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MattClementsGoatee · 07-28-2011, 01:49 AM

June 21, 2011

Kansas City, Missouri

What do you do when you have a lot of mediocrity and are swept by the Royals? You go out and get the best prospect in the game.

In an apparent sign from the baseball gods, Bryce Harper, with no sign of angel wings, fell into the Chicago Cubs' lap. If that isn't enough, John Lannan and Cole Kimball [one of the Nationals' ten best prospects] accompanied him. What did the Cubs have to give up for this bounty? Just their best pitching prospect, Kenneth "Trey" McNutt. McNutt is ranked high on many a prospect list, but Bryce Harper is ranked the highest.

The logic behind the Nationals' move is lost on just about everyone. Cubs GM Jim Hendry announced the move shortly after the Cubs dropped their third in a row to last place Kansas City. He said that Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo offered the three for top pitching prospect McNutt in the bottom of the eighth, and the deal had been completed by the time Jeff Baker struck out to end the Cubs' disappointing 2-5 road trip.

The move indicates the Cubs may be seeing this season as a barometer as to which players work in their plans for their future and which don't. Expect Carlos Pena to stay, unless a must-trade deal comes along, as it gives the Cubs a pick in the supplemental round of next year's draft. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano looks to be on the Cubs' agenda to move, after a public denouncement of manager Mike Quade and another scuffle with backup catcher Wellington Castillo.

07-28-2011, 01:49 AM	#6
MattClementsGoatee Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Jul 2011	Re: The Chicago Fire(sale) June 21, 2011 Kansas City, Missouri What do you do when you have a lot of mediocrity and are swept by the Royals? You go out and get the best prospect in the game. In an apparent sign from the baseball gods, Bryce Harper, with no sign of angel wings, fell into the Chicago Cubs' lap. If that isn't enough, John Lannan and Cole Kimball [one of the Nationals' ten best prospects] accompanied him. What did the Cubs have to give up for this bounty? Just their best pitching prospect, Kenneth "Trey" McNutt. McNutt is ranked high on many a prospect list, but Bryce Harper is ranked the highest. The logic behind the Nationals' move is lost on just about everyone. Cubs GM Jim Hendry announced the move shortly after the Cubs dropped their third in a row to last place Kansas City. He said that Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo offered the three for top pitching prospect McNutt in the bottom of the eighth, and the deal had been completed by the time Jeff Baker struck out to end the Cubs' disappointing 2-5 road trip. The move indicates the Cubs may be seeing this season as a barometer as to which players work in their plans for their future and which don't. Expect Carlos Pena to stay, unless a must-trade deal comes along, as it gives the Cubs a pick in the supplemental round of next year's draft. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano looks to be on the Cubs' agenda to move, after a public denouncement of manager Mike Quade and another scuffle with backup catcher Wellington Castillo.