Getting It Done

Sammy Sosa trade rumors are all over the place. Teams being named include the Orioles, National, Braves, and Mets. Look around and you’ll also see the Yankees mentioned in some articles. And, if you listen close enough, the Dodgers are still in the mix.

There is a recurring theme in all these articles: No one wants to pay out a large portion of Sammy’s salary. That narrows the list down considerably as the team that acquires Sosa will want to give the Cubs some of its bad player contracts.

Unless...

There is a way to get the Sosa trade done. It would be very unpopular with the fans who pay attention. But it could make the trade happen and free up plenty of cash for the Cubs to get Carlos Beltran AND maybe even a J.D. Drew.

Trading in today’s MLB is all a matter of salaries. If you are willing to acquire salaries, the cost to trade is minimal. Look at the Aramis Ramirez trade. The Cubs gave up marginal prospects for two All-Stars. Why? The Cubs took on all of those players’ salaries. If your team can’t afford players, you can have the original team pay the salaries so long as you give up high ceiling prospects. This is how Kenny Williams is able to make trades even though the White Sox can’t afford to pay salaries. Well, it’s how Kenny used to make trades. The Sox have no more good prospects!

The way to make the Sosa trade happen is to include a high ceiling prospect in the deal. I think this is why no deal has been concluded yet. The Mets will give up Floyd for Sosa, but the Mets want, say, Bobby Brownlie included.

I don’t know if this is how the trade will actually occur. I’m starting to think that it will actually happen. But if the Cubs really want it to happen, they can do it. Just include one of the names under “Futures Watch” on the right side of the page. That will get the deal done and free up plenty of money for Beltran / Drew.

I’d do it in a heartbeat.