Dallas Green's Snafu

This week's snafu in which the Cubs mistakenly recalled an ineligible Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa brings to mind a front office mistake that could have cost the North Siders their National League East championship in 1984.

On June 13, 1984, Cubs general manager Dallas Green boldly acquired pitchers Rick Sutcliffe and George Frazier, and catcher Ron Hassey from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for outfielders Mel Hall and Joe Carter, and minor-league pitchers Don Schulze and Darryl Banks.

All three of the players acquired by the Cubs were immediately added to the Cubs' major league roster. Frazier and Hassey made their Cubs debuts on June 14.

But Hall and Carter were stuck in limbo and were unable to join the Indians because neither player had cleared waivers.

While the names of Hall and Carter went through the tedious waiver process, an awkward situation played out.

Had another NL team made a claim on either outfielder, the trade would have been declared null and void with all the players involved returning to their original clubs. The future of the Cubs would likely have been radically different. It's hard to imagine the Cubs winning the divsiion title without the contributions of Sutcliffe, who went 16-1 with his new team and claimed the NL Cy Young Award.

The always outspoken Hall did not take what he perceived as the Cubs' rejection well.

"Who is Rick Sutcliffe?" said Hall, who had been platooning as the Cubs' right fielder with Keith Moreland. "I hope I face him some time."

The NL office announced on June 19 that Hall and Carter had cleared waivers and both reported to the Indians. That night, Sutcliffe made his first start with the Cubs in Pittsburgh and pitched eight solid innings to earn the victory in the North Siders' 4-3 win.