Neha Patil (Editor)

1987 Chicago Cubs season

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Owner(s)
  
Tribune Company

Stats
  
ESPN.com BB-reference

General manager(s)
  
Dallas Green

Manager(s)
  
Gene Michael and Frank Lucchesi

Local television
  
WGN-TV/Superstation WGN (Harry Caray, Steve Stone, Dewayne Staats)

Local radio
  
WGN (Dewayne Staats, Lou Boudreau, Jim Frey, Harry Caray)

The 1987 Chicago Cubs season was the 116th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 112th in the National League and the 72nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League East with a record of 76–85, 18½ games behind the division and pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.

Contents

Spring training

The team opened camp in Mesa, Arizona, apparently content with Brian Dayett to start in right field. However, Andre Dawson and his agent Dick Moss showed up after camp opened hoping that Green would consider signing the all-star outfielder. Dawson was one of the top free agents on the market during the off-season, but he garnered little interest. He made no secret that he wanted to leave Montreal, where his knees were battered by the Olympic Stadium Astroturf. He also made it known during the off season that the Cubs were his top choice, as Wrigley Field had a natural grass surface and had no lights. Dawson hit considerably better during the day.

After a couple weeks of Green saying he was flatly uninterested in Dawson, Dawson and Moss presented Green with a "blank" signed contract. Green filled in the amount -- $500,000 for one year.

Spring training also began with the dark news of broadcaster Harry Caray suffering a stroke in Palm Springs. WGN announced that until Caray was well enough to return, guest announcers would fill in and sit alongside color analyst Steve Stone.

Notable transactions

  • December 9, 1986: Heathcliff Slocumb was drafted by the Cubs from the New York Mets in the 1986 minor league draft.
  • February 17, 1987: Guy Hoffman was traded by the Cubs to the Cincinnati Reds for Wade Rowdon.
  • March 9, 1987: Andre Dawson was signed as a Free Agent by the Cubs.
  • March 23, 1987: Mike Martin was released by the Cubs.
  • March 30, 1987: Thad Bosley and Dave Gumpert were traded by the Cubs to the Kansas City Royals for Jim Sundberg.

    • Regular season

    The 1987 season featured a career year from free-agent acquisition Andre Dawson, who captured National League Most Valuable Player honors following a 49-home run season. It was also the rookie season for starting pitcher Greg Maddux, the final full season for Wrigley Field without lights, and the last year for general manager Dallas Green, who resigned in late October 1987.

    Season summary

    An 18–10 May propelled the Cubs into the race, and they spent time in first place in early June. However, injuries to Ryne Sandberg and Shawon Dunston within days of each other crippled the Cubs' middle infield and hampered their offense. Their replacements were Paul Noce and Mike Brumley, respectively, Brumley having been acquired as "thrown-in" in the 1984 Buckner-for-Eckersley trade. Neither player was able to come close to replacing the lost production from Sandberg and Dunston and, consequentially, the team struggled.

    In the month of August, two incidents occurred in which players cheated against the Cubs. Phillies pitcher Kevin Gross was pitching against the Chicago Cubs on Aug 10, 1987. Gross was caught with sandpaper in his glove and suspended for 10 games. Astros batter Billy Hatcher was batting against the Chicago Cubs on Aug 31, 1987, when he broke his bat and it flew down the third base line. Cubs third baseman Keith Moreland saw cork, and Hatcher was suspended for 10 games. Later on, Hatcher claimed that he was using pitcher Dave Smith's bat, and not his own.

    After a woeful August, Michael told the press that he was planning on resigning after the season. Green said that he would accept the resignation, effective immediately, and replaced Michael with Frank Lucchesi, a longtime scout in the Philadelphia organization who had become a Cubs roving instructor. As the Cubs played out the string under Luchessi, they finished last, although they were a markedly improved team over the '86 club, with a promising future.

    Notable transactions

  • April 6, 1987: Dickie Noles was signed as a free agent by the Cubs.
  • July 13, 1987: Steve Trout was traded by the Cubs to the New York Yankees for Bob Tewksbury, Rich Scheid, and Dean Wilkins.
  • September 22, 1987: Dickie Noles was loaned by the Cubs to the Detroit Tigers.

    • Opening Day starters

  • Jody Davis
  • Andre Dawson
  • Brian Dayett
  • Bob Dernier
  • Shawon Dunston
  • Leon Durham
  • Keith Moreland
  • Ryne Sandberg
  • Rick Sutcliffe

    • 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

    Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Starting pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Other pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Relief pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Awards and honors

  • Andre Dawson – National League Most Valuable Player
  • Andre Dawson – National League Leader Home Runs (49)
  • Andre Dawson – National League Leader RBI (137)
  • Andre Dawson, Outfield, Gold Glove Award
  • Andre Dawson, Outfield, Silver Slugger Award
  • Ryne Sandberg, Second Baseman, Gold Glove Award
  • Rick Sutcliffe, Pitcher, Lou Gehrig Award
  • Rick Sutcliffe, Roberto Clemente Award

    • All-Star Game

    References

    1987 Chicago Cubs season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA