Cease hoping to do 'something great' with Chicago White Sox
The Chicago Cubs didn't have to wait long to reap the benefits from Thursday's trade with the Chicago White Sox.
In his first start for the North Siders after exiting the South Side, Jose Quintana scattered 3 hits and struck out 12 over 7 innings Sunday in an 8-0 win at Baltimore.
After making the deal, general manager Rick Hahn said no one in the Sox's organization wanted to see Quintana "walk out the door."
But as the White Sox continue to rebuild, they are more than willing to wait on quality young talent. They're also thrilled to have the Cubs' top two prospects acquired for Quintana - outfielder Eloy Jimenez and right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease.
Jimenez is Baseball America's No. 5 overall prospect and Cease is No. 83.
How does Cease feel about Jimenez?
"Eloy is one of the most talented players I've ever seen, especially the fact he's only 20," Cease said. "I expect he's going to do really big things."
The White Sox have a similar feeling about Cease, who had Tommy John surgery before the 2014 draft but still received a $1.5 million signing bonus from the Cubs.
The 21-year-old starter is a combined 1-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 56⅔ innings with low Class A South Bend and Kannapolis this season.
Making his Sox debut with Kannapolis on Monday night, Cease pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and had 4 strikeouts.
"I'm not super happy with how I've executed pitches," said Cease, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from suburban Atlanta. "I feel like in terms of learning and growing, I've learned a ton. I need to keep getting innings and get experience."
While he is grateful to the Cubs' organization for signing him and helping him get past elbow surgery, Cease is not looking back.
"All that matters is what I'm doing to keep learning and keep getting better and hopefully make it and be part of something special," he said. "Obviously, what the Cubs are doing is great, but I didn't have anything to do with that. It's exciting to be in a system like this one where there are so many talented guys and the potential to do something great is there."
Good cause:
Beginning July 28, the White Sox are going to sell limited edition Tim Raines bobbleheads.
Raines, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 30, played for the Sox from 1991-95.
The bobblehead features two figures of Raines, one in a White Sox uniform and one in a Montreal Expos uniform. Purchases ($40 plus shipping) can be made at whitesox.com or Section 135 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
All proceeds benefit Chicago White Sox Charities.