Chicago Cubs: After deadline moves, prospects are again the focus

Finally, the stress and anxiety over pondering the future of the core has come to a close. After Chicago traded away the stars that would brighten our nights, a darkness has been cast that now overshadows the future of Chicago Cubs baseball. Simultaneously, a sigh of relief can ensue as we can start to put the past behind us, breathing in new life as we look onward toward tomorrow.

Where do we sit after the trade deadline? Before we get into that, we all need to acknowledge this team was not World Series-caliber even with Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo Javier Baez and Craig Kimbrel. However surreal you find it, the reality is that the 11 1/2 game deficit the team currently faces in the NL Central was just too big of a hill to climb at this point in the season.

Regardless, when you have so many impending free agents that unfortunately haven’t led the team as envisioned, this is what happens. Jed Hoyer, as upset as we are, deserves a lot of credit for securing the level of talent we received for players that most likely wouldn’t be here next year anyway.

Take all the time you need as fans to get over what has happened in recent days. No one can fault you for “not wanting to hear it right now” but it needs to be said: The future is bright. If you are in search of optimism, look no further. The prospects the Cubs already had in the system have been making their presence felt, plus the numerous players we have just acquired via trade, provides a glaringly bright light at the end of the tunnel.

No one can be happy that KB, Rizzo and Javy are gone. The memories they gave us will never leave and I am thankful for the six greatest years in franchise history. As the dust starts to settle, let’s start looking ahead at this plethora of prospects we have obtained, in no particular order.