The Taylor Family is headed to the Field Museum today, as the kiddos (OK, and me) can’t get enough of the dinosaurs.
And the Cubs get back to baseball today! With four days off to recharge, and now a huge trade to reinvigorate, you’d love to see the Cubs come out of the break with renewed focus and passion. That doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to win today or tomorrow, but you at least want to see them playing well.
Just about every thoughtful take you read analyzing yesterday’s big Cubs-White Sox trade will land in the same place: surprise that the deal actually happened, but an approving nod about the fairness and obviousness of the trade. I especially liked Jeff Sullivan’s analysis of Quintana’s value (and determination that his “struggles” this year are not real), which looks a whole lot like Jon Lester, and not only because they’re both lefties. Consider this chart Sullivan popped in there:
Are some things selected there expressly because it makes them look similar? Sure, but there’s more than that: like Lester, Quintana uses a four-pitch mix, led by a four-seam fastball. He throws a sinker in lieu of Lester’s cutter, but they both work with a curveball and a changeup on the off-speed side, and they both command all of their pitches well to both sides of the plate. Comps like this are always inexact, but if the Cubs just acquired 3.5 years of a 28-year-old Jon Lester? Your smile should not fade today.
OK, so I feel a lot better about the staunchness of my belief that a deal of this scope couldn’t happen between the Cubs and White Sox and commensurate level of surprise, because here’s what Theo Epstein said about the deal (CSN): “I thought the chances of a deal between the two clubs of this magnitude were slim at best, really a long shot. When Chris Sale was being put to the market, I called Rick and told him we were very interested, and was told that it would have to be a huge package, including Kris Bryant, or there was nothing to talk about …. I figured it would be next to impossible to get a deal done for Quintana, especially without taking away significant pieces off our major-league team.”
In terms of how the deal played out, Epstein explained that he texted with White Sox GM Rick Hahn after the draft about who the Cubs would be interested in generally (including Quintana), and then Hahn reached back out to the Cubs on Sunday to let them know they were getting close to pulling the trigger on a deal. If the Cubs wanted to be involved, Hahn had an idea for a trade that was not acceptable to Epstein, but he said it was close enough that the Cubs felt a deal really would be possible. The rest is history. Epstein didn’t really see any kind of added “tax” in dealing with a crosstown club this time, and I’d have to agree – I’m not saying losing Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease is not painful, but that’s who was always going to have to be in a trade for Quintana.
(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Even as the deal was clearly about finding that ever-elusive, long-sought cost-controlled starting pitcher, it was also a clear vote of confidence in this year’s club. Part of the reason the price for Quintana was so high is because what he contributes this year is worth a lot on the market, too. A team like the Brewers, for example, would have loved to land Quintana for this year, and competing against that is part of the price tag for the Cubs. Clearly, the front office really believes it when they say that they think the talent on this team will turn the tide in the second half.
Jed Hoyer underscored one of the things I like best about this trade (CBS): the deal gives the Cubs a lot of “freedom” to keep other moves (be they this year or in the offseason) on the table because of Quintana’s contract.
Meanwhile, the Brewers made a trade of their own yesterday, picking up lefty reliever Tyler Webb from the Yankees. Webb, 26, has a very good minor league track record, but has been more or less stuck at AAA going on three years.
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...
I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082
CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs have played thirteen series so far this season, and this is already their eighth rubber match. Let's see if Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs can bring this one in. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, SS...
No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...
Happy Mother's Day to the mothers among you, and to the mothers in my life! I'll be doing some extra family stuff today, so I'm gonna cruise through these Bullets ... Up front, because this was certainly the thing most...
The Sunday TBD has been D'd, and it's going to be Kyle Hendricks coming back an outing early. Instead of making another rehab start at Iowa, Hendricks is going to be activated from the IL to rejoin the rotation tomorrow:...
The Cubs came within 90 feet of keeping that ridiculous game going. No dice. Stupid game. Early on, it just kinda seemed like the Cubs might lose a perfectly normal - bad, but normal - game. Justin Steele did not...
CUBS LINEUP — After a little tease yesterday, Seiya Suzuki is actually, officially in the Cubs lineup today. And he'll be greeted with a tough matchup against the top pitching prospect in Major League Baseball. Welcome back! Chicago Cubs Lineup:...
Today the Chicago Cubs placed reliever Yency Almonte on the Injured List with a right shoulder strain. Jose Cuas has been recalled from Iowa to take his place in the bullpen. Almonte, together with Mark Leiter Jr., had been performing...
How did I not know that the Aurora Borealis was going to be visible last night?!?!? I woke up this morning to all these awesome pictures from friends and other people in the area, and I'm MISERABLE ABOUT IT. With...
It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...
Nikola Jokic must make two 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Denver Nuggets play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Nikola Jokic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....
To beat his 3-point over/under, Michael Porter Jr. must make three from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM...
On Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Anthony Edwards' 3-pointer over/under for this matchup requires three treys.Anthony Edwards' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....
To beat his 3-point over/under, Jamal Murray must make two from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM ET.Jamal...
Karl-Anthony Towns must make two 3-pointers to beat his over/under when the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Karl-Anthony Towns' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....
Player prop betting options for Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokic and others are available in the Minnesota Timberwolves-Denver Nuggets matchup at Target Center on Sunday (starting at 8:00 PM ET).How to Watch Timberwolves vs. NuggetsDate: Sunday, May 12, 2024Time: 8:00 PM...
I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082
I was rounding up this morning's set of Bears Bullets when I saw this note from the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer on rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze sitting out Saturday's practice with hamstring tightness and I knew I had to...
No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...
NEWSLETTER
