Ranking the 10 best Chicago Cubs moves during the Theo Epstein era

3. The Anthony Rizzo trade/extension

Before Anthony Rizzo became the lifeblood of the Chicago Cubs franchise, Epstein and his assistant Jed Hoyer played an interesting game of back-and-forth with the first baseman. Rizzo was initially drafted out of high school by the Red Sox while Epstein and Hoyer were still running the team together. After Hoyer became the general manager of the San Diego Padres, Epstein flipped Rizzo to Hoyer in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez in 2010. Then Epstein and Hoyer reunited to run the Chicago Cubs in 2011 and traded for Rizzo the following January.

All of that moving around happened before Rizzo's 22nd birthday and before he even established himself as a full-time major league player. But Epstein and Hoyer believed in his abilities and acquiring him in Chicago paid dividends. Rizzo quickly shed his quadruple-A player status when he ripped off 30 extra-base hits in 87 games for the Cubs after earning a major league call-up in 2012. This small sample size resulted in a seven-year contract extension for Rizzo, with two club options that kept the first-baseman in Chicago until 2021.

The on-field production was undeniable. Rizzo hit 242 home runs (6th all-time in organization history), drove in 784 (13th all-time), made 3 All-Star teams, and collected 4 gold gloves and a silver slugger. He grew to be a consistent 30-home run/100 RBI threat and was a driving force in the team's lineup for a decade. And all Epstein had to give up was starting pitcher Andrew Cashner and minor league outfielder Kyung-Min Na. Cashner had a respectable career as a mid-back end rotation piece while Na never made it to the Majors.

During his time in Chicago, Rizzo also became incredibly popular among fans for his likable personality, playful nature, and role as the team's de facto captain. Rizzo was also very active in the community, raising millions for cancer research and children's hospitals over the years.