670 The Score's Cubs' Tarik Skubal trade pitch ignores the elephant in the room

Tarik Skubal is arguably the best pitcher on the trade market this offseason, but it remains to be seen if the Detroit Tigers will actually make him available this offseason. If Skubal can be had this offseason, the Chicago Cubs (along with every contender) will likely check to see what the cost would be, and there would be a realization that it's too high for their reach.

Making the case for why the Cubs should trade for Skubal this offseason, 670 The Score's David Haugh lazily said he would give up what Chicago sent to the Houston Astros for Kyle Tucker in a potential trade for Skubal. To anyone who thinks a package equivalent to Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, and Hayden Wesneski would net the Cubs Skubal, you're spending too much time playing MLB The Show.

It's the type of take that proves why Haugh is filling segments on sports radio instead of paying attention to the actual landscape of Major League Baseball. First and foremost, trading for a pitcher instead of a position is going to cost more. There isn't any scenario where the type of package the Cubs sent the Astros for Tucker would land them Skubal from the Tigers this offseason.

Tarik Skubal to the Cubs is a fun dream, but the cost would be higher than most fans realize.

Showing his lack of awareness even more, Haugh suggested that he wouldn't be willing to give up Cade Horton in a potential trade for Skubal. Any Cubs' trade for Skubal is going to start with Horton, considering Detroit is still a contender in the American League, and likely include Matt Shaw and Owen Caissie as well.

"Stop talking about that" is how Haugh referred to Horton being included in a potential trade, and it just speaks to the hypocrisy that littered across sports radio nowadays. You can't in one sentence say that you're willing to give up anything before then saying you wouldn't give up the one piece that is certain to be in the deal.

There's also the belief that the Cubs have a great farm system, and that simply isn't true. As of this past August, MLB Pipeline had the Cubs' farm system ranked at No. 19. No, the Cubs do not have enough prospects to offer in a trade for Skubal, and any deal would include them trading away from their Major League team.

Sure, in a perfect world, the argument is the Cubs would be willing to trade Horton, Caissie, and Shaw for Skubal and then use the money saved from not paying a free-agent starting pitcher to replace the holes that would exist at third base and right field. But a perfect world doesn't exist for these Cubs.

Skubal, of course, is the white whale of the offseason, but instead of filling segments, some radio hosts need to understand the reality of the situation. A practice that is often lost for Haugh and his partners on 670 The Score's morning show.