Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs are a team supposedly ready to break out of their losing ways — in a big way.
Theo Epstein and company have been building up the farm system over the last several seasons and guys like Albert Almora, Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant, and Dan Vogelbach are getting closer and closer to the big leagues. That’s great and all, but the Cubs still lack a major presence in the middle of the order and Anthony Rizzo doesn’t count (yet).
Carlos Gonzalez is supposedly going to get shopped this offseason according to most in the baseball world, even though the Colorado Rockies have publicly stated they’re not going to trade him. Well, of course they’re not going to alienate their fan base by verbally proclaiming they’re going to trade CarGo through the media, right? That to me means the Cubs are primed to make a major move this winter.
CarGo is obviously one of the best hitters in all of baseball and would immediately make the Cubs offense a player in the national league. I don’t think I need to rave about him because you already know he can flat out rake.
The question to me is what would it take to land a guy like CarGo? Well, let me see if I can walk us all through what it would take to get him:
Arismendy Alcantara – A 21 year old SS with plus power. He really came on nicely and jumped into the top 100 MLB prospects around mid season. If Troy Tulowitzki is going to get traded, Alcantara could be a nice replacement in about a year.
Dan Vogelbach – I hate losing this guy because I think he can just flat out mash. He’s got light tower power, which is scary when you think about him hitting in a place like Coors field for 15 years. Unfortunately, the Cubs have a first basemen already in Rizzo, and I’m not sure they’re going to move him to the outfield the way I think they should if Vogelbach is ready.
Matt Szczur — He just needs a little opportunity. He’s more of a gap to gap guy with some pretty darn good speed, and could hit at the top of a lineup one day. He can really go get it in center field.
Dallas Beeler – I know the Cubs are decently high on this big right-hander, but I’m not. If the Rockies feel the same way the Cubs do, he could make for an interesting piece and could be a no. 3 or 4 in the Rockies’ rotation in 2014 or 2015.
Could this get a deal done? Perhaps. Will the Rockies demand Albert Almora? Yeah, maybe — but if the Cubs counter with this kind of offer — it could be very difficult for the Rockies to turn down.
We’ll see what happens this winter, but I would not be shocked to see Gonzalez go somewhere. Hopefully the Cubs start the initial phone call soon.
