Chicago Cubs: Trades that went our way

Sep 14, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs batting helmet sits on the dugout rail before the Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs trade Hee-Seop Choi and minor league player Mike Nannini to the Florida Marlins for Derrek Lee.

This is another one of those trades that make you wonder why? Why would the Florida Marlins, defending world series champions trade their star first baseman? Did they know something no one else knew? If they thought they did, they were wrong – very wrong.  With trading Lee to the Cubs, the Marlins would get a return of Hee-Seop Choi and a minor league pitcher named Mike Nannini.

Choi was thought of as being one of the top prospects with the Cubs.  Choi made his Cubs debut in 2002 near the end of the season.  Choi would start the season as the Cubs opening day first baseman but would only play in 80 regular season games.  Choi would miss time that season due to an injury after a collision with Kerry Wood. Choi would be unable to take the starting job away from veteran first baseman Eric Karros.  Choi had a lot of potential and I guess that is what Florida liked about him.

Mike Nannini was originally with the Houston Astros – drafted by Houston in the first round of the 1998 draft. While having some success in the minors, Nannini would never make it to the majors.

Derrek Lee would go on to have a great career with the Cubs.  Providing the Cubs with a gold glove first baseman, a veteran leader, and a strong bat in the middle of the order.  Lee’s best season with the Cubs in 2005, saw Lee come close to the triple crown but did lead the National League in batting average with a .335 average.  Lee would also lead the Cubs to two straight division titles.

While the Marlins had hoped they would eventually get the better end of the trade with Choi’s potential, it would never be.  The Marlins would eventually take apart their former championship team and Choi would find himself apart of that rebuild when he was traded to the Dodgers after just one season with Florida.

Again, this trade shows, sometimes its better to stay with what you know instead of the potential of a new prize.

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