Sean Gallagher was the Cubs’ 12th-round pick out of high school in Florida in 2004. He quickly ran through the Cubs system and threw well enough in Double-A and Triple-A to be the Cubs’ No. 4 prospect in 2007 and a Top-100 prospect in Baseball Prospectus’ pre-2007 rankings (82nd).
Called up in June 2007, he pitched in three games in garbage time, was sent back down and called up again the next month.
It’s in that context that Gallagher was called on to relieve Carlos Zambrano July 18 against the Giants at Wrigley Field with the team leading 9-0 after five innings.