Rizzo didn’t make it to Opening Day, got traded to Cubs
Anthony Rizzo was traded to the Cubs today for pitcher Andrew Cashner and Minor League outfielder Kyung-Min Na.
#RizzoMania was obviously very short-lived.
I’m sure a lot of us knew that Rizzo was headed out the door, especially when the rumors were flying right after Mat Latos’ trade. I really didn’t expect him to be on the Padres’ Opening Day roster, and what do you know, he’s not going to be. Oh well.
I did get really excited when he got called up earlier in the year. I was actually bordering on Kevin Kouzmanoff-like excitement about him, but when he didn’t do that well, it wore off. He’s really young, really cute, but I think he got called up too early. He wasn’t ready for it. But we don’t have to worry about him anymore, I guess.
But something that is interesting about this trade is the fact that Rizzo is going to Chicago, where Jed Hoyer and Jed McLeod are now. McLeod was the one who drafted Rizzo to the Red Sox. Hoyer then traded Adrian Gonzalez for him last year, and now he’s bringing him to the Cubs. Hoyer obviously wants Rizzo wherever he is.
This Cashner guy is a pitcher who has started, but the Padres seem to want him as a reliever at the start. He was injured for most of last season. The Padres always seem to get a lot of those.
Hopefully this trade will work out well for the Padres, though I don’t think we got the better side of the deal.
Unfinished Business 
Nice job, Kaity – left a reply to your comment on the community blog. Congrats on No. 6 finish in our 2011 Top 100 MLB.com Blogs rankings!
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Take it from someone who lives in Cincy and follows the Reds quite closely: I think you will be pleasantly surprised with Yonder Alonso. (I assume that’s why the Padres traded their prospect Rizzo: to give Alonso the playing time). He’s a great young hitter who I think will turn out to be a really good player. He can hit for power and he can now play at his regular position, first base. I was a little disappointed to see him go, but the Reds did him a favor by trading him since they have Joey Votto at first base. The chance to play everyday will only help Alonso get better.