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Chicago Cubs Best Single Seasons

This is a list of the Chicago Cubs best single seasons. I decided to select two players for each infield position, six outfielders (regardless of specific position), and one designated hitter for each AL team. Hitters had to play at least 51% of games at their position. For pitching, we selected seven starting pitchers, three non-closers, and two closers. Starting pitchers had to start at least 20 games during the selected season. Relief pitchers were deemed non-closers if they saved less than 10 games. Closers are pitchers that save more than 10 games.


  • Catcher – Gabby Hartnett, 1930

  • Gabby Hartnett
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    141 .444 5.4 141 577 84 172 31 3 37 122 0 55 62 .339 .404 .630 1.034

  • First Base – Derrek Lee, 2005

  • Derrek Lee
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    170 .444 7.7 158 691 120 199 50 3 46 107 15 85 109 .335 .418 .662 1.080

  • Second Base – Rogers Hornsby, 1929

  • Rogers Hornsby
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    174 .497 10.4 156 712 156 229 47 8 39 149 2 87 65 .380 .459 .679 1.139

  • Third Base – Ron Santo, 1964

  • Ron Santo
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    164 .417 8.9 161 686 94 185 33 13 30 114 3 86 96 .313 .398 .564 .962

  • Shortstop – Ernie Banks, 1958

  • Ernie Banks
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    151 .416 9.4 154 682 119 193 23 11 47 129 4 52 87 .313 .366 .614 .980

  • Outfield – Sammy Sosa, 2001

  • Sammy Sosa
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    186 .465 10.3 160 711 146 189 34 5 64 160 0 116 153 .328 .437 .737 1.174

  • Outfield – Hack Wilson, 1930

  • Hack Wilson
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    171 .497 7.4 155 709 146 208 35 6 56 191 3 105 84 .356 .454 .723 1.177

  • Outfield – Billy Williams, 1972

  • Billy Williams
    wRC+ wOBA WAR G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    170 .441 6.1 150 650 95 191 34 6 37 122 3 62 59 .333 .398 .606 1.005

  • Starting Pitcher – Jake Arrieta, 2015

  • Jake Arrieta
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    45 8.7 33 33 22 6 1.77 229 4 3 0 52 45 48 236 9.3 0.865

  • Starting Pitcher – Mordecai Brown, 1909

  • Mordecai Brown
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    52 8.7 50 34 27 9 1.31 342.2 32 8 7 78 50 53 172 4.5 0.873

  • Starting Pitcher – Jack Taylor, 1902

  • Jack Taylor
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    50 9.3 37 34 23 11 1.29 333.2 34 8 1 86 48 45 88 2.4 0.953

  • Starting Pitcher – Ed Reulbach, 1905

  • Ed Reulbach
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    48 8.3 34 29 18 14 1.42 291.2 28 5 1 71 46 73 152 4.7 0.963

  • Starting Pitcher – Pete Alexander, 1919

  • Pete Alexander
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    58 7.5 30 27 16 11 1.72 235 20 9 1 51 45 38 121 4.6 0.928

  • Relief Pitcher – Les Lancaster, 1989

  • Les Lancaster
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    37 3.9 42 0 4 2 1.36 72.2 0 0 8 12 11 15 56 6.9 1.032

  • Relief Pitcher – Carlos Marmol, 2007

  • Carlos Marmol
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    31 3.0 59 0 5 1 1.43 69.1 0 0 1 11 11 35 96 12.5 1.096

  • Closer – Bruce Sutter, 1977

  • Bruce Sutter
    ERA- WAR G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO SO/9 WHIP
    31 6.5 62 0 7 3 1.34 107.1 0 0 31 21 16 23 129 10.8 0.857

Bench

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