The Cubs have long been rumored this winter to have interest in Padres top prospect Anthony Rizzo, but there was some uncertainty over whether or not there was a match there.
One scenario that did pop up previously was a deal involving Matt Garza, in which San Diego would flip Garza to a team like the Texas Rangers.
As it turns out, the Cubs didn’t need to make things so complicated as they completed a deal to acquire Rizzo on Friday afternoon from the Padres along with pitcher Zach Cates. Cates was a third round pick of the Padres in 2010.
In exchange for the two youngsters, the Cubs will send Andrew Cashner and outfield prospect Kyung-Min Na to the Pads. Cashner made just one start last year, his first in the rotation, before shoulder issues forced him to sit out most of the year.
Rizzo had been rumored to be on the block after the Padres acquired Yonder Alonso in the deal that sent Mat Latos in the Reds. It seemed inevitable that he would end up with the Cubs, given the fact that he was drafted by the Red Sox before Jed Hoyer traded for him when he moved to San Diego, in the deal that sent Adrian Gonzalez to Boston.
Rizzo dominated at the Triple A level last season, with a .331 average, 26 home runs, and 101 RBIs, in just 93 games. His numbers in his first callup to the bigs weren’t so kind, with a .141 batting average and 46 strikeouts in 128 at-bats.
Still, consider the fact that that was Rizzo’s first exposure to the Major Leagues and that he’s still just 22 years old. He still has plenty of developing to do, but definitely fits into the Cubs’ rebuilding plan and has superstar potential. You have to love this deal if you’re a Cub fan.
Of course, this likely means that Bryan LaHair is now not going to be the Cubs’ starting first baseman in 2012, as I speculated earlier this week. However, should the Cubs end up dealing Alfonso Soriano and/or Marlon Byrd, he should see plenty of time all over the diamond this season.
In case you needed actual confirmation of it, this deal does take the Cubs out of the running for Prince Fielder. If they weren’t already.
UPDATE: According to Jed Hoyer, the plan right now is for Rizzo to start the season at Triple A Iowa and LaHair to start the season at first base.
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