Chicago Cubs: Five potential trades to make with the National League West

Chicago Cubs: These guys would look good together on the left side

Much has been made in recent weeks of a possible trade of Nolan Arenado. Colorado, despite just signing Arenado to a long-term deal last February, doesn’t have the big city money of a New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. If they don’t think they’ll compete in the NL West for the foreseeable future, perhaps they cut bait with their All-Star third baseman. Sound familiar? Everything but the extension part sounds an awful lot like a similar thing going on in Chicago.

Why extend a guy for eight years and $260 million if you’re going to turn around and trade him the next season? While I don’t know and don’t claim to understand much of anything on the owner or GM level of baseball, from a playing standpoint, Arenado is a heckuva player. Teaming him with Javier Baez on the left side of the infield immediately makes it the best in the game.

Arenado does have his home/road Colorado splits to answer for if he gets traded, but defense plays both home and away. And, Arenado is a Gold Glove winner. In fact, he’s won the Gold Glove every single season he’s been in the big leagues- seven straight years, to be exact.