Waiting to see which veteran players go in return for what caliber of prospect is nothing new for Cubs fans.
The Cubs went down this road in the years leading up to their breakthrough to the National League Championship Series in 2015 and World Series triumph in 2016.
Churning veterans for prospects doesn’t work every time, but it was important in building the championship Cubs. Let’s look at a few deals, focusing on players and ignoring other considerations.
• Ryan Dempster to the Rangers for Christian Villanueva and Kyle Hendricks.
The Cubs and Rangers announced two deals July 31, 2012, with catcher Geovany Soto and cash going to the Rangers for pitching prospect Jake Brigham.