The Cubs have traded P Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija to the Oakland Athletics for SS Addison Russell, OF Billy McKinney, and P Dan Straily. Addison Russell is obviously the key part of the deal. He ranks as the #6 prospect in all of baseball according to Keith Law. This is a SS with huge power potential and scouts are saying he will also be an above-average defensive shortstop, capable of making highlight reel plays. This creates a huge logjam for the Cubs, however. They already have Starlin Castro at short. Castro is finally starting to learn how to adjust and become the next big name. Then they have Javier Baez in the minors. Baez has a huge bat, although he is having some problems in Triple A right now. They can't move him to third, because of Kris Bryant. Bryant is another one of this players with power rarely seen. Bryant is batting .351 with 28 homers and 75 RBIs in the minors the season. Not to mention they have another former top prospect in Mike Olt playing 3rd. And they can't move Russell or Baez to 2nd currently, because of Arismendy Alcantara. This might solve the problem, though, because Chicago is starting to give him some reps in CF. That would most likely place McKinney in LF if he makes it to the big leagues. He seems to be another young guy with some talent. He has a less then desirable BA right now, but he does have 10 HR with 33 RBIs and a .400 OBP. As he keeps developing and learning, he could turn into a scary player. They also have another exciting young power bat in Jorge Soler. Soler could be the next baseball phenom. He has had injury problems since he signed, but he has huge potential, like all of the other prospects the Cubbies. He is projected to be their RF, but if he doesn't work I could see them using Olt in right. Or they could trade one of their many OF prospects (Alcantara and Olt included). Imagine this Cubs lineup in the next few years.
- Billy McKinney- LF
- Arismendy Alcantara- CF
- Addison Russell- SS
- Kris Bryant- 3B
- Javier Baez- 2B
- Anthony Rizzo- 1B
- Jorge Soler/ Mike Olt- RF
- Welington Castillo- C
- Pitcher
I didn't really have any idea how to put the 3-6 in order, because they are all middle of the order type hitters. That is a deep lineup and an awfully scary one. This is a lineup that could get the Cubs to end their World Series drought. All they need is a little help from the pitching which is what Dan Straily was there for. He hasn't been great in the majors yet. He was solid as a rookie last year. 10-8 with a 3.91 ERA is respectable. What he did earlier this season...not so much. But he is down in the minors working on it currently and if anyone team can turn him around, it is the Cubs. I mean they did turn Jason Hammel into a desirable pitcher after going 7-8 with a 4.97 ERA last season. And if they want to get more pitching, they definitely have the prospects to make it happen. This is a team closing the gap to their next World Series title. It has been 106 years in Chicago, and it will be a couple more. But don't be surprised if they are standing on top of the baseball world before 2020.