Chicago Cubs: Greatest players of the decade – #40-31

Chicago Cubs: No. 40: Albert Almora, Jr.

Albert Almora, Jr. will always hold two important distinctions in Chicago Cubs history. First, he was Theo Epstein first draft pick in Chicago, as the Cubs took him in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2012 draft. The second distinction is that he scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, though he was still considered a prospect at the time.

Almora got a little taste of the big leagues in 2016, but he stuck in the big leagues in 2017, appearing in 132 games and making 323 plate appearances while playing all three outfield spots. He had his best year offensively in 2017, batting .298 while driving in 46 runs in part-time duty. In 2018, Almora had another solid season, getting more playing time, appearing in 152 games and getting 479 plate appearances. That year, he set a career high in walks, hits, runs, and doubles. He also had a defensive WAR of 1.1

Unfortunately, Almora regressed in almost every way in 2019. He set a career-high in home runs with 12, but pretty much everything else was down, including his defense. Because of that, I speculated in a previous column that Almora may be a non-tender candidate this offseason. Still, he appears on this list mainly for his contributions from 2016-2018.

Chicago Cubs: No. 39: Justin Grimm

Justin Grimm was part of the haul the Chicago Cubs received when they traded Matt Garza to the Texas Rangers during the 2013 season. Grimm had failed to impress as a starter with the Rangers during the first part of 2013, posting a 5.97 ERA in 17 starts. However, the Cubs used him as a reliever when they acquired him, and he became an important bullpen piece over the next few years.

In a small sample size in 2013, Grimm gave up just two earned runs in nine innings pitched. In 2014, his first full year with the team, he appeared in 73 games and posted a decent 3.78 ERA.

However, his biggest year would come in 2015, and his contributions to that team are often overlooked. Despite missing the first month, Grimm appeared in 62 games and posted a minuscule 1.99 ERA.

The right-hander stayed with the team for two more seasons and saw a lot of action but never recaptured his 2015 success. Grimm last appeared in the majors in 2018 with Kansas City and Seattle.

Chicago Cubs: No. 38: Geovany Soto

Geovany Soto busted through in a big way for the Chicago Cubs during the 2008 NL Central Championship season, batting .285 with 23 home runs and 86 RBI at the catcher position, earning an All-Star appearance and the NL Rookie of the Year award. Soto would never repeat those numbers, though he still contributed to the Cubs at the beginning of the decade.

After a down 2009, Soto bounced back to have a solid 2010, batting .280 while hitting 17 home runs and driving in 53. Then in 2011, Soto matched his power numbers, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 54 while hitting 26 doubles. However, his batting average dipped to .228, while his OPS plummeted from .890, which was actually higher than his 2008 season of .868, all the way down to .721. Still, it’s not bad production from the catcher’s spot, while Soto was decent if not spectacular behind the plate.

Soto struggled in 2012, and the Cubs traded him to the Rangers during the season. He bounced around to a few different clubs, last appearing with the White Sox in 2017.

Chicago Cubs: No. 37: Steve Cishek

The Chicago Cubs have had their bullpen issues over the past couple of seasons. However, we can’t blame that on Steve Cishek, who ended up being one of Theo Epstein’s better free agent signings.

The Cubs signed Cishek to a two-year deal prior to the 2018 season. Cishek had experience as a closer with the Miami Marlins and the Seattle Mariners, and in 2017 as a middle reliever with the Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, he posted a 2.01 ERA.

Cishek did not disappoint in 2018 with the Cubs, posting a 2.18 ERA in 80 appearances; indeed, he became one of Joe Maddon‘s most reliable bullpen options. Cishek wasn’t quite as good in 2019, but he was still solid with a 2.95 ERA in 70 games.

I recently wrote a piece on the Cubs’ bullpen outlook this offseason, and with the team needing bullpen help, I expressed hope that the Cubs would be able to re-sign Cishek. Though it could be expensive, hopefully, they can get it done.

Chicago Cubs: No. 36: Miguel Montero

Trading for Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2014-2015 offseason was one of several signs, along with bringing in Joe Maddon and Jon Lester, that the team was ready to take a big leap forward during the 2015 season. Montero had spent his entire career with Arizona and had established himself as one of the game’s best offensive catchers.

Coming off an All-Star appearance in 2014, Montero came to the Cubs and got into 113 games. (David Ross would serve as Lester’s “personal” catcher.) Montero had a solid year at the plate, hitting .248 with 15 home runs and 53 RBI. Montero wasn’t as good in 2016 and eventually lost playing time to Willson Contreras.

However, Montero came up with two big hits in the 2016 postseason. His grand slam late in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, which broke a 3-3 tie, will live as one of Wrigley Field’s greatest moments. He also had an RBI hit in the tenth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, and as we remember, the Cubs wound up needing that extra run to win the game.

Unfortunately, Montero would leave the Cubs on bad terms. The Cubs promptly traded Montero to the Toronto Blue Jays after he publicly criticized his teammate, Jake Arrieta. Montero’s career quickly fizzled out after that.

Chicago Cubs: No. 35: Chris Coghlan

Chris Coghlan is an often forgotten part of the Chicago Cubs’ early winning seasons. However, he ended up being a nice pickup and was a solid contributor for three seasons.

Coghlan busted through in a big way with the Florida Marlins in 2009, batting .321 on his way to winning NL Rookie of the Year. However, he had trouble repeating that success and eventually became a free agent after the 2013 season.

The Cubs took a flyer on him, and in 2014 he got into 125 games, batting .283 with 28 doubles, nine home runs, and 41 RBIs. As the Cubs started winning in 2015, Coghlan was in the middle of the action, hitting 25 doubles and 16 home runs while driving in 41 and scoring 64 runs.

Coghlan was traded to the Oakland Athletics before the 2016 season, but then was traded back to the Cubs during that year. He served as a backup outfielder during the 2016 stretch run and postseason, and though he didn’t do much in the playoffs, he will always be remembered as being a part of the 2016 championship team.

Chicago Cubs: No. 34: Yu Darvish

Yu Darvish came to the United States in 2012, signing with the Texas Rangers, and instantly became a star. In 2013, he finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. He was the Chicago Cubs’ big offseason prize prior to the 2018 season, as the team signed him to a big six-year contract. It was a controversial move, and though it took a while, the move finally started to pay off in the second half of the 2019 season.

In 2018, Darvish was limited to just eight starts due to injuries. While he was on the mound, he still was striking out batters at a tremendous rate of 11 per nine innings, but he battled command issues and ended up posting a 4.95 ERA. Darvish was healthy in 2019 but struggled with command in the first half, walking a whopping 49 batters while giving up 20 home runs in 18 starts, leading to a 5.01 ERA.

Yet Darvish makes this list on the strength of his incredible second half, in which he suddenly found the strike zone, walking just seven batters while striking out 118 in 13 starts. Overall, his second half ERA was 2.76.

With a great second half of 2019, there is hope that Darvish has turned a corner and will be a big contributor to the Cubs’ starting rotation in 2020 and beyond.

Chicago Cubs: No. 33: Carl Edwards, Jr.

With the way that his Chicago Cubs career ended, it’s easy to forget that for a stretch of two to three seasons, Carl Edwards, Jr. was actually a solid right-hander out of the bullpen for Joe Maddon. Along with Grimm, Edwards also came over to the Cubs from the Rangers as part of the Matt Garza deal.

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For what seemed like forever, Edwards was considered one of the Cubs’ top pitching prospects. He finally stuck in the majors as a reliever in 2016, posting a 3.75 ERA over 36 innings. He then had a great two-year stretch from 2017 to 2018.

In 2017, Edwards appeared in a career-high 73 games, putting up a 2.98 ERA and striking out a whopping 94 batters in 66 1/3 innings. Edwards was also good in 2018, posting a 2.60 ERA in 52 innings.

Edwards battled injuries and ineffectiveness in 2019, and the Cubs traded him to the San Diego Padres during the season.

Besides what he accomplished on the mound, Edwards will always be remembered for that iconic scene of him waving the “W” flag in celebration on the field after the Cubs won Game 7 of the World Series in Cleveland in 2016.

Chicago Cubs: No. 32: Ryan Dempster

Before he was doing Harry Caray impressions and working in the Chicago Cubs’ front office, Dempster had a great career both as a closer and a starter for the Cubs. He joined the team as a reliever in 2004, and from 2005-2007 he posted 85 saves. The Cubs converted him back to a starter for the 2008 season, and he had a good 4 1/2-year run.

In 2010, Demspter made 34 starts and pitched 215 1/3 innings, the second-highest total of his career and the highest since 2000 with the Florida Marlins. That year, he had a 3.85 ERA and struck out 208 batters, one shy of his career high of 209 in 2000. Dempster was again reliable in 2011, making another 34 starts, though his ERA went up to 4.80.

Then, in 2012, Dempster was on his way to a career year before being traded to the Texas Rangers in the deal that would bring Kyle Hendricks to the Cubs. In 16 starts, he posted a 2.25 ERA, though he wasn’t nearly as good with the Rangers. Dempster wrapped up his career by winning a championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

Chicago Cubs: No. 31: Sean Marshall

Sean Marshall is one of the best left-handed relievers that the Chicago Cubs have had in recent memory. He’s forgotten largely because the Cubs weren’t good during his prime years, yet we can’t do this list without overlooking his achievements.

Marshall first appeared with the Cubs in 2006, first as a starter and then as a swing man. 2010 was the first year in which Marshall appeared exclusively out of the bullpen, and he had a big year, appearing in 80 games and pitching 74 2/3 innings.

His ERA was 2.65, while he struck out a career-high 90 batters (even more than when he was a full-time starter in 2006). Then, 2011 might have been his best year: a 2.26 ERA in 75 2/3 innings.

When Theo Epstein came in after the 2011 season and cleaned house, Marshall was part of the purge, as the Cubs sold high on him: They traded him to the Cincinnati Reds in a deal that included Travis Wood. Marshall was great for the Reds in 2012, but his career faded after that as he dealt with injuries.