To be fair, Steve Buechele probably wasn’t as bad as you remember him. But to quote the great Walter Sobchak, “Fair? Fair? Who gives a shit about fair?” Find me 10 Cubs fans who watched the team in the early 90s, and I guarantee 9 of them will cringe when the hear the name “Steve Buechele.” You just cringed, didn’t you?
Steve Buechele? Or Chick Gandil from Eight Men Out?
Buechele was the Cubs’ regular third baseman after coming over from Pittsburgh in 1992 in a trade which sent Danny Jackson to the Pirates. Buechele played badly enough that, by 1995, he was released by the Cubs in favor of Todd Zeile. I think that’s the dictionary definition of a “lateral move.”
A good portion of Buchele’s Cub career was spent walking from third base to the plate, taking three strikes, and walking back to third. The rest of his time was spent trying to return the ball to opposing batters with his foot. I’ll give him credit extra hate for having a bit of a Joey Gladstone thing going for him.
Cut it out, Steve. Cut. It. Out.
Low Point: From Buechele’s Wikipedia page, “the 25 times he was hit by a pitch is the 13th highest in the Rangers’ franchise history and his 73 grounded into double plays is the 14th highest.” They then point out that he’s eligible for the Texas Rangers’ Hall of Fame. Nice juxtaposition.
Did You Know? Buechele was one of the hosts and coaches for the Texas Rangers 2006 Media Spring Training. I’m not sure why media needs Spring Training, although I might hire Buechele to tell Gordon Wittenmyer to “take it down a notch.”
Hot as a Kerry Wood fastball.
Fire Lou Piniella! 
another stop gap in the revolving door that was 3rd base prior to getting Aramis Ramirez. God we had some shitty 3rd basement!
oooh freudian slip there “3rd basement”
Oh my God…I did cringe…
Fantastic blog.
For me, the blonde mullet just never seemed like something that belonged on a competent human being.
Hey Joey!
Low point: How about the time I told him I was pregnant, and he was confused because a few years earlier he had a vasectomy?
Slaky, I’m sorry, but I look really handsome in my blonde mullet. The best part is that it never, ever goes out of style.
Have you guys forgot about me?
Still 74 to go, Andy (continued at hirejimessian.com). Keep your pants on and your pitches wild…
Hudson 3-2700
Suburbs Call Collect
You people suck. Just because your Cubbies suck doesn’t mean Buechele did. We always loved him in Texas and we still do! Luv U Boo!
Cubbies fans really whine a lot. I see why you never win the big one.
A guy that had a .975 fielding percentage, tied for the highest third baseman in Cubs history, and batted .279 was good production during that time.
If you have no pitching, no hitting and non-baseball, all business management you don’t win. That’s the Cubs.