MLB Trade News: 5 Teams Mortgaging the Future to Win Now

Aside from signing free agents, MLB teams that aspire to contend consummate trades. Often times, they export young, developing players for more experienced ones who can make an immediate impact.

It will be years before we'll be able to judge this winter's deals. Nobody involved in these transactions can be certain how the moving prospects will turn out.

Regardless, the following clubs have made their intentions clear: They're motivated to win now, and they'll worry about the future when it becomes the present.

Arizona Diamondbacks: How They've Improved

By trading for pitcher Trevor Cahill, the Arizona Diamondbacks have completed the restructuring of their starting rotation.

Cahill was relatively inexpensive. He is signed through 2015 for a total of $30 million with $13 million and $13.5 million team options for 2016 and 2017, respectively.

The former Oakland Athletic will follow Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson. That forms a formidable threesome, one that will be more than capable of winning a playoff series in October if Arizona wins the NL West again.

Cahill pitches to contact, which shouldn't be an issue considering the above-average defensive players that the Diamondbacks field at most positions.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Long-Term Concerns

All indications are that the Arizona Diamondbacks will be terrific team this season...and the next and the one after that.

The front office smartly has its core players—Stephen Drew, Justin Upton and Chris Young—signed for years to come. Several top pitchers haven't even reached arbitration yet!

The major concern for this franchise is depth.

The Diamondbacks have had a wave of top prospects reach the majors recently and the next group is awhile away. Suitable replacement players will have to be acquired from other teams in case of emergency.

Parting with pitcher Jarrod Parker makes their farm a little bit thinner.

Things could get ugly for the Diamondbacks if they are affected by any injuries.

Boston Red Sox: How They've Improved

Closer Andrew Bailey also kissed the Oakland Athletics goodbye in December to presumably serve the Boston Red Sox in his accustomed role.

He features a rare combination of pinpoint pitch location and strikeout ability, awfully reminiscent of the team's last closer, Jonathan Papelbon.

Previously to bolster the bullpen, the Red Sox traded for Mark Melancon.

He'll likely settle into a niche at the back end of the bullpen.

Boston Red Sox: Long-Term Concerns

In both aforementioned exchanges, the Boston Red Sox parted with developing starting pitchers.

The future of their rotation is pretty blurry.

Josh Beckett and Jon Lester will co-lead the staff for awhile, but who else will give this team innings?

Clay Buchholz hasn't proven himself over a full MLB season because of injury. Daniel Bard last started in 2008 in the minors and struggled mightily. John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka are both rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and they were worse than replacement players before going under the knife.

To get Melancon, Boston dealt shortstop Jed Lowrie.

Marco Scutaro is entering the final season of his deal. Prospect Jose Igelsias is expected to slide into that open position, but the Red Sox no longer have a backup plan in case he disappoints.

Cincinnati Reds: How They've Improved

The Cincinnati Reds have been as desperate for pitching as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox combined.

Discussion with the San Diego Padres eventually landed them young ace Mat Latos. He was very effective in 2010 and 2011, and he won't hit free agency for another four seasons.

The addition gave the Reds a surplus of starting pitching.

They made a small package around Travis Wood and acquired left-handed reliever Sean Marshall from the Chicago Cubs.

The intra-division trade adds some depth to the Reds' bullpen, which was made a bit thin when closer Francisco Cordero was not retained.

Cincinnati Reds: Long-Term Concerns

Leaving spacious Petco Park for the bandbox that is Great American Ballpark is surely going to force Mat Latos to rethink his approach to opposing batters.

He pitches to avoid contact, but in the instances where somebody gets good wood on the ball, it is destined for the outfield. He's a fly-ball pitcher, so home games may give him trouble.

Roster depth will be a concern for this team going forward, even more so than for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the two deals, the Reds parted with three starting pitchers of varying big league experience along with a catcher (Yasmani Grandal), first baseman (Yonder Alonso), infielder (Ronald Torreyes) and outfielder (Dave Sappelt). All those position players thrived in the minors in 2011.

San Francisco Giants: How They've Improved

In an attempt to revamp their outfield, the San Francisco Giants acquired Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan, who are in the primes of their careers.

Carlos Beltran and Cody Ross escaped to the open market because of San Francisco's lack of funds.

The Giants aren't too upset, though—Cabrera and Pagan are defensive upgrades with sufficient speed to make an impact of the basepaths. This team has been severely lacking in that dimension over the past several years.

San Francisco Giants: Long-Term Concerns

Talented left-handed starter Jonathan Sanchez was demanded by the Kansas City Royals to complete the transaction for Melky Cabrera. The San Francisco Giants front office broke one of the unwritten rules of baseball by surrendering him, which states that you never ever give up on a young southpaw.

His departure leaves the Giants with five starters. Although Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are all trustworthy, the back end of the rotation raises questions.

Can breakout star Ryan Vogelsong replicate his 2011 success? Is Barry Zito capable of throwing strikes? Can he give the team 200 innings after falling short for five consecutive years?

Even if the offense is slightly improved, San Francisco will need elite pitching performances to keep pace with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the division and NL Wild Card contenders like the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals.

Washington Nationals: How They've Improved

Speaking of the Washington Nationals, they seem poised to make a playoff push in 2012 after landing highly-coveted left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez.

The outstanding ERA, strikeout total and batting average against that he posted last season are definitely going to be helped by a move to the National League. Not only will he benefit from matchups with opposing pitchers, but most batters he'll face will be unfamiliar with his mid-90s fastball and devastating curve.

The rotation as a whole has the optimal combination of youth and depth this side of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays.

Washington Nationals: Long-Term Concerns

The Washington Nationals practically dealt their entire farm for Gio Gonzalez. Each of the packaged prospects are considered sure-fire contributors at the next level.

Unloading as much as they did will make it challenging for the Nationals to consummate other trades during the season. Who do they have to offer?

Moreover, Chien-Ming Wang and Stephen Strasburg have histories of injury. Washington could survive without one for an extended period of time, but without both—which was the case for most of 2011—this is a .500 team.

With so few reinforcements to summon from the minor leagues, the Nationals will have to make do with their current players. The talent they have at most positions is reassuring, but you just can't predict these things.