Clincher for Cubs?
Chicago makes statement with trade for closer
Acquisition of flamethrowing lefty Aroldis Chapman puts Chicago in prime position for a parade, Bob Nightengale writes.
Go ahead, Chicago, make those parade route plans. Time to start hiring more bartenders and waitresses in Wrigleyville. Better make sure that liquor supply is locked and loaded.
The Chicago Cubs, a century and eight years later, are going to win the World Series.
The Cubs let the world know their plans Monday by acquiring four-time All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, the most feared reliever in baseball, from the New York Yankees.
The Yankees, in return, will get prized shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, outfield prospects Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford and pitcher Adam Warren, who returns to the Yankees after spending four months in Chicago.
It’s a fabulous haul for the Yankees, who officially became sellers at the trade deadline for the first time since 1989, when they sent future Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson to the Oakland Athletics. Yet the real winners are the Cubs, who made the move heard ’round the baseball world.
Let’s be honest, the Cubs didn’t make this move to win the National League or reach the playoffs. They own baseball’s best record (59-38) and a 71⁄ 2- game lead in the NL Central going into Monday. They were going to run away with this division, with or without Chapman. This move is all about October. The Cubs now are the overwhelming favorites to be the last team standing with Chapman, who has 165 saves over the last five seasons. He has produced at least 30 saves and 100 strikeouts in each of the last four seasons, the longest such streak by any pitcher in major league history.
Sure, the Cubs might have Chapman’s services for only two months of the regular season and might need his services for no more than 11 playoff games, but the future is on the North Side.
Chapman has no interest in signing a contract extension now, with free agency three months away. The Yankees tried to engage in contract talks with him this summer but were rejected, a high-ranking executive with direct knowledge told USA TODAY Sports. The official was unauthorized to speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.
It was Chapman’s decision not to sign an extension that triggered Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner’s decision to approve the trade. There was no sense keeping Chapman if he was going to walk in three months, particularly with the Yankees mired in mediocrity. They are 50-48 and sitting in fourth place in the American League East, 71⁄ games behind the Baltimore Orioles.
The Yankees will spend the next week determining if they have any chance of competing for a playoff spot, and, if the answer is no, they could be at the epicenter of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.
They could unload outfielders Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner, catcher Brian McCann, starting pitchers Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda and even All-Star lefthanded reliever Andrew Miller.
Maybe one day, if the Yankees obtain enough pieces, they can have an outlook as bright as that of the Cubs, reverting to their glory days. Torres, baseball’s 28thbest prospect according to MLB.com, has tremendous potential to be an All-Star shortstop. McKinney is ranked as baseball’s 75th-best prospect, Crawford has blazing speed, and Warren could become a starter again in the Yankees rotation.
Yet this time belongs to the Cubs.
This juggernaut really has no weakness and, with Chapman, has one of the most powerful bullpens in the game. They had lost five games this season when leading by two or fewer runs after the sixth inning and were 2-5 in games when tied after six innings. That will change with Chapman.
The Cubs will be able to slide closer Hector Rondon, who has blown four of his last 10 save opportunities, into the setup role. They’ll have a strong supporting cast of Pedro Strop, Justin Grimm, Mike Montgomery and even six-time All-Star Joe Nathan.
Chapman is the difference between heartbreak and history. He missed the first 30 games of the season after being suspended for a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend, but he has been successful in 20 of 21 save opportunities this season. He’s 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA, striking out 44 batters in 311⁄ innings with a fastball that has been clocked as high as 105 miles per hour.
Just as important, the Cubs won’t have to face Chapman in the postseason. The Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians were heavily involved in trade talks last weekend for Chapman, and the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers also expressed interest.
Yet no one had the prized package of prospects to match the Cubs, who managed to keep outfielder Kyle Schwarber out of any trade discussions. Schwarber is out for the season after having knee surgery in April but is projected to be their opening-day starting left fielder in 2017.
You know, when the Cubs will be defending their World Series title, resurrecting the days of 1907-08, when they won back-toback World Series.
For now, they’ll stick to that old cliché: One World Series at a time, baby.
See you at the party.
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