1983 - A Step Back

In contrast to the last few years of the Wrigley regime, Green continued to be active in the offseason trading market. The biggest deal was made January 19, 1983, when the Cubs sent two minor leaguers (neither of whom ever did much in the majors) to Los Angeles for veteran third baseman Ron Cey. Cey was a six-time all-star, who was probably the best third baseman in the National League in the late-1970s and early 1980s other than Mike Schmidt. He was expendable because the Dodgers needed to open up a spot for Pedro Guerrero, a world-class hitting prospect. It seemed the Cubs had solved their third base problem, if only temporarily; Cey turned 35 just after the trade.

The Cubs also turned over most of their weak starting rotation from 1982. Bird was traded to the Red Sox for another starter, Chuck Rainey. Martz, as well as Tidrow, were included in a deal with the White Sox that netted starter Steve Trout, whose father Dizzy had pitched against the Cubs in the 1945 World Series, and reliever Warren Brusstar. Ripley was released. After the start of the season, the Cubs traded Willie Hernandez to the Phillies for Dick Ruthven, a veteran starting pitcher who had won 17 games for the Phillies’ 1980 world championship team. In June, they would bring back Rick Reuschel, who was signed as a free agent after being released by the Yankees.

The Cubs also changed things in the field. Waller and Henderson were traded away in minor deals. Wills was released (he ended up playing in Japan). Bench players Thad Bosley, Steve Lake, and Tom Veryzer were picked up in trades. The biggest addition besides Cey was 22-year old outfielder Mel Hall, who had been selected in the 1978 amateur draft and played a few games in 1981 and 1982. He made the club out of spring training and would become the regular centerfielder.

1983 Opening Day Lineup
Hall, lf
Sandberg, 2b
Buckner, 1b
Durham, cf
Cey, 3b
Moreland, rf
Davis, c
Bowa, ss
Jenkins, p  

Unfortunately, the changes did not seem to help. The promise of the last couple of months of the 1982 season was not fulfilled. The Cubs lost their first six games and 14 of their first 20 and never really got on track. They went 18-11 in June, sparked by a seven-game winning streak at the beginning of the month and a six-game winning streak at the end, but it was their only winning month. 

The pitching was awful. The team finished dead last in the NL in ERA. Age seemed to have caught up with Jenkins; he finished 6-9 with a 4.30 ERA. Rainey was the “ace” of the staff finishing at 14-13, though with a 4.48 ERA. On August 24, against the Reds at Wrigley, he was one out away from a no-hitter, but Eddie Milner broke it up with a single. Actually Ruthven was probably the Cubs’ most effective starter, finishing 12-9 with a 4.10 ERA. The Cubs’ best pitcher by far was Lee Smith. Smith solidified his status as one of the NL’s most dominant closers by finishing with a 1.65 ERA in 103 innings. He struck out 91 batters while walking only 41 and finished with 29 saves, leading the league. 

On offense, the team was hurt by injuries to Durham, which prevented him from following up on his breakout 1982 season. He played just 100 games, and none after September 6, finishing with a .258 average and 12 home runs. After three straight all-star quality seasons, Buckner had an off year, finishing with a .280 average, but only a .310 on-base percentage due to just 25 walks. His 16 home runs and 66 RBIs weren’t enough to support his inability to get on base.

On the other hand, the rest of the lineup was strong. Jody Davis broke out with a 24-84-.271 season which made him one of the NL’s best-hitting catchers. Cey had very similar numbers at 24-90-.275. Sandberg’s average dropped ten points to .261, but he still stole 37 bases and scored 94 runs. Hall, the new centerfielder, hit 17 home runs with a .283 average. Moreland was installed as the new right fielder (Durham played mostly left) and hit .302. The Cubs finished 2^nd in the league in runs scored.

The most memorable event of the 1983 season took place on April 29. On that day, the Cubs lost 4-3 at Wrigley to the Dodgers to drop to 5-14 on the season. Angered by what he perceived as abusive comments by fans directed toward Keith Moreland and Larry Bowa as they left the field after the game, Elia exploded in an obscene tirade to four Chicago reporters. “They ought to get a f***in’ job and find out what it’s like to go out and earn a f***in’ living,” he said of the fans at the day game. “Eighty-five percent of the f***in’ world is working. The other fifteen come out here.” The incident reflected the frustration of both the fans and the Cubs’ players and management at the team’s failure to build on the successes of the last two months of 1982. The Cubs finished 71-91 in 1983, and they seemed to be right back where they were before Green took over. Elia was not fired as a direct result of the angry rant, but also did not make it through the season. He was dismissed on August 21, with the team at 54-69. Charlie Fox was appointed interim manager and finished out the season 17-22.

1983 Cubs Batting Leaders: R – Ryne Sandberg, 94; H – Bill Buckner, 175; HR – Jody Davis & Ron Cey, 24;  RBI – Cey, 90; BA – Keith Moreland, .302; OBP – Moreland, .378; SP – Jody Davis, .480

1983 Cubs Pitching Leaders: G – Bill Campbell, 82; IP – Chuck Rainey, 191; W – Rainey, 14; SO – Campbell, 97; ERA – Jenkins 4.30; SV – Lee Smith, 29