Ranking the top 5 free agent signings in Chicago Cubs history

With MLB Network waging war on one of the most reputable reporters in the game, no offseason moves being made because of the ongoing lockout and a complete and utter lack of Chicago Cubs-related news to fill my day, I’ve taken to re-reading my favorite Cubs books, watching a lot of old Cubs games and looking back at my three decades of fandom.

The big news prior to the lockout? The Cubs look like a legitimate contender for the top free agent in this year’s class in Carlos Correa. The former AL Rookie of the Year, should he come to the North Side, has the potential to wind up on this very list someday: the top 5 free agent signings in Chicago Cubs history. Let’s get started.

5 best free agent signings in Chicago Cubs history: #5 – Moises Alou

I recently looked back on Moises Alou’s absolutely bonkers 2004 season when, at age thirty-seven, he decided to go out and turn in one of the best single-season performances of his 17-year big league career.

Coming off one of the most heartbreaking scenes in Cubs history the prior October, expectations were high heading into ’04. Things didn’t pan out – but that’s not because of Alou. He put the finishing touches on his Cubs career in a major way, smashing a career-high 39 home runs and driving in106 runs.

All told, during the span of his three-year stint in Chicago, Alou did everything asked of him and then some. The veteran outfielder slashed .283/.353/.484, driving in 258 runs and averaging 25 home runs and 86 RBI per year. And let’s not forget. He was a monster during that 2003 run, with a 1.074 OPS in the NLDS and a .907 mark against the Marlins.