That's when, and it's no small feat.
Left-hander Mike Montgomery was traded to the Royals for catcher Martin Maldonado on Monday night, ending a Cubs tenure of 119 games, 38 starts and 320 innings. He had been completely ineffective this season, posting a 5.67 ERA, 6.21 FIP and -0.6 overall WAR, but what's most important to note as he heads out of town is the fact that he did what he did that night of Nov. 2, 2016.
"What he did in that World Series, people underestimate," Joe Maddon said on 670 the Score on Tuesday. "Just look up the numbers, he did a great job during the whole series and of course got the last out."
Maddon's not entirely right about Montgomery's full series, in which he allowed a 1.714 WHIP in five appearances, with four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings, but it's all about that last pitch.
"His name will be repeated around here for probably the next 100 or so years," Maddon said. "I'm talking about that last out."
That's a forever place in the storied and star-crossed history of of a franchise known around the world, no matter anything else -- not the performance of Maldonado from here on in, nor the 136 wRC+ posted by Dan Vogelbach, the prospect who was flipped to acquire Montgomery from the Mariners at this time three years ago. Cubs executive Theo Epstein made a point of reminding us of that when he announced the deal.
"You can't talk about his contributions without talking about him getting the last out in that World Series that changed everybody's lives," Epstein said.
Another pitcher could have done so too, of course, but Mike Montgomery did. He always will have.