And every game that he pitches, every week that you hold on to him during the regular season, another bit of his value as a cost-controlled player gets spent. Once you spend it, there's no getting it back. Short-term asset. knew it couldn't last I know. It was fun while it lasted, but eventually people couldn't resist going back to pointlessly dismissive statements. Which part are you disagreeing with, exactly? 1) A significant part of Garza's value is in his relatively low salary because of his cost-controlled status, which lasts for two more seasons. 2) As time goes on, that value diminishes. 1.5 seasons of cost-controlled Garza is not as valuable as two seasons of cost-controlled Garza. 3) At this point, Garza is only under team control for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. That makes him a "short-term" asset. The only one that's remotely controversial is point 3, because some people will want to include a hypothetical extension into his value to the Cubs, which I think is absurd. You mineaswell include other teams' free agents that you want in assessing the state of the team, if we are just going to assume we can sign players we want. I'm not saying the Cubs absolutely have to trade Garza because he's a short-term asset. There's nothing wrong with spending his value in 2012 on him actually pitching in 2012. But the reason the Cubs are apparently looking into a trade is because there is a chance to turn that 2012 value into a longer-term asset, and I don't have a problem with that either if the price is right. I wouldn't say it was fun. But we're back to setting up the world thru Kyle-colored glasses and being incredibly stubborn about it. Forcing your phrase of the day into every post about 6 times until folks want to punch their computer screen is a habit I was hoping wouldn't return. Garza is here for 2 years unless he's traded, extended, dies or whatever. Defining it as you like and being adamant that everyone agree with your definition is pointless. Garza is also valuable bc he's a good pitcher. He may even be undervalued in the market bc he played with a crappy infield defense last year (who knows what sorts of offers Jebadore have received). His value is increased by his cost-controlled status but not entirely dependent upon it. He could easily be much more valuable as a trade piece at the deadline next year or after the season when he led the cubs to the WS.