MLB 9s: Chicago Cubs—Are Ernie Banks and Hack Wilson the Best Ever?

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Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, Ernie Banks.

The Chicago Cubs have had some of the all-time greats run out onto Wrigley Field.

While they haven't been to the World Series since 1945, there is more than enough talent in the Cubs' history to fill out a dream team twice over. From Rogers Hornsby to Derrek Lee, the Cubs have had incredible depth and production throughout their lineup.

One question remains. Which Chicago Cub had the greatest ever offensive season at his position?

Major League Baseball has been asking fans this question in an effort to choose each team's best ever collection of stars. They are calling it MLB 9s.

Here I separated the contenders from the pretenders in an effort to pick my dream Cubs lineup. Have your say by commenting below, or by voting on the MLB site here .

Other MLB 9s you might want to check out are:

• Arizona Diamondbacks

• Atlanta Braves

• Baltimore Orioles

• Boston Red Sox

Catcher: Rick Wilkins (1993)

In his first full season as the Cubs' primary backstop, Wilkins hit 30 home runs and drove in 73 runs. In 136 starts, Wilkins batted .303, drew 50 walks, and crossed the plate 78 times.

His .561 slugging percentage was good enough for fifth in the National League, while his 30 home runs earned him a spot in the Top 10. Incidentally, his slugging percentage ranks second all-time among Cubs catchers with at least 80 games played. Gabby Hartnett holds the record with .630, set in 1930.

Highlight Game: July 5, 1993, at Colorado. Wilkins went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in a 10-1 victory against the Rockies.

Competition: The previously-mentioned Gabby Hartnett almost won my vote here. Looking back over the numbers, maybe he should have. I'm man enough to admit that. But I stand by my decision.

Gabby Hartnett is one of the greatest catchers of all time—a six-time All Star and NL MVP. Despite only playing in two-thirds of the Cubs' games in the 1935 season, Hartnett hit 13 home runs and drove in 91 runs. The 34-year-old's days as a true power hitter were gone though, and I would even argue that his 1930 season was the best of his career despite him never receiving even a glancing MVP look.

I read somewhere that he is considered the best NL catcher from the first half of the 20th century, but that is not enough for a purely single-season-based look at offensive production.

Playing in what is known as the 'live ball era', Hartnett benefited from a stacked Cubs' lineup. The team won 100 games—something Chicago hasn't done in the 74 years since—with Hartnett batting behind Billy Herman, who led the league in hits and doubles, and in front of the team's best power hitter, Chuck Klein.

First Base: Derrek Lee (2005)

D-Lee was good enough in 2005 to win the NL MVP, playing just as well as Albert Pujols, but he got snubbed in the voting.

Luckily for the Cubs' first baseman, I'm going to show him some love here. Lee was just nasty in '05, leading the league with 50 doubles and 199 hits. His .335 batting average was also a league-high, while his slugging percentage (.662) and total bases (393) were also good enough for the top ranking in those categories.

Only Andruw Jones hit more home runs, out-dueling Lee 51-46.

Highlight Game: April 27, 2005, vs Cincinnati. Lee went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and six RBI in leading the Cubs to a come-from-behind victory.

Trailing 6-2 in the sixth inning, Lee hit a two-run home run off of Aaron Harang. The following inning, Lee took Joe Valentine deep for a three-run blast to tie the game at 7-7.

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