Thought I would give a little insight to the question
that keeps being asked.... WHY?
The answer is simple but not so simple. The roster of the cubs were built for winning now and we did a tremendous job of it winning 98 games and 92 games the season prior.and making it back to back years to the NLCS. The only team in the league that can take that credit. However, at the trade deadline, the Cubs were in a position with a 2 game lead on the best record in baseball, not their division but baseball. After the trade deadline, the Cubs played under .500 ball. They took a LA Dodger team in the first round to a 5th game even though the dodgers were missing their best player. Then lost in 6 games to the eventual world series champion for the 2nd season in a row.
Taking a closer look at the post trade deadline collapse of the cubs can only be attributed to one thing, age of the roster. To get in back to back post seasons and a chance to win the championship the Cubs sacrificed their farm. The 3,4 and 5 hitter for the Cubs are at the ages of 33,34 and 35 next season. Entering the next season, thought was put into if that heart of the batting order could maintain their level of performance. With watching the post trade deadline collapse, the answer was no. So with a bare minor league system, handcuffed to contracts on aging players, the Cubs only had one choice. To get the most they can now while their players still hold a strong market value.
The decision was then made to sell off all the parts of the team except for emerging star Starlin Castro and Stolmy Pimentel. Two players that in the future that will be stars in the league. The Cubs now have a nucleus of young players. The Cubs feel the acquisitions of Thomas De'lon, Devon Mesoraco, Michael Almanzar, Tim Melville, James Aitkenhead, Nick Trudeau, Pascal Nichols all headline the acquisitions of this off season as they all can become tremendous players in the future Chicago Cubs lineup. Other youngsters were acquired that the Cubs are excited about as well. It is now a waiting game in Chicago for these players to develop.
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