Feinsand: Cubs Not Willing to Part With Moises Ballesteros in Deals Proposed So Far

The Cubs haven't made Moisés Ballesteros untouchable. But they're only going to trade him if one of their potential partners on a deal is willing to accept him as the centerpiece of a trade for a controllable, high-end talent. To this point, according to at least one report, those would-be traders haven't put a fair value on Ballesteros, at least from Chicago's perspective.

Ballesteros is still very young, and he's thrived as a hitter at Triple A over an extended sample. The Cubs are right to be open to trading him only if the agreed-upon deal reflects the fact that he could easily be an impact player in the majors as soon as the end of this year. If that's not happening, neither Jed Hoyer nor Carter Hawkins can really force it to.

On the other hand, as the deadline creeps nearer, it's fair to wonder just how value-conscious the team intends to be. That's one of their hallmarks; it's part of the organizational DNA. At a moment when they need some high-octane help to keep pace with the streaking Brewers in the NL Central, that resolve is about to be tested in a way that it hasn't been since Hoyer took over as the main guy when Theo Epstein departed the organization. Passing that test might not mean showing the willpower not to make a move; it might have to mean showing the courage and conviction to take a bold chance.