"Taking the specific people out of it I don't understand the argument about trading a position player for a starting pitcher... it is one of the most crucial positions on a roster, especially if it's a top of the rotation pitcher. "

1. Cashner is NOT a top of the rotation SP
2. Casher's history of injuries is glaring
3. Casher at the time of the trade was nothing more than a RELIEF pitcher.
4. Adrian Gonzalez for the scrubs we got was a 'horrible trade', no need to sugarcoat any of that.

1. Assumption
2. Doesn't mean he always will be
3. When the trade was made they said their interest was in him being a starter - was always a starter in the minors I believe - Cubs interested in him being a starter
4. So we traded a scrub for a pitcher - you can't have it both ways

Again I was disagreeing with your point of trading A position player for A pitcher - the philosophy not this specific trade which is why I said take the specific people out of it

Whats really funny about this whole thing, is the padres are desperate for pitching. We have 3 waiver acquisitions in our starting rotation. We needed pitching at the time of the Rizzo trade, and we still need pitching.

I will never again agree with converting a reliever to a starter mid-season after all that we've seen, but trading for a guy with #1 stuff for a player who looked as bad as Rizzo, I'll take it. I think in the long term this trade works out well for both teams. We have a 1b, we need pitching, especially a guy w/ no hit stuff who can anchor our rotation. Everyone needs one of those if they want to win, we might have one in Cash, the Cubs will have to keep looking.

Don't cheer for Casey Kelly when/if he makes it to the majors. He's no scrub.

Don't cheer for Yonder Alonso when he leagues the league in doubles next year (if we had Rizzo we wouldn't have Alonso).

Don't cheer for Yasmani Grandal, who appears to be ready to become one of the next great offensive catchers. Again, if we keep Rizzo, we don't have the opportunity to acquire Grandal.

Don't cheer for Volquez or Boxberger for the same reasons.

Keep in mind the key to trading Latos for those four players, is that Rizzo was no longer with the club. Rizzo is going to be a fine player in Chicago. He probably would have been average at best in Petco. Alonso seems much better suited to the park, Grandal is a drastic improvement over Hundley, and Volquez and Boxberger could be stalwart parts of the pitching staff for the next few years. Cashner, although injury prone, is not some aged has been....he's 26, ready to hit his prime. Yes he must stay healthy to be useful, but I liked what I saw in the very small sample size.

I'm sorry you all are treating the loss of Rizzo like a kid that had his favorite baseball card ripped up by the town bully. Rizzo, Gonzalez, Peavy, Adams...it's all part of developing a team and gaining pieces of the puzzle...we may not see a complete puzzle until 2013 or 2014.
DW

We traded for Grandal, Alonso, Box, and Eddy when we HAD Rizzo what are you talking about?

I think people are simply stating we should of waited on moving Rizzo, and I agree with them, but I don't agree with everyone's complaining.. it's done, nothing you can do now.

LOL what does Rizzo have to do with Grandal, Alonso and others?