Curtis Granderson Cubs Centerfielder

The Cubs need a centerfielder; Curtis Granderson is the best player available.

I’m all in favor of a trade. Granderson is a smart player, an energy guy and a terrific teammate.

I couldn’t care less that he’s a hometown kid from Lynwood, either. Doesn’t even factor into my thinking.

More importantly, it’s about the talented package of players Jim Hendry will have to assemble to get the budding 28-year-old star from Detroit.

I’d sign off on any trade package including the likes of Jake Fox, Jeff Samardzija, Tyler Colvin, Jeff Baker, Sam Fuld, Andres Blanco, Micah Hoffpauir, Aaron Heilman or Sean Marshall.

It apparent, however, the biggest key is the prospects…specifically, the Cubs’ top-prospects.

Trading away the farm is always a gamble, but the Cubs window to win a championship is right now. That alone makes a Granderson deal worth the risk of trading future talent.

The knock against Granderson is that he doesn’t hit lefties well, which is true given his .184 average against southpaws last summer, but I say, so what?

The Cubs have the best hitting instructor in baseball. And if Rudy Jaramillo gets Granderson straightened out we’re all talking about an MVP-type player in centerfield. In the meantime the club can re-sign Reed Johnson to platoon with Granderson vs. left-handers.

It’s a big-deal all around: big contracts, big prospects and big stakes.

But the Cubs are in a good spot for such drama. Amazingly, they’re clubs out there who want to trade for Milton Bradley. There’s also a new owner in town who wants to win, and a centerfielder available who can make a huge difference in the Cubs’ chances to return to postseason play.

Jim Hendry can’t be careless in whom he deals, especially with the prospects, but this is a deal that should be made nonetheless.