Dennis Wierzbicki USA Today Sports
A couple of days removed from the Matt Garza deal that sent the right-hander to the Texas Rangers, the early prognosis is that the Chicago Cubs are the winners of the trade.
For the Cubs organization run by Theo Epstein, and GM Jed Hoyer, this trade was bargain that they couldn’t pass on.
With the Cubs still a few years away from being a major factor and contender in the NL Central, the team did themselves a favor in the short term by getting Garza’s remaining $10.25 million contract off their books, as well as reloading and replenishing their farm system with players who, in a season or two, can be called up (or called back up in a few cases) to the big leagues and contribute in major ways for the Loveable Losers.
The Cubs are the ‘winners’ of the trade because Garza becomes a free agent at the end of the season, and with the way the Cubs have spent money (or their lack of major spending) recently, there was little chance that they would have attempted to bring the right-hander back to the fold for the 2014 season. This trade allows the Cubs to get a head start on next season as they will be able to properly eventuate the newest additions to the club.
In closing, the Rangers traded for Garza in order to try and win now, while the Cubs, who are behind the first place St. Louis Cardinals by double digits, unloaded the oft-injured pitcher in hopes of building a winner that will compete for division titles and World Series championships for the foreseeable future.
M. Quann Boyd is a writer for www.RantSports.com Follow him on Twitter @MQuannBoyd. “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
