1987 Chicago Cubs season

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1987 Chicago Cubs
Andre Dawson hits 49 Home Runs
Major league affiliations
Location
1987 Information
Owner(s) Tribune Company
General Manager(s) Dallas Green
Manager(s) Gene Michael and Frank Lucchesi
Local television WGN-TV/Superstation WGN
(Harry Caray, Steve Stone, Dewayne Staats)
Local radio WGN
(Jim Frey, Lou Boudreau, Dewayne Staats)
Stats ESPN.com

BB-reference

The Chicago Cubs 1987 season featured a career season from free-agent acquisition Andre Dawson, who captured the National League Most Valuable Player honors following a 49 home run season. It was the rookie season for starting pitcher Greg Maddux, the final full season for Wrigley Field without lights, and the last year for general manager Dallas Green, who resigned in late October 1987.

Contents

[edit] Spring Training

The team opened camp in Mesa, Arizona content with Brian Dayett to start in right field. However, Dawson and his agent Dick Moss showed up after camp opened hoping that Green would consider signing the all-star outfielder. Dawson was one of the top free agents on the market during the off-season, but he garnered little interest. He made no secret that he wanted to leave Montreal, where his knees were battered by the Olympic Stadium Astroturf. He also made it known during the off season that the Cubs were his top choice, as Wrigley Field had a natural grass surface and had no lights. Dawson hit considerably better during the day.

After a couple weeks of Green saying he was flatly uninterested in Dawson, Dawson and Moss presented Green with a "blank" signed contract. Green filled in the amount -- $500,000 for one year.

Spring training also began with the dark news of broadcaster Harry Caray suffering a stroke in Palm Springs. WGN announced that until Caray was well enough to return, guest announcers would fill in and sit alongside color analyst Steve Stone.

[edit] Regular season

An 18-10 May propelled the Cubs into the race, and they spent time in first place in early June. However, injuries to Ryne Sandberg and Shawon Dunston within days of each other crippled the Cubs' middle infield and hampered their offense. Their replacements were Paul Noce and Mike Brumley, respectively, Brumley having been acquired as "thrown-in" in the 1984 Buckner-for-Eckersley trade. Neither player was able to come close to replacing the lost production from Sandberg and Dunston and, consequentially, the team struggled.

After a woeful August, Michael told the press that he was planning on resigning after the season. Green said that he would accept the resignation, effective immediately, and replaced Michael with Frank Lucchesi, a longtime scout in the Philadelphia organization who had become a Cubs roving instructor. As the Cubs played out the string under Luchessi, they finished last, although they were a markedly improved team over the '86 club, with a promising future.

[edit] Season standings

NL East W L Pct. GB
St. Louis Cardinals 95 67 .586 --
New York Mets 92 70 .568 3
Montreal Expos 91 71 .562 4
Philadelphia Phillies 80 82 .494 15
Pittsburgh Pirates 80 82 .494 15
Chicago Cubs 76 85 .472 18.5

[edit] Roster

1987 Chicago Cubs roster
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Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

[edit] Opening Day Starters

[edit] Game log

1987 Chicago Cubs Game Log