Jose Quintana fell 11 1/3 innings short in reaching his annual goal of pitching 200 innings in 2017.
Despite switching from a massive rebuilding project with the White Sox to a rebuilt perennial contender and fulfilling a dream of pitching in the playoffs, infrequent bouts of wildness and lack of pinpoint control haunted Quintana.
Those shortcomings have lingered and he wants to make amends and reestablish the dependability he developed during his 5½ seasons on the South Side.
“I want to do a lot of things,” said Quintana, who will make his spring debut Friday against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. “I want to help my team every fifth day, get as many wins as I can and be consistent. That’s what I learned a couple of times last year, be more consistent every five days.”
Despite making a splash with a 12-strikeout, three-hit performance in seven innings in his Cubs debut at Baltimore on July 16, Quintana hit a rough patch in August when he allowed six runs in two of his starts and surrendered six home runs in 33 innings. Quintana also issued four walks in two August starts that jacked up his pitch count and limited him to five innings in those.
The Cubs weren’t overly concerned as Quintana rebounded in the final month with a 2-0 record and 2.51 ERA in five starts. He allowed only four walks and one home run in 32 1/3 innings, with his signature moment coming Sept. 24 in a 10-strikeout shutout at Milwaukee that moved the Cubs closer to clinching the National League Central.
Catcher Willson Contreras observed that Quintana, 29, eventually became more familiar with the Cubs’ terminology in their scouting reports after all his seasons studying hitters in the American League.
“That was one of the things that affected him,” Contreras said. “When he got here, I asked him what he used to do with the White Sox. There’s no scouting report like this one. That’s why it took me a while to get used to him.
“From last year to this year, he’s going to make an impact.”
Quintana anticipates the preparation will be smoother, adding the Sox provided accurate information as well.
Quintana also downplayed any suggestion he was fatigued at time in the second half last year. He lasted only two innings after allowing six runs when the Dodgers eliminated the Cubs in the fifth game of a taxing Natonal League Championship Series that started when Quintana’s wife Michel fell ill on the cross-country, all-night flight from Washington to Los Angeles.
“I felt good,” Quintana said, adding that his wife feels fine now. “Honestly, you don’t know if you’re tired or not. The games in the postseason are at a high level, a lot of energy, and you never feel tired. You want to stay competitive every time.
“It was my first time (in the playoffs) and I gained experience. I learned a lot last year.”
After starting the 2017 season opener for the Sox, Quintana has no qualms about Lester handling those duties for the Cubs.
“I think we’re in good hands,” said Quintana, who is to the fourth game April 1. “Everyone knows what kind of pitcher he is. He has a lot of experience and I can’t wait to watch him on the first day. We have confidence in everybody.”
mgonzales@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MDGonzales
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