Sammy Sosa also concluded 2001 with one of the most memorable four-season offensive stretches in Major League history. During that span, the Cubs resident slugger hit at least 50 home runs each year, joining Babe Ruth and Mark McGwire as the only players with more than two 50-roundtripper campaigns. He also established the total base record for a four-year period with 1,621 and his RBI total of 597 was the most in the Majors since Lou Gehrig drove in 639 from 1931-34. Sosa also set the big-league record for most homers over a six-year period with 319.

The 2001 season also saw Sammy Sosa tag 425 total bases for his second 400-plus campaign, setting club marks for extra-base hits (103) and slugging percentage (737), topping the records set by Hack Wilson. In addition, Sosa recorded just the seventh 50-homer/150 RBI season in Major League history. Sosa is the only player since World War II to accomplish this feat, having previously reached it in 1998 as well.

And those spikes were apparently made for walking. Sosa was intentionally walked 37 times in 2001, breaking the big league mark for a right-handed batter.

Sosa wasn't the only Cub in 2001 to post impressive numbers.

Jon Lieber became the first Cub since Greg Maddux in 1992 to win 20 games, posting a 20-6 record and a 3.80 ERA in 34 starts and earning his first trip to the All-Star Game.

Kerry Wood fanned 217 batters in 2001, reaching the 200-K plateau for the second time in his career. Wood is the first Cub since Fergie Jenkins to record multiple 200-strikeout seasons.

Among the bright spots: Sammy Sosa led the National League in home runs (49) for the second time in three years and also runs scored (122). He belted his 499th career homer in the last game of the regular season and was one swing away from joining the 500 club.

Kerry Wood and Matt Clement ranked third and fourth in the NL in strikeouts with 217 and 215, respectively. The only other time the Cubs had two pitchers with 200 strikeouts was 1970 when Fergie Jenkins and Ken Holtzman did so. Wood made a career-high 33 starts and topped 200 innings pitched for the first time.

One of the highlights of the 2002 season was the emergence of rookie right-hander Mark Prior, the Cubs' 2001 No. 1 draft pick who made his Major League debut on May 22 against Pittsburgh. He fanned 10 in his first start, the highest total by a Cubs pitcher in his debut since 1969.

The Cubs won their first NL Central Division title, posting an 88-74 record in Baker's first season at the helm. It wasn't exactly a smooth ride as superstar Sammy Sosa missed a month with a sore big toe and was suspended seven games for using a corked bat. Corey Patterson was the first half MVP, then suffered a season-ending knee injury July 6.

Starting pitchers Kerry Wood and Mark Prior were both named to the NL All-Star team and finished 1-2 in the NL in strikeouts. Joe Borowski calmly handled the closer duties, saving 33 games. He'd started the season with two saves in his career.

General manager Jim Hendry was aggressive and found players to fill voids, acquiring Kenny Lofton, Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon in the second half. The Cubs won the division title in the second-to-last game with a doubleheader sweep against Pittsburgh. The team then saluted one of its legends, Ron Santo, by retiring his No. 10 on the last day.

The Cubs upset the East Division champion Atlanta Braves, 3-2, in the five-game NL Division Series. It marked the first postseason series win for the franchise since 1908. The Cubs were five outs away from advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1945 but lost Games 6 and 7 of the NL Championship Series at home and were eliminated by the Florida Marlins. It was a wild ride.

For the first time since 1971-72, the Chicago Cubs completed back-to-back winning seasons in 2004. But that proved to be little consolation for a club that was expected to make a return trip to the postseason but finished third in the NL Central.

The Cubs were ravaged by injuries, including Mark Prior, who did not make his season debut until June 4 because of an inflamed Achilles tendon, Kerry Wood, who missed two months with a sore triceps and Sammy Sosa, who missed nearly a month with back spasms. Nomar Garciaparra -- who was acquired on July 31 in a four-team trade -- was also hindered by injuries, battling nagging problems with his Achilles, wrist and groin, and was unable to provide the spark the Cubs were looking for.

The season was not without its excitement, however. Greg Maddux, in his return to the Cubs, became the 22nd Major League pitcher to win 300 games, Sosa passed Ernie Banks to become the club's all-time home run leader and the Cubs boasted four 30-home run hitters (Moises Alou, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Sosa) for the first time in team history.

Oh, what might have been. It was a disappointing year for the Cubs, who had high hopes for the season, but were again bitten by the injury bug that played a major part in their 79-83 campaign, good for fourth in the NL Central.

Clearly, the Cubs' MVP for 2005 was Derrek Lee, who had a career year. The slugger flirted with the Triple Crown for the majority of the season and finished with a .335 average to win the National League batting title and lead all Major League hitters. Lee also led the team in doubles (50), triples (tied with three), homers (46), runs (120), RBIs (107) and stolen bases (tied with 15).

The Cubs also found a solid closer in Ryan Dempster, who made the switch to the position during the season and became one of three Major League pitchers to both make a start and save 30 games in a single season. He finished the season with 33 saves in 35 opportunities.

But injuries hindered the Cubs' postseason chances. Nomar Garciaparra missed three months with a groin injury, Kerry Wood's injured right shoulder forced him to push back his Opening Day start and nagged him all season, causing him to miss two months, Mark Prior missed significant time after being hit in the elbow on a line drive and Aramis Ramirez missed the final six weeks because of a leg injury. Todd Walker, Jerry Hairston and Ronny Cedeno also battled significant injuries that hurt the Cubs down the stretch.

Injuries again hurt the Cubs, who lost 96 games in 2006. First baseman Derrek Lee fractured his wrist in a freak collision in mid-April, and the offense sputtered. Juan Pierre did lead the National League in hits with 204, and Aramis Ramirez set career highs with 119 RBIs and 38 home runs.

Cubs pitchers led the Major Leagues in strikeouts, but ace Carlos Zambrano stole the show at the plate. The right-hander belted six home runs to tie the single-season record for most by a pitcher (Ferguson Jenkins, 1971) and also won his first Silver Slugger award. Zambrano was winless in April, yet rallied to win 16 games and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting.

Manager Dusty Baker compiled a 322-326 record in four seasons with the Cubs, but after the season ended, he was not retained. In October, the team hired Lou Piniella as the club's 50th manager.