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Chicago Cubs: The Heroes of Wrigley presents Rick Sutcliffe
As one of the premier pitchers of the 1980s, Rick Sutcliffe, known as the ‘Red Baron’, was one of the greatest acquisitions in Chicago Cubs history.
Long before he etched his name into Chicago Cubs lore, the ‘Red Baron’ made a name for himself. From the start of his career, Rick Sutcliffe was touted as one of the game’s most formidable pitchers. In his first full season in the Major Leagues, Sutcliffe went 17-10 over 39 games, spanning 242 innings on his way to the National League Rookie of the Year in 1979 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, after being cast aside from the Dodgers’ stacked starting rotation that included the likes of Fernando Valenzuela, Jerry Reuss, Bob Welch and an aging Don Sutton, Sutcliffe was relegated to the bullpen as a long reliever and spot starter for his next two seasons in Los Angeles.
Wanting to pitch more as a starter, Sutcliffe left for greener pastures and more opportunity in 1981, as the righty was traded to the Cleveland Indians for journeyman outfielder, Jorge Orta.
In his first season as a full-time starter, Sutcliffe quickly showed he belonged in the starting rotation. In 216 innings, Sutcliffe led the American League with a 2.96 ERA, going 14-8 over 34 ball games.
He earned his first of three All-Star selections the following year in 1983, going 17-11 over 243.1 innings. He was never much of a strikeout pitcher – in ’83, he struck out just over five batters per nine – but he was consistently effective regardless.
At the start of the Indians’ 1984 campaign, the team was in a slump from the start and seemingly no player was destined to break out and show signs of life. This included Sutcliffe, who was not living up to his All-Star form the previous year. With a 4-5 record and an ERA north of 5.00, the Cleveland Indians traded the struggling pitcher on June 13 to a National League team that was enjoying a hopeful, contending season and in need of a front of the rotation starter.
That National League was the Chicago Cubs, who traded Joe Carter and Mel Hall to acquire Sutcliffe, and “The Red Baron” didn’t disappoint, rebounding in a dominant fashion in the midst of one of the most magical and beloved campaigns in Cub history.
Chicago Cubs: The much-needed missing piece to a postseason run
Immediately, Sutcliffe made his prescience felt on the mound. After his sub-par start in Cleveland, he finished the 1984 season going 16-1 with a career-best 3.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio with his new club, helping the Cubs win the National League Eastern Division crown.
With the Cubs now chasing the National League pennant, only the San Diego Padres stood in the way of their first World Series appearance since 1945. To no one’s surprise, Sutcliffe got the ball to start Game 1 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. The Cubs trounced the Padres 13-0 with Sutcliffe continuing right where he left off in the regular season, tossing seven innings of two-hit shutout ball, earning the victory. Perhaps more impressive, Sutcliffe added a home run in the third inning.
Despite opening the series with a commanding 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series, the Cubs eventually lost the remaining three, ending their magical ’84 season in disappointment.
After the season, Sutcliffe was unanimously awarded the National League Cy Young Award, beating out the Mets’ Dwight Gooden and former Cub turned Cardinal, Bruce Sutter. He also finished fourth in the MVP race.
He re-signed with the Cubs that winter, hoping to help the young and talented Cubs compete in more postseason play.
Chicago Cubs: Staying on the hill key for the Red Baron
Sutcliffe started 1985 strong, throwing two early season shutouts. However, a hamstring injury and numerous arm issues stunted his effectiveness to pitch well and stay healthy. He made just 20 starts for Chicago, with a lower strikeout rate and higher walk rate in ’85 and had an abysmal 1986 campaign, losing 14 games with a horrendous 1.27 strikeout-to-walk clip.
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Finally, healthy, Sutcliffe rebounded in 1987, again becoming a National League All-Star en route to a league-leading 18 wins over 237 1/3 innings pitched. The Cubs, however, did not share the same success as the righty, finishing 76-85, making Sutcliffe’s comeback season moot.
1988 proved to be yet another waste of Sutcliffe’s talents. Despite having an admirable 3.86 ERA, the Cubs failed to score runs in volume, causing Sutcliffe’s record to fall to just 13-14. An interesting occurrence did happen to him that season though. On July 29, while the Cubs were in Philadelphia playing the Phillies, Sutcliffe not only won the game but also stole home.
The Cubs seemed to figure it all out in 1989, winning 93 games under manager Don Zimmer, first in the NL East. The “Boys of Zimmer” were a young, exciting bunch which included the likes of Greg Maddux, Dwight Smith, Jerome Walton, Shawon Dunston, Mark Grace, and led by future Hall of Famers, Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson.
Alongside the 23-year-old Maddux, Sutcliffe and Mad Dog were quite a one-two punch in the Cubs rotation. Sutcliffe made 35 starts for the North Siders, and once again overcome a low strikeout rate to nab the third and final All-Star appearance of his career.
However, history once again repeated itself and, just like in 1984, the Cubs’ hope of a World Series appearance ended quickly, falling to the San Francisco Giants in five games.
After two less than stellar seasons in 1990 and 1991, which saw Sutcliffe go a combined 6-7 over 24 games due to recurring arm injuries, the Cubs decided not to offer the 35-year-old a contract, making him a free agent and ending his time in Chicago.
Chicago Cubs: The final steps in a sturdy, reliable career
In 1992, the now 36-year-old proved he could still be of value to a big league team. As a member of the Baltimore Orioles, Sutcliffe was a stereotypical innings-eater tossing 237 1/3 frames of 4.47 ERA baseball. His 36 starts tied for the league lead – a testament to his durability.
By 1993, 18 years in the big leagues began to really take its toll on Sutcliffe. His numbers trended in the wrong direction in almost every way and he fell well short of eclipsing 200 innings. After signing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1994, Sutcliffe’s ERA ballooned even higher to an unsightly 6.52 in an injury-plagued season and it was clear that his time in the game was done.
Sutcliffe retired following the ’94 season with a career record of 171-139 and a 4.08 ERA.
After walking off the mound for the last time, Sutcliffe had a brief stint as a pitching coach of the Padres’ (now the Kansas City Royals) minor league affiliate from 1996-97. When the coaching gig came to an end, he took on the role of color commentator for the Padres until 2004, leaving for ESPN on a full-time basis, a network he occasionally enjoyed part-time since 1998.
Personally, whenever fellow red-headed players such as Matt Murton or Ryan Dempster donned the Cubbie blue uniform and played on the field, it always reminded me of “The Red Baron” himself.
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A fan favorite at Wrigley during a few memorable seasons in Chicago during the 1980s, Rick Sutcliffe will forever live on in Chicago Cub lore, more than worthy of being dubbed a “Hero of Wrigley.”