Chicago Cubs: Casey Coleman’s return a reminder of different times

A familiar face has returned to the Chicago Cubs organization. While he may not impact the big league club, he can still bring back some memories.

It is safe to say that many Chicago Cubs fans had lost track of what former Cub Casey Coleman was doing with his baseball career. Well, he is back with the organization. The 31-year-old righty signed a minor league deal with the Cubs on July 4.

Cubs president Theo Epstein was even quoted by the Daily Herald’s Bruce Miles saying that he knew a lot of people would be surprised to see him back.

Coleman was playing with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League before his return to the Cubs organization. He joined the Iowa Cubs on July 5 and pitched six innings of one-run ball, striking out nine.

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That start marked Coleman’s first action with the Cubs organization since being released by them in April 2014. His last game with the Chicago Cubs came back on July 31, 2012 against the Pirates.

Bringing back old memories of different times

Thinking of Casey Coleman pitching as a Cub reminds fans of the 2010-2012 years. Not exactly good times to remember. He made his debut on August 2, 2010 on a team that finished at 75-87. Following 2010, he made 17 starts for a 71-91 team in 2011 and appeared in 17 games (one start) on the 61-101 team in 2012.

Coleman’s total numbers in those years consisted of a 5.76 ERA and 1.689 WHIP in 165.2 innings. The only other time he pitched in the majors was with the Royals in 2014, just 12 innings. There were stints for him with the Astros, Mariners and Rays organizations from 2015-2017, but never pitched in the majors.

Oh, how things have changed

Safe to say a lot has changed since then. Coleman’s last duty with the organization as a young pitcher was to be a filler on a rebuilding Cubs team. Now he returns to an organization that has won a World Series and been to the NLCS every year the past three years, with a duty to fill in a spot in the Iowa rotation.

Remembering the old days of 2010-2014 when they lost on average 93 games a season is certainly not fun, but it makes fans remember how good they have it now. Sometimes an old face like Coleman returning is what makes a fan think about it again.

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Regardless of how he did, it is cool seeing a guy like Coleman still push at it and play. Even at age 31 and not being an MLB player in over four years and still playing the game he loves, its very admirable. Hopefully he can continue to do good things for the Iowa Cubs.