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The 2001 Chicago Cubs missed the postseason despite finishing the year with an 88-74 record. Heading into 2002, they seemed primed to continue a positive trend. The team was also set up heading into that year’s draft, losing a trio of players, which earned them three compensatory first-round selections.
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer changed the plane of how the Cubs came around to draft players. It would not be the case for a long time, and Jim Hendry had just taken over heading into the 2002 season.