Hot Stove

For as long as I can remember, the hot stove league has gotten me through the offseason.  Through high school, I had the same routine:  Chicago Tribune sports in the morning during breakfast, Chicago American sports in the afternoon after school.  How and why the White Sox acquired Rocky Colavito (January 20, 1965) or traded him away (on the same day along with Cam Carreon, for Tommy John, Tommie Agee and Johnny Romano) was my pretend way of escaping the winter cold, until going to watch Clare play college softball allowed me to do just that.  The hot stove still gives structure to this life.

How interesting, then, to read speculation in both Chicago papers that the Cubs and Sox would not be adverse to a North Side/South Side deal with Sox pitcher (dare we say “southpaw” here?) Jose Quintana the centerpiece. If the papers know anything (discuss that idea among yourselves), the Cubs would ship Jose Baez or Starling Castro to the Sox for Quintana.  This would be high-stakes for two reasons.  First, it’s hitting for pitching, an everyday player for a once-every-five-days player.  Second, fans and media would hold it over the losing side in any such deal until hell froze over.

I’m on record already of wanting to go after Kyle Schwarber.  Yeah, I know, Cub fans want Chris Sale.  But the back and forth of it is what stokes the old hot stove.