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| A new Cub. |
We suspected that the Cubs might be interested in Rizzo a month ago and the Padres really had no spot for their #1 prospect since the Mat Latos trade.
At this point, Cashner was probably going to have to compete with Randy Wells for the 5th starter spot so he might have needed to move on to get a chance to start consistently.
Rizzo was drafted by Theo Epstein and traded to the Padres a few years later in the Adrian Gonzalez deal.
This is a pretty big get for the Cubs. Rizzo is still looked at as a top prospect even though his time in the big leagues last year didn't go that well. I would assume that the Cubs will be making every effort to give the starting 1st base job to Rizzo.
The pitcher the Cubs got in the deal, Zack Cates, is 22 years old and just finished if first year in the Padres system. He was the Padres' 3rd round pick in 2010. He has a fastball in the low to mid 90's and is 6'3" and 200 lbs.
Na is a 20 year old outfielder who was in his second season in the Cubs minor league system and made his way AA last year. He hasn't put up much of any great numbers and hasn't hit a single homer since the was signed in 2010.
So it looks as if Bryan LaHair, whom Theo Epstein proclaimed as the Cubs first baseman as recently as Wednesday, may be moved to the bench again.
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UPDATE:
Jed Hoyer said in a conference call today that LaHair will still be the starting first baseman this coming season and that Rizzo will start 2012 in Iowa.
