Chicago Cubs should talk trade with the San Diego Padres

It was reported this week that in order for the Chicago Cubs to get two big prizes in the offseason, they’d have to be very creative in doing so.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers quoted Chicago Cubs’ team president, Theo Epstein, saying,”If we want to do two things we have to get pretty creative,” Epstein said Monday afternoon. “Even if we do one really big thing we have to get creative.”

That could mean a few things. What it likely means is, the Chicago Cubs will have their phone’s ringing off the hook with possible trade partners to acquire a valuable addition to the team, likely the starting rotation.

To get an idea of some possible scenarios, you first have to look at the needs of other teams compared to the strengths of the Chicago Cubs and what they have a surplus in. The first position that comes to mind is the excess of middle infielders.

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Another surplus the Cubs have built up is young hitters. Looking around at baseball, there are a lot of teams in need of some hitting, one that comes to mind that has a few pitchers that they might be willing to part with is the San Diego Padres.

The Chicago Cubs were linked to James Shields last offseason and he seemed like a good fit for the Cubs, considering he once pitched for manager Joe Maddon and the Cubs need for proven winning starting pitching.

The price was too steep for the Chicago Cubs at the time and a lot of people still thought they were still a year away from being legitimate threats to challenge for a championship.

Nearly a year later, the Cubs proved they were more than ready to contend and that they do need at least one more top of the rotation starter to get to the World Series – Shields would fit in nicely after Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester.

Obviously, for Shields to be shipped over, there would have to be a lot to go right. The most important part that would have to go right, the San Diego Padres would have to be willing to eat a chunk of the four-year $75 million contract the Padres signed “Big Game” James too.

The Padres asking price may not be that high for Shields, especially if they are just looking to get out from the contract that they seem to have rushed into.

If the price became too high for the Cubs liking for Shields, they could offer former Chicago Cubs pitcher, Andrew Cashner.

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Cashner, traded to the Padres for All-Star first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, hasn’t had the success that the Padres would have liked. Injuries and inconsistent play from their offense have been plaguing the team and Cashner in many of his starts.

Maybe a return to the team he started with could bring his career back into the right path.

A player like Starlin Castro or Javier Baez would fit in nicely with the Padres. Their everyday starting lineup is fairly young but inconsistent. The fact that they will likely lose their biggest bat in free agency in Justin Upton, the Chicago Cubs could name their price for either starter.

The Padres look like a team that could be desperate to start building their team from the ground up again and stock up their farm system.