Guancous

Lee wouldn't be at 49 if that was an overriding factor. Proximity to the majors and positional scarcity?

Brett Jackson didn't make it? I'd suspect he was somewhere around 50ish or so. He had him at 101. Damn, I hadn't seen Brett land that far down anyone's list in over a year. I think Law places a premium on how close a prospect is to the majors.

This deal will look a lot better for the Blue Jays once they sign Vladimir Guerrero.

When was the last time the Cubs had 3 intriguing outfield prospects (Jackson, Szczur, Golden)?

Correct me if I'm wrong but he's automatically the Cubs top power prospect, no?

Rotographs has a podcastinterview with Sam Fuld. They cover his thoughts about the trade and some other topics: http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fangraphs-baseball/id356200509

There is so much failure in that paragraph that Japanese automakers study it for efficiency. Couldn't the Cubs have released Hill then sign him to a March minor league NRI? It's not like there was a bidding war taking place.

Coincidence, Aaron Miles was a Cub too.

It's not hate to value him lower than better players. Correct. It's hate to be absolutely convinced that he sucks now and will suck in the future when he's still pretty young and has shown some potential. I agree with those that value him lower than Brett Jackson and I am concerned about his ability to be selective at the plate and have a good OBP. But sometimes, they way he's talked about is rather absurd. Horse [expletive]. The Cubs have been making very strong hints that they want him to be the starting RF if they could move Fukudome, and that's just absurd. Hendry wouldn't be so eager to move Fukudome if he was making $5 million this year.

Here is Callis's top ten Rangers prospects from 2009. Check out the company Max Ramirez is keeping: 1) Neftali Feliz, RHP, Grade A: I don’t give out Grade As lightly, especially to pitchers. I might go down to A-. 2) Justin Smoak, 1B, Grade A-: I like him better than Alonso and Hosmer, and frankly I can’t believe the Rangers got him. 3) Elvis Andrus, SS, Grade A-: Should I go with B+ here? Athletic, very young for Double-A, I think the Renteria comparisons are apt and Andrus could be better. 4) Derek Holland, LHP, Grade B+: He’s great, but I worry that sometimes a step backward can follow such a breakout. Can he maintain late-season velocity? 5) Taylor Teagarden, C, Grade B: Excellent glove with power, could hit anywhere from .230 to .280 though. 6) Julio Borbon, OF, Grade B: I was too hard on him last year, and I buy into the idea that he can refine his game. 7) Engel Beltre, OF, Grade B: Read the comment below. 8) Michael Main, RHP, Grade B: Impressive Midwest League performance, and if instructional league reports are accurate he is primed for a huge breakout. 9) Max Ramirez, C-1B, Grade B: I love this bat. Glove might not be QUITE as bad as everyone says, but it isn’t good enough for him to rank higher. 10) Martin Perez, LHP, Grade B-: Very young, very high ceiling, will need time.

I don't think it's fair to call Lee "redundant". Had he stayed and panned out he would quite conceivably have moved Castro to second in a few seasons. True. The only question becomes is whether the 2012 Cubs 2B provides more value than Garza. Time will tell.

This trade is justified if Archer becomes a shutdown reliever. Garza is better than Clement and Lilly when they joined the Blue fold. Everyone involved in the trade besides Archer was redundant in the Cubs system. The Cubs stockpile up the middle minor leaguers for trade. It's a smart strategy because they have the highest value relative to their signing. Garza is also outside the injury nexus and should improve facing NL batters who hit in the 8th and 9th spot. The difference between Garza and Greinke is not worth the extra $30 million and uncertainty of the Wrigley microscope. Greinke (justifiably) hates playing the media game. He won't have to answer the same question 15 times after every start in Milwaukee. My main complaint is that an offensive upgrade should be the highest priority. Failing that, there were no pitchers of Garza's caliber that were cost effective on the market. It's Garza for 3/24 or Westbrook for 2/24 (plus Archer and Lee).

Not with his contract. There's a one team market for Z right now. And they won't let him hit.

I would trade Archer for Derek Holland.

We gave up an Ichiro, a right-handed Dontrelle Willis, a Bengie Molina, and a guy that will be great for team chemistry and plays the right way. Chris Archer is black? ish I thought SouthSide was joking because of the Dontrelle comp. Next you'll tell me Brett Jackson is white! (Something, something, Troy O'Leary)

According to that research, Archer should win Rookie of the Year then blow his labrum out. Garza would become a steady 15 game winner.

There are fewer flat-out terrible GMs than in the game's history. Maybe it just seems that way now that Jim Bowden and Steve Phillips are gone. The owners are mainly to blame for the perennial losers. Then again, no GM looks terrible until the decision that gets them fired.

So trade them for a better player or one that better addresses the team's needs. Selling high is fine. That seems to be the point that some people are missing. No one is saying the Cubs can not or should not trade off valued prospects. It just sucks when they bundle that much value into a trade for Matt Garza of all people. I like Garza (certainly better than some scrub options floated earlier this winter) but starting pitching should not have been the main priority. Imagine the 1B this haul could have netted. That said, Garza is better than any free agent pitcher making $10 million in this market. Even his arbitration years should be palatable.

We gave up an Ichiro, a right-handed Dontrelle Willis, a Bengie Molina, and a guy that will be great for team chemistry and plays the right way. You mean a healthy Kaz Matsui. That's not an insult.

And...... These quotes must be what the rest of the world feels like when Americans talk about soccer.

Fernando Perez tidbits: He's a published poet: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/foundation/release_090309.html?id=186178 He's also a bit of comedian. Check out this Baseball's Working Poor sketch: Great dude but he'll be behind Fukudome, Byrd and Colvin on the OF depth chart.

My initial guess was that the TB prospects were Alex Cobb and Leslie Anderson. Anderson isn't a speed guy and there's no way we're getting Garza and Desmond Jennings for that haul.

Glad you appreciated it that much. I'm taking this routine on the road. What's the deal with Carlos Silva? Amirite?

Hyperbole. Hah! Totally unrelated, but I just realized why your screen name and avatar were so familiar on the AV Club. Yup, same dude. Last year's 2011 PECOTA projections were not too kind to Garza. The update should be more favorable.

Hyperbole.