The Cubs were being rebuilt by new President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein in 2012, and the results on the field showed it. They finished 61-101, their first 100-loss season since 1966.
One of the
bright spots was Bryan LaHair, who began the year as the team’s first baseman. He hit well enough in the first half — .286/.364/.519 with 14 home runs in 74 games — to be named to the National League All-Star team. And, in fact, LaHair did get into the game, grounding out to end the top of the ninth in an 8-0 NL win. He’s probably the most unlikely All-Star in Cubs history.
By that time, though, LaHair had been replaced at first base by someone you know well — Anthony Rizzo, who had been called up from Triple-A Iowa in late June. LaHair was tried in right field, at times, but started only 25 games after the All-Star break, just three of those at first base.
One of those games was the final game of the 2012 season against the also-woeful Astros. The Cubs had lost their 100th game to Houston in the series opener Friday, Oct. 1, meaning that the final two games of the season would feature two teams that had already lost 100 games. That was the first meeting of teams with 100-plus losses in 50 years — since the 100-loss Cubs and Mets had met at Wrigley Field to end the 1962 season.
The Cubs lost the first of those games Saturday, Oct. 2, dropping to 60-101, and the final game of the 2012 season was played on a gloomy, drizzly Sunday afternoon.
The Cubs took a 4-1 lead into the eighth inning, one of those runs coming on a home run by LaHair in the second inning. But reliever Shawn Camp could not hold the lead, serving up a three-run homer to Justin Maxwell that tied things up.
In the bottom of the ninth with the game still tied, Anthony Recker led off with a walk and Darwin Barney ran for him. An attempted sacrifice by Steve Clevenger wound up popped up to the pitcher. Tony Campana was next and he also bunted — but not to sacrifice, instead bunting toward second base for a hit. Adrian Cardenas struck out, and that was followed by a walk drawn by Starlin Castro to load the bases.
That brought up LaHair [VIDEO].
That was LaHair’s final MLB game and at-bat. He was released at the end of the season and played a year in Japan for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, batting .230/.306/.428 with 16 home runs in 111 games, then returned to North America and played 2014 in the Cleveland minor-league system. He played indy ball as recently as 2017. Since his playing career ended, LaHair has held several coaching positions in the Reds minor-league system, including being the hitting coach at Triple-A Louisville the last two seasons.
And he’ll always have that walkoff memory.
