It took several years to disband the 1969 Cubs but only 16 months for general manager Jim Hendry to tear apart the 2003 team that fell five outs short of the World Series.
After trading enigmatic reliever Kyle Farnsworth to Detroit on Wednesday, Hendry was left with only six players from the 2003 postseason roster. And only three–Mark Prior, Mike Remlinger and Aramis Ramirez–took part in the crucial Game 6 loss to Florida in the NLCS.
With Spring Training a week away, Farnsworth was dealt to the Tigers for 25-year-old reliever Roberto Novoa, 21-year-old third baseman Scott Moore and 21-year-old outfielder Bo Flowers. The Tigers also will receive a player to be named.
The trade was similar to the Sammy Sosa deal in that Farnsworth’s removal from the clubhouse seemingly was the impetus. None of the three prospects was rated among the top 10 in Detroit’s farm system in Baseball America’s rankings.
“We feel it’s a productive trade for us,” Hendry said. “We’re very happy about the guys we got.”
With the departures of Sosa, Farnsworth, Kent Mercker and Moises Alou, Hendry has tossed players who were involved in last year’s big controversies, sending a message that repeat performances won’t be tolerated.
The Cubs might not be done dealing with the Tigers. They’ll probably scout reliever Ugueth Urbina during Spring Training, knowing the Tigers are likely to trade their former closer after signing former Anaheim stopper Troy Percival this off-season.
Despite a 100-m.p.h. fastball and a sharp slider, Farnsworth never got his act together in the majors. Whether he was kicking a fan, throwing a metal folding chair in the dugout in San Diego in May or falling asleep in the clubhouse during a 2002 game at Wrigley Field, Farnsworth’s character always was a topic of debate.
Hendry denied he unloaded Farnsworth because of his demeanor. Farnsworth becomes a free agent in November and was unlikely to re-sign. He and manager Dusty Baker didn’t see eye-to-eye, and his perceived lack of maturity was a reason he never had an opportunity to close for the Cubs.
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Then and now
It’s been a busy off-season for the Cubs front office as Kyle Farnsworth joins Sammy Sosa, Moises Alou and others who have left town. Take a look at the team’s 25-man 2003 playoff roster to see just how much of the team has turned over.
’03 Cubs / ’05 location
Antonio Alfonseca / Florida
Moises Alou / San Francisco
Paul Bako / Los Angeles
Joe Borowski / Cubs
Matt Clement / Boston
Juan Cruz / Oakland
Kyle Farnsworth / Detroit
Doug Glanville / Yankees
Alex Gonzalez / Tampa Bay
Tom Goodwin / Unsigned
Mark Grudzielanek / St. Louis
Mark Guthrie / Tampa Bay
Eric Karros / Out of baseball
Kenny Lofton / Yankees
Ramon Martinez / Detroit
Damian Miller / Milwaukee
Troy O’Leary / Out of baseball
Mark Prior / Cubs
Aramis Ramirez / Cubs
Mike Remlinger / Cubs
Randall Simon / Tampa Bay
Sammy Sosa / Baltimore
Dave Veres / Out of baseball
Kerry Wood / Cubs
Carlos Zambrano / Cubs
