start Games 6 and 7.

WP: Josh Beckett (1-0)  LP: Carlos Zambrano (0-1)  
HRs:  Fla – Mike Lowell (2), Iván Rodríguez (2), Jeff Conine (1)

Game 6

October 14: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

The Cubs were 5 wins and as few as 5 outs from the World Series in 2003

The Cubs held a 3-0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning in Game 6 and, after Mike Mordecai hit a high pop fly to left field for the first out of the inning, had only two outs left in the inning—leaving the team a mere 5 outs away from their first World Series berth since 1945.

Prior had retired the last eight hitters and had allowed only three hits up to that point. Center fielder Juan Pierre (who was later traded to the Cubs) then hit a double off Prior.

On the eight pitch of his at bat, Luis Castillo hit a high foul ball toward the left field wall. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou headed toward the stands to catch the ball for the potential second out. As Alou reached for the ball, Cubs fan Steve Bartman, along with others near the area, did the same. The ball bounced off Bartman's hand and into the stands. Though the Cubs pleaded for a call of fan interference, the umpire ruled that the ball had left the field of play and was therefore up for grabs. Seasons later, Alou acknowledged that he would not have made the catch. Later he denied making such a statement and said if he had, it was only to make him feel better. ^[10]

As a result, Castillo remained an active batter at home plate. On the next pitch, Prior walked Castillo on a wild pitch that got away from catcher Paul Bako, also allowing Pierre to advance to third base.

Next, Iván Rodríguez hit an 0-2 pitch hard into left field, singling and scoring Pierre. Miguel Cabrera then hit a ground ball toward Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez that could have ended the inning on a double play. Gonzalez, who led all NL shortstops in fielding percentage, closed his glove a little too early and the ball landed in the dirt, allowing Cabrera to get on base, loading the bases. On the next pitch, Derrek Lee (a future Cubs' All-Star) drilled a double into left field, scoring Castillo and Rodríguez to tie the game at 3-3.

Prior was then taken out of the game and replaced by Kyle Farnsworth, who intentionally walked Mike Lowell to load the bases. Jeff Conine then hit a sacrifice fly to right field for the second out of the inning, allowing Cabrera to score from third and the other runners to each advance one base. This gave the Marlins their first lead of the night. Farnsworth intentionally walked Todd Hollandsworth (another future Cub) to once again load the bases.

The Marlins now having batted around the order, Farnsworth faced Mike Mordecai, who was looking to make up for his earlier out. This time, Mordecai prevailed, hitting a bases-clearing double to left-center field, allowing Lee, Lowell and Hollandsworth to score and making it a 7-3 Marlins lead.

Farnsworth was then taken out of the game and replaced by Mike Remlinger, who gave up a single to Pierre to score Mordecai from second base. Finally, Luis Castillo hit a high pop fly ball to shallow right field for the third out.

The Marlins' lead held, forcing a final Game 7.

WP: Chad Fox (1-0)  LP: Mark Prior (1-1)  

Game 7

October 15: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

The Marlins got off to a quick 3–0 lead in the first inning against Cubs pitching ace Kerry Wood, who hadn't lost at Wrigley Field in nearly six weeks. The Cubs responded by tying the ball game 3–3 in the second inning, which featured a two-run home run by Wood. Moisés Alou's two-run home run the following inning put Chicago up 5–3, but the lead wouldn't last. In the fifth inning, Florida capitalized on a pair of walks and scored three runs to go on top 6–5, a lead they would not relinquish. The Marlins added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to expand their lead to 9–5. Cubs pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary hit a home run the bottom of the seventh, making the score 9–6. After the Cubs were retired in order in the eighth inning, Florida closer Ugueth Urbina hit Aramis Ramirez with a pitch to lead off the ninth inning and proceeded to retire the following three batters, giving the Marlins their second National League Pennant in their eleven-year existence.

WP: Brad Penny (1-1)  LP: Kerry Wood (0-1)  SV: Ugueth Urbina (1)  
HRs:  Fla – Miguel Cabrera (3)  ChC – Kerry Wood (1), Moisés Alou (2), Troy O'Leary (1)

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Lansing^[11]

References

1. ^ Todd Hundley Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com
2. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cummimi01.shtml
3. ^ ^{a b} http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smallaa01.shtml
4. ^ ^{a b} http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hubbatr01.shtml
5. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/benesal01.shtml
6. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fuldsa01.shtml
7. ^ Tim Lincecum Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com
8. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bellhma01.shtml
9. ^ Randall Simon Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com
10. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3423732
11. ^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 2007