Chicago Cubs: Revisiting the infamous Josh Donaldson trade

Hindsight is always 20/20. In the case of Jim Hendry and the Chicago Cubs in the summer of 2008, that phrase rings truest in all forms, especially looking into the future of what was to come.

If you talk to Chicago Cubs fans about Jim Hendry, most will shudder at the mere mention of his name. There was much turmoil under Hendry when he was the General Manager on the north side and many questionable decisions under his guise.

One such deal was that involving a young Class-A catcher named Josh Donaldson. The 2008 Cubs were a monster team. They finished the regular season 97-65, winning the National League Central by 7 1/2 games. Unfortunately, they were no match for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series as they were swept right out of their shoes.

Trades in baseball will always carry an aura of negativity for one side. That is how trades work. Rarely is there a deal where, at least at the time of the trade, both sides are one hundred percent happy. In the case of Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics, it was such the case for them. Boy, were they in for a treat.