Chicago Cubs History: Regaling the top five MVPs in franchise history

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Multiple Chicago Cubs players have won MVP honors over the years. But these five particular guys turned in seasons that will stand the test of time.

It has been nearly five years since the Chicago Cubs had a player bring home the National League MVP. Kris Bryant followed his unbelievable 2015 Rookie of the Year campaign year by winning the NL MVP in just his second big league season. More on that later.

The MVP is the coup de grâce of baseball awards. You need not remind fans across the game of the current dominance of Mike Trout and his reign as the undisputed best player in the game today. While nobody can seem to reach those Trout-ian heights, it overtly represents the best in the sport.

Organizing an all-time top-five MVP list can present as a challenge. Between the different eras of the game, the controversy with steroids shrouding the league in vitriolic antipathy or, the present, with an alleged juiced ball driving home run numbers through the roof, there is an eclectic group of players who dominate this list.

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Chicago Cubs: Rogers Hornsby, 2B, 1929

Unbridled to a single other Cubs player and their best career season is Rogers Hornsby, who is responsible for one of, if not, the best single-seasons in franchise history. It would probably rival some of the top dogs for one of the best seasons ever, although Hornsby did have a better season than this before he joined the Cubs, which is insane.

The 1929 season proved to be fortuitous for Hornsby and the Cubs as the club went all the way to the World Series. Of course, they got demolished four games to one, but it is neither here nor there. Hornsby himself played in 156 games.

Hornsby was able to stay in near-mint condition throughout his career, which was a big boost for the St. Louis Cardinals, first followed by Chicago. In 1929 Hornsby slashed a monster .380/.459/.679 with 39 home runs and 149 RBI. Hornsby also proved to be a very patient hitter as he posted a 12.2 percent walk rate to a single-digit 9.1 percent strikeout rate.

The Cubs finished 98-54, and Hornsby himself accounted for an 11.4 WAR. It was one of six seasons where Hornsby went over ten Wins Above Replacement. It is understandable to argue against the ‘Dead ball ERA,’ but, Hornsby still put on a show no matter the way you wish to try to spin it.

Chicago Cubs: Ernie Banks, 1B/SS, 1958-59

Second on this list is a couple of very impressive seasons courtesy of “Mr. Cub” himself, Ernie Banks. Banks is a staple of the north side of Chicago. Always has been, always will be. Throughout his 18 year career (all with the Cubs), Banks had some fun seasons. Nothing, however, will compare to the summers of 1958 and 1959, respectively.

Banks was coming off a season in 1957 in which he hit .285 while mashing 43 home runs and was worth a 6.1 WAR. Up to that point, Banks had had only one stronger season than this, but that was all about to change. In 1958, Banks improved his offense across the board slashing .313/.366/.614 with 47 home runs and 129 driven in. Banks struck out only 12.8 percent of the time and hit 11 triples to boot.

If that wasn’t enough, Banks followed up that year with an even better year in 1959. Once again, Banks hit forty plus home runs (45) and increased his RBI total from 129 to 143. The walk rate rose by about two percent as the strikeout rate decreased by two percent. Banks was worth 9.7 WAR that year. In the two years, Banks carried a combined .975 OPS with a 155 OPS+. Not too shabby, and it is why he is number two on this list.

Chicago Cubs: Ryne Sandberg, 2B, 1984

Swinging the time pendulum a little closer to the present day, falling in third on this list is Ryne Sandberg and his 1984 campaign. Sandberg had been traded to Chicago in the winter of 1982, by Philadelphia. It certainly did no favors for Phillies fans as Sandberg hit and ran his way to the N.L. MVP award two years after the trade.

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Sandberg had been a consistent player in each of his first two years in Wrigleyville. He posted back-to-back 2+ WAR seasons and only missed a combined ten games. Parts of Sandberg’s play had not quite caught up in that first couple of years despite his impressive numbers on the base paths and back-to-back 30+ stolen base performances. Then 1984 happened.

Experiencing career highs in nearly every offensive facet, Sandberg came out of the gate on fire and did not let up. He ended up slashing .314/.367/.520 with 19 home runs, 84 RBI and 32 stolen bases. It was good enough for an 8 WAR season.

On top of his MVP winning season, Sandberg also managed to earn a Gold Glove, his second of what would go on to be nine straight. “Ryno” would go on to have many more exciting seasons, but, for Cubs fans, and Sandberg, the 1984 season is one which will always be remembered.

Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant, 3B, 2016

Outside of maybe Javier Baez, there is no more exciting of a Cub than Kris Bryant. No slight on the captain, of course. Bryant slipped to the Cubs in the 2013 MLB Draft, following the Houston Astros selection of Mark Appel. Boy, was that a break!

Bryant was named the National League Rookie of the Year convincingly, in 2015, and followed it up by winning the MVP the following year. If it wasn’t already enough, Bryant was, of course, a significant contributor and catalyst to winning the World Series.

After hitting 26 bombs and posting a 6.1 WAR in his rookie season, Bryant followed it up with a 39 home run season, driving in a career-high 102 runs, while slashing .292/.385/.554 with a 148 wRC+ and a 7.9 WAR. Bryant improved the weakest part of his game in a single season, dropping his strikeout rate from 30.6 percent in his first year to 22 percent in his MVP winning year.

It ended up as an exciting first couple of years in the league for the former University of San Diego standout. The magic of the 2016 season all-encompassed by breaking the curse led Bryant down a special path. While he has not replicated those numbers since, mainly due to injury, that age-24 season will go down as one of the best in franchise history.

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Chicago Cubs: Andre Dawson, OF, 1987

There is controversy surrounding this time in Cubs history. Nothing egregious, mind you, but still, quite a lot was happening in the summer, and even months before, of 1987. The January before, following the break of a new year, the Cubs presented a blank check for a contract for Andre Dawson in the amount of the team’s choice.

An unprecedented move, to say the least especially considering Dawson’s track record with the Montreal Expos, however, it was there, and Dawson agreed to play for the Cubs. Chicago gave Dawson a base salary of $500,000, along with bonuses for avoiding injuries and making the all-star team, both of which Dawson completed.

Interestingly too about this season was the Cubs dismal performance on the field as they finished in dead last in the N.L. East. Dawson did not let it hold him back, however, as he hit a career-high 49 home runs alongside 137 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 24 doubles.

Dawson slashed .287/.328/.568 with a 124 wRC+ and worth a 3.5 WAR. Similar too to Sandberg, Dawson also managed to win a Gold Glove in the same year as his MVP, his seventh in eight years during the 80s. Dawson never reached those numbers again, but man, for one year, it was magnificently Goliath-esque.

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Chicago Cubs: Sammy Sosa, OF, 1998

Marred in controversy, especially amongst the Wrigleyville faithful, is a long time Cubs outfielder and staple Sammy Sosa. Including Sosa on the actual list was challenging to do. He is receiving an honorable mention for the 1998 season and the year of the home run race.

The obvious reason why it is marred in controversy is because of the rampant steroid use. In 2003, five years after this monster season, Sosa’s name was joined on a list by 103 additional players as to those who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. In 2018, Sosa was interviewed on E:60, and point-blank stated he never tested positive.

Whatever it is you choose to believe, Sosa did have a season to remember in 1998. In a back-and-forth battle with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire, Sosa slashed .308/.377/.647 with a 1.024 OPS. The then 29-year-old missed just three games and hit 66 home runs and drove in 158 runs.

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Sosa earned the MVP honors, beating out McGwire and future Cub Moises Alou, who was in Houston at the time. His season will always be met with controversy, but, for Sosa, who still managed 66 home runs, he did bring the city of Chicago and Wrigleyville closer together.

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