The collective groan you heard coming from the North Side of Chicago in December of 2001 probably came right around the time when Delino DeShields was inexplicably signed for the 2002 season. The Cubs had gotten decent production out of DeShields in the second half of the 2001 season. Decent production, that is, if you could afford to have your second baseman powerless, immobile, and playing with a baseball glove made of a block of salt. The Cubs could not.
Cool picture! What year are you? Sophomore?
Why do the Cubs insist on doing this? They got more than they could have hoped for from DeShields when they picked him up in 2001 after he was released by Baltimore. Like they did with Rusch. Like they did with Gaetti. Why don’t they ever just cut bait and run after getting seasons like those?
Instead, the Cubs brought DeShields back in 2002. Of course the fans hated him. Of course he sucked. Of course he lost his starting job by mid-May. And so ended the DeShields era as a Cub. DeShields also, by the way, feeds into the theory that second base since Ryno left has been nearly as big a problem as third base since Santo left. Think about it. Or don’t.
Low Point: June 28, 2002. The Cubs jump out to an 8-0 lead on the White Sox in the first three innings of a game on the South Side. No thanks to DeShields. In his three at-bats in the first three innings, he lines out, strikes out swinging, and strikes out looking with 2 on and 2 out. In the next three innings, the game changes, and the Sox score 10 unanswered. DeShields, however, does not change, as he strikes out swinging before being replaced by Mark Bellhorn in the 8th. Cubs lose 13-9, and drop 2 of 3 to the Sox in that trip.
Did You Know? In 1993, DeShields was traded straight up for Pedro Martinez. Martinez went on to win 196 games after the trade. DeShields ended up on this list.
I like this site, you’re funny. Like Dane Cook.
Ok, just kidding you’re actually funny.
Here’s the thing though, Damian Jackson HAS to make your list. I hated him more than DeShields. Don’t forget Rey Ordonez. Holy crap that guy was a Cub. I just sharted.
“You’ll find out…”
“That doesn’t even make sense!”
“You just leave that to me.”
dont forget his goofy batting helmet with the dual earflaps..probably added to his suckiness
Delino HAD to wear that two-flapped helmet. He was a switch-hitter. Do you expect him to look at the mound to see if there was a righty or lefty pitching? Delino likes surprises.
That game was also one of Wood’s lowest moments as a Cub. He’s the asshole who started the game and decided to make it interesting.
There were about 6 of us, maybe 8, who went to that game thanks to tickets in the upper deck bought by a Sux fan buddy. Of course, we missed the first 2 and a half innings and had to just sit there as Kerry Wood decided to do his best Scott Sanderson imperssonation.
I ended up going to the next game with a different Sux fan buddy. I gave up masochism right there and then.
I do not support Delino DeSheilds.
If you guys think you had it bad in 1988 I had to watch him here in Rockford, IL as well…even as a minor leaguer I hated him and never know why until he came to the Cubs..
DeShields was re-signed by the Cubs in 2002 because he hit .276 for them in 2001 and stole 12 out of 13 bases. He’d had a terrific year in 2000 for the Orioles, and the Cubs were hoping he could recapture that form. He had 1,548 hits and stole 463 bases in his career and his .268 lifetime average isn’t the worse. And he earned about $30M. Maybe it’s the Cubs, not the players they get. They put on that uniform and and turn instantly bad.
You’re related to Luis Salazar AND Delino DeShields?! Weird.
Martin, why does it matter how much these guys made over their career? And, yes, at one time, Deshields was good. He wasn’t with the Cubs. You trying to defend Delino Deshields as a Cub is sad. Go back to NSBB and tell your fellow basement dwellers how you put Kermit in his place.
I think Deshields married and divorced a white woman. The golddiggin’ blonde-haired, blue-eyed devil took half his money, I bet. Let him see his kids, WHORE!
Brilliant title, excellent site!
Hey thanks!
I wonder if some nerd has put together a stat on weak ground balls hit to the second baseman. He was awesome at that.
He was also in the top 10 in caught stealing 8 times over his career.
I think a five-hopper to the second baseman should just be called a “Juan Pierre.”
Okay, when did they start allowing internet access at Lakeshore?
Actually, I was not a switch-hitter. I was soley a left-handed hitter, but that’s respectable right? I just wore that helmet because I was such an avid base-stealer and I wanted protection on my left incase the catcher plunked me when I went into my completely unnecessary head-first slide. I was on the Expo’s, god damnit! I’m from Deleware! I have corn-rows and I’m 45 years-old, god damnit! Can’t a a brother get some respect? I wore my socks high because I was fast, god damnit!