Chicago Cubs: Just how good was that 2003 Cubs team?

Looking back at a team that surprised many, the 2003 Chicago Cubs still lie in the memories of many fans. Does that team compare to many of the recent successful Cubs teams?

An amazing story that ended in heartbreak, the 2003 Chicago Cubs team is still one of the most talked about teams in franchise history. In the first year under veteran skipper Dusty Baker, the squad went from losing 95 games in 2002 to winning the NL Central and going to the NLCS. We all know what happened against the Marlins…so we will not relive those specific moments in detail.

Even with the loss, the 2003 Cubs made it closer to the World Series than any other Cubs team since 1945 (at least to that point). The 1984 (and eventually) 2015 and 2017 teams did not get as close to a pennant than this group did.

How did they reach this point? Pitching. Let’s take a closer look at this team and some of its top performers and moments.