Chicago Cubs Need to Start Trading off Moveable Pieces to Build for Tomorrow

Tom Ricketts didn't want to tell you this. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer won't publicly admit it. But even Dale Sveum, whose managerial career may depend on winning, must know. The Cubs brass harbored no illusions of being competitive this season.

Sure, Epstein laid out his plan to build from within. To do things the right way. The Cubs way.

But what he didn't want you to know is that the Cubs, if they are truly committed to this plan, will not be contenders for several years.

I realize they did tell us that rebuilding takes time. But if you recall, they all said—especially Ricketts—that there's no reason we can't be good in the interim.

Well, yes, there is a reason and it's a damn good one. If they try to win in the short term, they will be cutting corners on the grand plan and will end up no better that they were under Jim Hendry. Five years of lousy baseball surrounded by one year of competitiveness and another first round playoff exit.

That's not what Theo and company want. And, if you're truthful, that's not what you—the Cubs fan—want either. But to be truly dedicated to this plan, some sacrifices need to be made.

And they are painful sacrifices. This is especially true for fans who have already waited for such a long, long time.

But fear not, Cubs fans. For there is still a way to do this right and yet expedite the plan. That is to trade the veterans and older kids . Yes, that means Ryan Dempster, Ian Stewart (if he starts to hit), David DeJesus...yes, even Matt Garza.

I would also move Bryan LaHair while he's hot. A 29-year-old rookie is not going to be a superstar. He's simply not going to keep up this pace. And even if he does, where would the Cubs play him? First base is reserved for Anthony Rizzo and left field is—unfortunately—occupied by an untradeable commodity in Alfonso Soriano.

Look, the reason you trade those players is not because they aren't any good. Dempster is having a fine season, wins aside, but he will be a free agent after the season so you may as well move him while he's hot.

DeJesus was the new regime's first major signing, and he's playing well, so I doubt they would move him. But if you're not going to win now, go all the way. Don't try and fool your fans—go get multiple pieces for these players.

The reason you need multiple pieces is that the Cubs farm system is bottom-heavy. There are no major league-ready players in the pipeline, other than Rizzo and Brett Jackson. And if the Cubs are going to compete for years to come—and I mean consistently compete—they either have to wait for the draft or make some trades.

Now, I know Garza is young and you certainly could build around him. But wouldn't it be better to have three or four young prospects than one pitcher who, by himself, won't make the Cubs winners?

With the changes to the draft, the rebuilding job becomes much harder for Theo's team. So you have to do something to get the system stocked earlier. And that something is to trade anyone who can bring you talent in return.

But you won't hear this from the Cubs. They want you to be interested in this team. They need to sell tickets.

But when you signed onto this process, you agreed to endure some more pain, as long as there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

But you don't want that light to be a train. Hendry may be the train's conductor.