3 critical members of the 2003 Cubs you probably forgot about
By Jake Misener
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the infamous 2003 NLCS, marred for Cubs fans by memories of an ill-fated foul ball and an error by Alex Gonzalez that led to the team's complete unraveling in Game 6.
Looking back at that season now is a lot easier with the 2016 World Series championship in tow. But there's a lot more to talk about than Steve Bartman, Moises Alou and the Cubs' two-headed monster of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior atop the rotation. Here are 3 guys who played key roles for that team who deserve a little more appreciation after all these years.
3 critical members of the 2003 Cubs you probably forgot about - #3: Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton, known for his time with the Cleveland Indians in the 1990s, came to the Cubs at the trade deadline in 2003, giving Dusty Baker a table-setter atop the order for the stretch run. The speedy outfielder was everything the team hoped for, hitting 13 doubles, swiping a dozen bags and batting .327 in 56 games.
He brought that same reliability to the postseason, especially in the NLCS against the Marlins, when he slashed hit .323 with a .382 on-base percentage in the seven-game series. The fact he had played for Baker the prior year with the Giants, advancing to the World Series before falling to the Angels, surely helped - as the bright lights of the postseason seemed to have little effect on the veteran.