With Quintana, Cubs getting much more than a great pitcher
In Jose Quintana, the Chicago Cubs are getting more than a top-end starting pitcher.
Much more.
"Q is an amazing teammate," said Chicago White Sox starter James Shields, who is in his 12th major-league season and ought to know. "This guy worked his butt off every day. He was the epitome of a role model for young guys coming up. He went about his business the way a professional is supposed to every day.
"The Cubs and (manager) Joe Maddon have a really good pitcher over there now. He's going to fit in really well over there, so I'm happy for him."
There was a whole lot of sadness in the Sox's clubhouse on Friday, the day after Quintana was traded from the South Side to the North Side.
Not only was the 28-year-old lefty the Sox's best pitcher, he's been one of the best teammates I've seen in more than 20 years on this beat.
Over the last six seasons, Quintana has a 3.93 run support average, the sixth-lowest total among major-league starters.
Not once did he complain about the lack of support, and Quintana would often blame himself for allowing a run or two during those frequent 1-0 and 2-1 losses.
Three years ago, following a familiar gut-wrenching loss for Quintana, I ran into White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf at the press elevator.
"I can't believe he hasn't asked to be traded," he said.
Reinsdorf has a dry sense of humor and was probably joking around. Then again, maybe he was serious about Quintana's sanity being tested in start after start.
The funny thing is, Quintana never wanted to be traded, even when the Sox ramped up their rebuild in December by trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton on consecutive days.
He was fiercely loyal to the team that signed him as a minor-league free agent on Nov. 10, 2011.
Quintana was even more loyal to the White Sox after signing a five-year, $21 million contract extension on March 23, 2014. The deal includes $10.5 million club options in 2019 and '20.
"You'll never know inside how he's feeling," third baseman Todd Frazier said. "If he's having a bad day you'll never know it because he doesn't want to make people feel bad."
Quintana never seemed to have a bad day when he was wearing a White Sox uniform.
He did make a slight departure from character on May 30 when he allowed 7 runs on 10 hits in 2⅔ innings against Sale and the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
"Tonight, for me, was a little embarrassing with my teammates," Quintana said after a 13-7 loss. "They made a lot of effort to win this game and I can't do anything."
At the end of May, Quintana was 2-7 with a 5.60 ERA.
Yes, he had an 18.1 WAR (FanGraphs) from 2013-17, but was he hurt? No.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn on Friday admitted the nonstop trade talk probably worked its way into Quintana's head.
Quintana was able to block everything back out, and he was 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in June and July before being traded to the Cubs.
Following a June 27 start against the Yankees (6⅓ scoreless innings), catcher Kevan Smith raved about Quintana.
"When he's hitting his spots, he's working both sides of the plate with his off-speed, he's unhittable," Smith said.
Quintana starts against the Orioles on Sunday, and Cubs fans can expect to see a quality cutter, rising fastball and very good curveballs and changeups.
"He can almost be a guy when he only has two of them working, he can be very successful," Smith said. "When he has the third and fourth one going it makes it fun to keep the hitters off balance."
The White Sox are thrilled to get outfielder Eloy Jimenez, starting pitcher Dylan Cease and two lesser prospects from the Cubs for Quintana, but Hahn said it was not an easy trade to make.
"We feel good about the results of what we're trying to accomplish and moving this process along and continuing to have every element of our operation focused on a singular goal," Hahn said. "And we feel like we're getting closer to that goal. But there's a cost, too. There's a price to it, and no one in this organization from Jerry up through this clubhouse wanted to see Jose Quintana walk out the door."