Chicago Cubs able to boost rotation, bullpen
MILWAUKEE - No, the Cubs didn't swing a megadeal or a blockbuster as Friday's trading deadline came and went.
That was OK with team president Theo Epstein, who landed starting pitcher Dan Haren from the Miami Marlins and reliever Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles in deals that cost the Cubs only minor-leaguers.
"Would we have liked to hit a home run of a deal?" Epstein said after making the drive from Chicago to Miller Park. "Yeah, absolutely. If you're dead set on making a big deal for the sake of making a big deal, you end up making a bad deal.
"We explored everything very thoroughly, very aggressively. We came close, but we still have that talent in the organization that we will probably use to trade another day."
As it is, the Cubs added a fifth starter in the battle-tested Haren, who turns 35 in September. For Haren, the Cubs gave up pitching prospect Ivan Pineyro and minor-league infielder Elliot Soto, a 2007 graduate of Dundee-Crown High School.
For Hunter, the Cubs sent the Orioles outfielder Junior Lake, who has spent parts of three seasons, including this one, with the Cubs.
As usual, the rumor mill churned out several possible big scenarios for the Cubs, who no doubt were looking at pitcher Tyson Ross of the San Diego Padres, among others.
For Ross, a player under club control for several more years, the price would have been significantly higher than it was for Haren, a rental player who is a free agent this fall.
But Epstein clearly stated earlier this week that any deal of a great "magnitude" would have been for a player or players who could help the Cubs beyond this year. A trade of smaller magnitude, he said, would likely have been for a rental.
That's how it ended up playing out.
"I think we had very different times throughout the week, especially I'd say in the last 24 hours, where we felt we had some traction, some momentum toward at least getting close to the final stages (of a bigger deal)," Epstein said. "You never know. It still takes two to tango. We certainly were very aggressive, in my mind, of packaging our prospects especially for controllable big-league talent.
"We'll definitely live to fight another day. We're clearly in the phase where what's happening at the major-league level is the most important thing in the organization, as it should be.
"You have to take an aggressive mindset with trades and use your prospects, especially ones that aren't already here at the big-league level, and use them as currency to help our team make the most of what we're beginning here."
The Cubs did not add a bat via the trade market, but that could happen over the next month in a waiver deal. Epstein said the market for hitters was "decent," but for now the Cubs are going with their guys, many of whom are young.
"These are our guys," Epstein said. "We're going with young players at the big-league level, players we believe in. When you go with young position players, it comes with a lot of excitement. Sometimes it comes with some frustration.
"We've had a really exciting first half of the season, first four months of the season. We're within 2 games of where we want to be, which is in the playoff picture.
"These are our guys. We believe in them."
With the Marlins this year, Haren was 7-7 with a 3.42 ERA and a WHIP of 1.09. For his career, he is 149-129 with a 3.75 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18. In addition to the Marlins, he has pitched for St. Louis, Oakland, Arizona, the Los Angeles Angels, Washington and the L.A. Dodgers.
Hunter, 29, is a 6-foot-3, 250-pounder who throws hard. He was 2-2 with a 3.63 ERA, no saves and a 1.16 WHIP for the Orioles this year. For his career, with Texas and Baltimore, he is 44-33 with a 4.28 ERA, 15 saves and a 1.27 WHIP.
Manager Joe Maddon now has reinforcement at the back of his rotation and in late-inning relief.
"I've seen Haren for many years," Maddon said. "I know he doesn't throw at the same velocity, but he really knows how to pitch. I've always been a big fan, so it's kind of nice to get him here. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about him as a person, too. He'll fit well within our culture.
"Hunter, same thing, too. I don't really know him, but I've got common friends who really speak well of him, too. Big fastball. Puts the ball on the ground. Can get a big punchout. Very durable. I saw him start in Texas. I saw him relieve in Baltimore. Two great additions for us."