Cubs, Sox Make Big Trades at Deadline

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 1, 2004 2:31PM

As ususal, baseball's trading dealine brought a flurry of deals as teams tried to fill in wholes for the pennant run while others look to dump salary or get something for soon-to-be free agents. Satruday, as the dealine approached, both Chicago teams pulled off big trades.

The White Sox traded Esteban Loaiza to the Yankees in return for Jose Contraras. While both pitchers were having mediocre seasons, Contreras is said to have great stuff if he just has confidence in himself. New York can break somebody pretty fast, but Chicagoist is optimistic he can resurrect himself on the South Side. And while Loaiza came in second in the Cy Young voting last season and made the All Star team this season, he has certainly lost something off his pitches.

On the North Side, the Cubs ended up with the biggest trading deadline prize when they landed Nomar Garciaparra from the Boston Red Sox as part of a 4-team trade that also involved the montral Expos and Minnesota Twins.

While the Cubs landed "a superstar in the mold of the legendary Ted Williams whose indelible achievements will endure in the memories of generations of New Englanders," all they gave up in return was shortstop Alex Gonzalez, relief pitcher Francis Beltran and minor league infielder Brendan Harris. While Nomar is a free agent at the end of the season, he's clearly a super star who could give the Cubs the lift they need to charge back into the playoff hunt this year. And maybe the Cubs will be able to sell Nomar--who clearly wanted out of Boston--on signing a long term deal later on.

Garciaparra, who caught a flight to Chicago Saturday night, might be in the lineup Sunday. Talk about a big game at Wrigley -- the debut of Nomar and Greg Maddux going for win 300! Chicagoist wishes we had a ticket...