I’ll have the normal Cubs Bullets later this morning, but I have so many bits to run through that are about the big trade that I figured I should put those in their own place.
If you missed the news, the Cubs are trading Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini to the Padres for four very young prospects and Zach Davies. It is less shocking that the Cubs are trading Darvish at this point, but far more shocking that the focus of the return was so high-risk, long-term. I suppose an easy enough answer is that the Cubs decided they absolutely, unequivocally had to dump significant salary, and that was the best return they could get on Darvish (who had one of the most substantial salaries they could move). It’s not like the Padres HAD to give the Cubs nearer-term pieces. They could just keep saying no. Maybe they did.