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Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro exited Tuesday’s game against the National League Central division rival Milwaukee Brewers with an ankle injury.

CSNChicago.com’s Patrick Mooney provided the details on Castro’s condition:

A slide into home was to blame for Castro’s injury, and now the Cubs are without one of their premier young players for the foreseeable future. At least there is hardly any incentive to press Castro back into action, because the Cubs are nowhere near playoff contention.

Holding out Castro to ensure a full recovery is important not only for Chicago, but for the trade partners it may attract this winter. Amid speculation that has swirled about a possible move to the New York Mets, Castro asserts that he’s content in the Windy City, per the New York Daily News‘ Anthony McCarron:

Whatever happens, happens. I can’t control this. I know myself. I know I can be a good player and I know a lot of teams can want me. But I’m here and I don’t want to leave here. I feel comfortable here and I want to be a part of this team when we compete, when we win playoffs and stuff like that.

Rotoworld’s D.J. Short highlighted a couple of qualities that makes Castro attractive to multiple other clubs:

For the Cubs to part ways with such a promising prodigy would go against their long-awaited rebuilding plan under President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein.

Castro has the attitude and production to warrant keeping him in a Cubs uniform for years to come; to contribute to the team’s eventual turnaround. Whether the front office views Castro that way remains to be seen.

Whatever the case may be regarding his long-term future, Chicago will be cautious with Castro for the remainder of the 2014 MLB season in light of the injury he suffered Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

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Let me begin by assuring you all I am not totally crazy. Partially crazy, perhaps, but not totally. But what I am about to suggest may actually be a reasonable and logical step for the New York Mets to take in order to hep get them to (and keep them in) relevancy once again in the National League.

Cutting right to the chase, general manager Sandy Alderson should have his eyes set on Chicago Cubs‘ All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro. To get him, the Mets should not be afraid to trade away a young starter (just one of either Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard or Rafael Montero).

Just looking at the Mets’ 2014 first half, the team has actually been getting very good starting pitching. Their 3.50 collective ERA is better than the league average, and they are allowing fewer than four runs per game. All of this has been without their ace Matt Harvey, who was lost for the season following Tommy John Surgery. 

The rotation has been spearheaded by Jon Niese, who is currently on the disabled list. Niese, though he struggled through most of spring training with injuries, currently sports a 2.96 ERA—which is good for 12th in the league—and 74 strikeouts through 103 innings pitched in 2014. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since September 7 of last season.

The Mets have also benefited from a very impressive Major League debut of Jacob deGrom. The 26-year-old right-hander made his brilliant debut on May 15 against the Yankees when he spun seven innings of one-run ball, striking out six. Although his record sits at a lackluster 3-5, that is by no means a reflection of how he has pitched—his 3.18 ERA is. And he has seemingly gotten better as the season has rolled along, striking out 27 batters over his last three starts, including 11 Braves during a seven-inning shutout on July 8. 

And while Dillon Gee has missed a major chunk of the season, the Mets have gotten solid work from veterans Bartolo Colon and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Colon, who was signed as a free agent to a two-year, $20 million contract over the winter, has been somewhat inconsistent but still features a decent 3.66 ERA to go along with 89 strikeouts over 121 innings. Colon himself has been subject of a few trade rumors recently. 

Matsuzaka, meanwhile, has been a nice fill-in for Gee. After starting the season in the bullpen for the Mets, Dice-K has made nine starts, including eight of his last nine appearances. For the year, the veteran has a 3.55 ERA and has looked better over his last five starts than his numbers would suggest.

Gee himself has been a solid contributor when healthy, flashing a 2.56 ERA through nine starts. After missing much of May and all of June, Gee was activated off of the disabled list and started on July 9, going seven strong innings against the Braves. In fact, Gee has pitched fewer than six innings just once this season—5.2 innings on April 5—and has allowed one or fewer earned runs four times.

Then there is Wheeler, who has been the poster boy for inconsistency so far in 2014. The 24-year-old owns a 5-8 record with a 3.90 ERA. He’s shown signs of brilliance, as evidenced by his three-hit shutout of the Marlins on June 19. He closed out the first half in dominant form, allowing one earned run in each of his last three starts.

But he’s also looked ugly at times, giving up five earned runs each in two consecutive starts in mid-May, while permitting four earned runs in four starts this season. He also had a forgettable start against the A’s (right after his shutout of the Marlins) in which he gave up six earned in just two innings.

At just 24 years of age, Wheeler has the talent and the ability to blossom into a legitimate stud pitcher. The same can be said for Syndergaard and Montero. But with the quality pitching the Mets have in place, including Harvey, could they expend one of these young hurlers to address a much-maligned hole in their lineup, such as shortstop?

After all, Montero made his debut earlier this season and was unimpressive at best (0-2, 5.40 ERA in four starts). And the latest reports indicate Syndergaard may not make his debut until next season, as he as struggled this season in Triple-A (5.74 ERA and 11.3 H/9 allowed in 84 innings pitched). 

Meanwhile, the Mets have received virtually nothing out of the shortstop position this year, with Ruben Tejada hitting a meager .237 in 2014. And while some light-hitting shortstops are known to be wizards with the glove (see Everth Cabrera), Tejada is a decent defender, at best. 

That brings us to Castro, who believe it or not only turned 24 in March. After a disappointing 2013 season, Castro is enjoying a resurgent 2014 campaign, hitting .276 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI for the last-place Cubs. He was selected to his third career All-Star game and is under team control and owed $43 million through 2019 (plus a $16 million team option for 2020). 

The Mets have a couple of shortstop prospects down on the farm in Amed Rosario and Gavin Cecchini. But neither of them are close to the cusp of reaching the big leagues, and even when they do, they still might not be the impact player Castro has been for the Cubs. Even still, it may not be too late to move one of them to the outfield, which is another weak area for the Mets. 

Now, of course, the Cubs have made no indications they will be trading Castro. And in fact, Jon Morosi of FoxSports tweets the Cubs have no intentions of moving him before the July 31 trade deadline, despite the presence of top prospect Javier Baez and the recent acquisition of Addison Russell from the A’s for Jeff Samardzija. They also have Arismendy Alcantara up with the big club right now, and he has impressed early on his career. 

Regardless of the Cubs’ willingness to field offers for Castro, the time for the Mets to make a bold move is now. They need to show their fans they are listening and are willing to make the hard choices to field a winning club. And the window to trade one or some of their young arms for an impact bat is closing the longer the club waits. And just to prove I’m not totally insane, John Harper of the New York Daily News seems to concur with this suggestion. 

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Chicago general manager Jed Hoyer and his counterpart in Oakland, Billy Beane, proved on Friday night that fireworks on the Fourth of July don’t only explode overhead, completing a massive six-player swap that has wide-sweeping ramifications on the playoff picture in both leagues.

The first-place Athletics strengthened their rotation by adding two of the best pitchers available, Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija, while the rebuilding Cubs landed a trio of youngsters—shortstop Addison Russell, outfielder Billy McKinney and starting pitcher Dan Straily (along with a player to be named later)—to build a future contender around.

It’s a deal that, on paper, seems to benefit both clubs. While it will be a few years before we can truly grasp which club came out on top, it’s never too early to take a look at the immediate winners and losers in the aftermath of the first major trade of the regular season.

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The Chicago Cubs‘ collection of top prospects is among the best in baseball, with four players who will rank in next week’s top 50 prospects update and a few more who would land in the top 100.

Leading the pack is shortstop Javier Baez, who is arguably the most exciting offensive prospect in the game. Last season, the now-21-year-old posted a .920 OPS with 37 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 537 plate appearances between High-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee.

Alongside Baez on the Cubs’ future infield is third baseman Kris Bryant, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2013, who possesses the type of obscene raw power needed to hit 35-plus home runs at the highest level.

The organization also houses a pair of potential All-Star outfielders in Albert Almora and Jorge Soler. Though they collectively lack a game of experience at the Double-A level, both players have the tools to move quickly through the minor leagues and should do so in the upcoming season.

With the Cubs offense potentially stacked for the years to come, team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer now will likely focus on adding impactful arms to all levels of the system.

That being said, the organization has added several potential back-end starters since the beginning of the 2012 season, as they acquired right-handers Kyle Hendricks and Neil Ramirez via trades with the Texas Rangers, and also added Paul Blackburn and Pierce Johnson through the draft.

The only high-ceiling arm in the Cubs’ system is C.J. Edwards—acquired from Texas in the Matt Garza trade last summer—and he’s still considered a risky prospect and likely two years away from reaching the major leagues.

With a wave of prospects nearing the major leagues, the Cubs now desperately need their trio of core players to push forward in their respective developments.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo spent the entire season hitting in the heart of the order, but he produced a disappointing .233/.323/.419 batting line in 690 plate appearances. Similarly, shortstop Starlin Castro, an All-Star in 2012, also endured a significant offensive regression, as he batted only .245/.284/.347 in 705 plate appearances and finished the season with a minus-0.1 fWAR, via FanGraphs.

Though staff ace Jeff Samardzija posted a 4.34 ERA and allowed 25 home runs last season, the then-27-year-old’s 3.45 xFIP suggests he was better than that, and he also logged over 200 innings (213.2) for the first time in his career. However, as the source of so many trade rumors this offseason, there’s a chance Samardzija doesn’t open the 2014 season as a Cub.

Here’s a look at the Chicago Cubs’ top 10 prospects for the 2014 season.

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For a Chicago Cubs team that will be continuing their rebuild in 2014, the starting lineup presents a major question mark at several different positions. While prospects will be coming up sporadically through the minor leagues this season and next, the Opening Day lineup figures to be full of fill-in players or players looking to bounce back from last season.

Based on Roto Champ’s projected Opening Day lineup for the Cubs, here are some realistic expectations for the players that figure to be in the starting lineup come April. There are sure to be some disappointments and some surprises during the upcoming season, but based on past performance and career arcs of various players, here’s what to expect from the Cubs on offense in 2014.

1. Shortstop Starlin Castro

Perhaps the most disappointing Cub last season was former phenom Starlin Castro. Following a stellar rookie season and a sophomore campaign that saw him bat .307, Castro’s stats have steadily dropped over the past two seasons. In 2011, Castro hit .307 with 22 steals. In 2012, he hit .283 with 25 steals. Last season, he hit a paltry .245 with nine steals.

While the steady decline in production from Castro is cause for concern, the drop in numbers can partially be explained by playing for a team in relative disarray. With the hiring of Rick Renteria as manager as well as other Spanish-speaking coaches, Castro figures to feel more comfortable this season.

Even though the fifth-year shortstop figures to be more comfortable in Chicago this upcoming season, it may be time for the Cubs to lower their expectations a bit. Coming up, Castro seemed like a perennial All-Star, but his inability to adapt and adjust to pitching in the majors may mean that he will never reach his full potential. That being said, Castro even realizing most of his potential makes him an above-average shortstop, but delineating him as an average or above-average player starts this season.

Knowing how much he has on the line, Castro will improve in a new environment this season. Building on a solid end to the season last year, Castro should have a bounce-back year, although he may never return to the form that gave Cubs fans so much hope. With all of the natural talent that Castro posses, that will still be good enough for a very solid 2014 campaign.

The projection: .271 with 14 HRs, 64 RBIs and 23 steals.

2. Third Baseman Luis Valbuena

Luis Valbuena was a pleasant surprise in the early-going for the Cubs last season, but his numbers steadily declined as the season went on. This year, while Valbuena may start, it seems likely that he could be splitting playing time with Mike Olt.

Olt was acquired in the trade deadline deal that sent pitcher Matt Garza to the Rangers in July. Since Olt is a right-handed hitter and Valbuena is a left-handed hitter, it would make sense for manager Rick Renteria to platoon the duo to start the season. One of the players will have to win the job to break the platoon.

Platooning Valbuena and Cody Ransom, the Cubs had some of the best production in the league from the third base position in the first couple months of the season, but slow finishes by both diminished the team’s third base production numbers.

Last season, Valbuena had solid power numbers for having 331 at-bats, but like most other Cubs, he hit for a very low average. Hitting .218 with 12 home runs and 37 runs batted in, it’s clear that Valbuena doesn’t have a future as the starting third baseman for the Cubs, but he is a solid role player.

It’s versatility that is Valbuena‘s greatest asset. He can play third base and second base, giving him the opportunity to give more players days off and thus racking up more at-bats. For that reason, even if he doesn’t stick as the team’s everyday third baseman, Valbuena can still be a serviceable member of the infield.

The projection: .225 with eight HRs and 29 RBIs.

3. First Baseman Anthony Rizzo

One of the better power-hitting lefties that Wrigley Field has seen in a long time, Anthony Rizzo had an extremely promising start to his 2013 campaign before major league pitching caught up to him. Even with his lull in the middle of the season, Rizzo managed to put up solid power numbers, hitting 23 home runs while driving in 80 runs. 

A positive that came out of last year for Rizzo was that he showed he could get over slumps. Even though he had several points in the season where he struggled, Rizzo managed to remain focused and didn’t completely tank. That’s a sign of good adjustments on Rizzo’s part, and if he can continue making those adjustments in 2014, he could be a breakout star. 

Even with his huge power upside, Rizzo naturally will never hit for a very high average. He strikes out far too much to hit for a stellar average, but because of how many balls he can put out of the ballpark, that’s not a huge negative. 

Based on the fact that he gets on base often (in 2013 he had an on-base percentage of .323, 90 points higher than his batting average) and his high strikeout rate, Rizzo figures to slide into the cleanup spot at some point. 

For now, Rizzo will remain the Cubs’ No. 3 hitter and is ready to have a very productive season. While the average won’t be great, it should be a shade above his .233 average from a year ago. If the guys behind him provide him with some protection, Rizzo could be in for a very big year in 2014. 

The projection: .252 with 32 HRs and 96 RBIs. 

4. Right Fielder Nate Schierholtz

The most productive all-around hitter for the Cubs last season, Nate Schierholtz was a classic Theo Epstein signing. Not given sufficient playing time to make an impact for the Giants from 2007-2012 or the Phillies in the latter part of 2012, the Cubs saw a player with potential if he could start everyday. 

Logging 432 at-bats in 2013, that’s exactly what Schierholtz did. In those at-bats, the lefty hit .251 with 21 HRs and 68 RBIs. That production caused other teams from around the league to draw interest in the former role-player at the trade deadline. While the Cubs didn’t make a deal last season, they very well could this year. 

For Schierholtz, this season is about showing that 2013 wasn’t a fluke. By no means should last season be looked at as a fluke; he was the team’s most consistent hitter throughout the season. He also provides veteran leadership on a relatively young team. Given that his contract expires after the season, it’s much more likely that Schierholtz will be moved this July. 

Whether it be in Chicago all year in 2014 or split between Chicago and somewhere else, Schierholtz can be a very productive hitter. Being in a weaker lineup in Chicago doesn’t do him any favors, but the fact that he is hitting his stride and is only 30 years old points to another productive season from Schierholtz. 

The projection: .247 with 23 HRs and 70 RBIs.

5. Catcher Welington Castillo

Young catcher Welington Castillo is developing into a very nice little backstop for the Cubs. In his first full season, playing in 113 games, Castillo hit .274 and more impressively got on base at a .349 clip. Preparing to be the everyday catcher once again in 2014, Castillo will continue to make strides. 

The 26-year old slugged 23 doubles a season ago and moving up to the No. 5 spot in the lineup will help his production. Depending on how the lineup is doing, pitchers may pitch around either Rizzo or Schierholtz to get to the less well-known Castillo, and he is capable of exposing them. 

As long as Castillo continues to progress from a defensive standpoint, his focus can remain on offense, and he can continue to develop into an above-average catcher. While there are plenty of cheap options for average backup catchers, the pressure is on Castillo as the Cubs have few catchers coming up through the minor leagues. 

Possibly the most underrated player on the Cubs, Castillo will take a big step in 2014. While he doesn’t have overwhelming home run power, his ability to hit the gaps should help him drive in more runs than he has in the past. All of those factors make for a pleasantly surprising year for the young catcher. 

The projection: .283 with 11 HRs and 59 RBIs. 

6. Center Fielder Junior Lake

While he’s much better suited for left field, a lack of capable center fielders at the major league level for the Cubs has forced Junior Lake into that role for now. The former shortstop prospect displayed dazzling speed and flashes of power in his time with the Cubs last season. His performance was good enough to make Cubs brass believe that he can be in the 2014 Opening Day outfield. 

In just 236 at-bats in 2013, Lake batted .284 with six home runs, 16 runs batted in and four steals. It seems evident that if Lake can get on base, he can score runs. Not only can he steal bases, but he raked 16 doubles last season. Getting those doubles puts him in scoring position instantly and helped contribute to the 26 runs that he scored last year. 

If he develops like the Cubs would like him to, Lake fills in very nicely to the leadoff spot or batting second, but while he develops in his first full season, Lake seems likely to hit in the six and seven spots in the lineup. 

Along with Rizzo, Castro and Castillo, Lake represents the future of the Cubs lineup that is already in the major leagues. Since the rebuilding process has been slow to show major league results (as all rebuilding processes are), it’s encouraging to see players who figure into the team’s future plans. 

In his first full season in the major leagues, Lake is sure to take his lumps, but his ability to put the bat on the ball makes him a potentially dangerous hitter. At this point in his career, Lake is an average hitter with a whole lot of upside. How much of that upside is on display at Wrigley Field this year remains to be seen. 

The projection: .267 with 13 HRs, 41 RBIs and 15 steals. 

7. Left Fielder Ryan Sweeney 

Before suffering an injury, Ryan Sweeney was a surprising player for the Cubs a season ago. The veteran left-hander hit six home runs and 13 doubles in just 192 at-bats. Given expanded playing time, Sweeney could see those numbers jump in 2014. 

For every Cubs outfielder, nobody is going to start every game. There are just too many outfielders in the Cubs system to have any one outfielder start every game, and for that reason, no single outfielder is going to put up crazy numbers. 

Sweeney is no different, but if he stays healthy, he should see 300 at-bats next season. As a rare veteran presence, Sweeney’s value comes off the field as well. In a season that figures to be another long one, Sweeney’s ability to influence young hitters is just as important as his ability to drive runners in. 

While it seems like he’s been around forever, Sweeney will only be 29 next season. For that reason, it’s possible the Cubs could keep him around past 2014 if he produces. To compliment outfield prospects the Cubs have such as Albert Almora and Jorge Soler, Sweeney would be a solid fourth outfielder for a growing team. A healthy Sweeney points to a productive year that leads to that opportunity for the outfielder. 

The projection: .258 with nine HRs and 37 RBIs. 

8. Second Baseman Darwin Barney

It’s no secret that while Darwin Barney is a stellar fielder, he’s been rather offensively challenged, especially last season. Hitting just .208 in 2013, Barney could be playing this season to convince the Cubs to keep him around. 

While Barney barely hit above the Mendoza Line last season, one encouraging sign is that he hit 25 doubles. If he can continue to hit the ball to the gaps, he will be able to drive runs in regularly. However, Barney needs to “hit ’em where they ‘aint” a little more often in 2014 to be a productive member of the offense. 

His 2013 average was well below his normal average over the course of his career, which could mean one of two things for Barney. One would be that 2013 was somewhat of a fluke year offensively. Another explanation could be that opposing pitching has completely figured him out. It could be a little bit of both. 

Barney will never be an extremely productive offensive player, but grouped with his defense, average offensive output is enough to make him worth keeping on a roster. Starting most of the season in the bottom of the lineup, Barney figures to see a lot of fastballs, which bodes well for something of a rebound season for the 2012 Gold Glove winner. 

The projection: .231 with eight HRs and 52 RBIs.

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The Chicago Cubs have locked up Starlin Castro with a long-term deal and the young shortstop will be calling Wrigley Field home for many years to come. 

NBC Sports’ D.J. Short reported that the contract is worth $60 million dollars over seven years and will keep the 22-year-old in a Cubs’ uniform until he is 29 years old.

President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein—in his first season with the Cubs—sold off veterans such as Ryan Dempster and Geovany Soto at the trade deadline. It was another season in the seller’s role, as the team has struggled all season and is currently sitting 25 games outside of first place in the NL Central.

Epstein did his duties, cutting pay roll and adding prospects. Now, he has focused his attention on securing the most promising young talents on his roster.

Castro is batting .278 with a .423 slugging percentage this season. The 22-year-old batted .300 and .307 in his first and second seasons in the majors, respectively.

He is a productive hitter who flashes the ability to crack the occasional long ball, as he has 22 home runs in the past two seasons. His inexperience does show at the plate and on the field, but he has certainly been a bright spot on a disappointing team and he has room to grow.

Going forward, he will be one the team’s most important young players and Epstein has done well to send a message to Castro, the fans and the other teams in the MLB that he is serious about securing the Cubs’ future.

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The Chicago Cubs and shortstop Starlin Castro are reportedly thinking about committing to a long-term relationship.

CSN Chicago’s David Kaplan was the first to report that the Cubs and Castro are negotiating a six- to seven-year contract. That would buy out Castro’s four seasons of arbitration eligibility as well as his first three years of free agency.

(Castro qualifies as a “Super Two” player, meaning that he’s earned a fourth year of arbitration over the usual three. As MLB Trade Rumors explains, a player with two years and 134 days of service time in the major leagues earns such status. This is why you see many teams hold promising prospects in the minors until after June, to limit their major league service time and avoid that fourth year of arbitration.)

But is this really the best decision for Castro? The 22-year-old gains the long-term security of a major league salary for multiple seasons regardless of how he performs or whether he gets hurt. However, Castro is also costing himself a lot of potential money and could spend many bad seasons with a team undergoing a massive rebuilding project.

Giving the Cubs a Bargain

Castro didn’t have to agree to a long-term contract with the Cubs. He was going to be in Chicago for at least another four years due to his arbitration-eligibility status. That length of club control is something major league teams covet nowadays as they attempt to keep costs down. 

Yet Castro is allowing the Cubs to keep costs even further down by giving up the bargaining power he was entitled to through arbitration.

Though he’ll surely get a raise during the next four years of his new contract, the increase will probably be less than he would have earned through the arbitration process. 

Castro is taking this even further, reducing his potential earning power by letting the Cubs buy out his first three years of free agency.

What would a 26-year-old shortstop—a position at which there are very few great players—possibly earn on the open market with teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants (just to name a few clubs) likely willing to throw big cash at such a rare commodity? 

Now, we’ll never know. Castro will surely be paid very nicely during those final three seasons on his contract. But he probably could have earned very much more.

Perception Is Hard to Change

Just three seasons into his major league career, Castro may already need a proverbial change of scenery. With several mental lapses in the field this season (which I detailed in a recent blog post), Castro is developing the reputation of a player who loses concentration and lacks cerebral discipline.

That can be a tough perception to overcome, especially with a fanbase that follows Castro regularly and witnesses these space-outs on a semi-regular basis.

It doesn’t take much for a reputation to stick to a player, and Castro may have already lost the benefit of the doubt with Cubs fans, coaches and executives for future mistakes he makes on the field.

If the belief that Castro lacks focus cements itself, he won’t be able to escape that perception for at least six years now. 

Had that reputation continued to plague him over the next four years, he would have had the opportunity to escape and get off to a fresh start with a new team and fanbase. 

Of course, Castro can always dispel this notion by playing well and eliminating the mental mistakes he’s becoming noted for. But he’ll have to work much harder to do so with the Cubs.

Lost in a Rebuild

The 2012 season represents the first year of team president Theo Epstein’s large-scale rebuilding project for the Cubs.

Pitchers Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm were dealt away at the trade deadline. Matt Garza and perhaps even Alfonso Soriano (with the $36 million he’ll be paid over the next two years) could be traded in the offseason. 

Young talent such as Anthony Rizzo, Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson have already been summoned to the majors to jump-start the Cubs’ future. More will soon follow, especially as Epstein accumulates prospects by trading away expensive veteran players. 

Obviously, the Cubs hope and expect Castro to be the cornerstone of this rebuilding effort, the player around whom a future team can be built. 

But how many of Castro’s prime seasons will be lost playing for a team that doesn’t project to be very good for the next three to five years, if not longer? How much losing has Castro committed to being a part of with this new contract? Will he regret being stuck with a loser if Epstein’s reconstruction project doesn’t develop as hoped?

This contract extension is a leap of faith for the Cubs and Castro. Both sides are taking on risk. There are no guarantees Castro will be the player the Cubs are projecting him to be. Castro isn’t assured of playing for an eventual championship contender at Wrigley Field. 

Yet team and player will also enjoy significant mutual benefits by reaching a multi-year agreement in terms of cost control and long-term security.

If there’s a bright side for Castro, it’s that he’ll be 28 or 29 by the time this contract expires. He’ll still arguably be in the prime of his career, playing a premium position.

Another big payday—one boosted by free agency—still awaits him in the future. If signing away his arbitration and early free-agent seasons turns out to be a mistake, he still has an opportunity to make up for that decision. 

UPDATE: ESPN Deportes’ Enrique Rojas is reporting Castro’s contract with the Cubs is for seven years and $60 million.

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In January of this year, the New York Times ran a story that said the Yankees are saving now for a potential free-agency splash next winter. The story highlighted hurlers Matt Cain of the Giants and Cole Hamel of the Phillies as potential targets for the pinstripes.

But could the Yankees be loading up the ole piggy bank for the heir apparent to Derek Jeter?

Could it be that the Bronx Bombers are eyeballing Starlin Castro, the sweet-swinging shortstop for an annually afflicted Chicago Cubs franchise?

At first this question seems preposterous, especially in light of how well Jeter has been playing thus far this season.

But looking big picture, a few things have occurred in the past month that points to the potential for Castro to eventually become a Yankee.

First, Castro is eligible for arbitration after the 2012 season. While the Cubs have signed Castro through 2012, new Cubs GM Theo Epstein has yet to commit to Castro long-term. Reasons for this vary, which will be highlighted in a moment.

Second, Castro’s at-times attention deficit at shortstop has sparked Chicago radio pundits to float the opinion balloon that Castro should move to the outfield.  

To this, I say perfecto!

Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher is a free agent after this season.  According to ESPN New York writer Wallace Matthews, Swisher intends to test the free agent market in 2013.

Andruw Jones will also become a free agent. And there is no guarantee the Yankees will re-sign him.

The Cubs could give Castro some serious on-the-job-training in right field. Castro could then learn the ins and outs of the position, en route to becoming the right fielder for the Yankees next season.

Once a Yankee, Castro would receive mentorship from Jeter on how to properly prepare to play shortstop every day for one of the greatest baseball teams in world history.

Who better for a young phenom like Castro to receive mentorship from?

Then when Jeter finally hangs the spikes up in a few campaigns, the Yankees can seamlessly slip Castro into Jeter’s position.

Castro and Cano.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Two .300-hitting ballplayers playing middle infield together in New York over the next decade.

Let daydreaming by Yankee fans out school and office windows begin.

Let collectors of skyrocketing Castro rookie cards and memorabilia feel like kids once again.  

Hark the Herald Angels [who for the record love the New York Yankees] Sing…

All right, all right; snap out of it!

Back to reality, we all know Mr. Epstein is much smarter than letting the Cubbies best player in years get away without receiving anything in return. After all, Epstein did not shrewdly transform the Red Sox into World Champions without some intelligent aggressiveness.

Barring insanity, Epstein will keep Castro at shortstop for now, amid a backdrop of taking trade offers from other ball clubs. Perhaps in time, Epstein will ship Castro out of Chicago as part of a mega deal. 

What a great way for a struggling club to load up on young arms and bats, than to trade away a phenom like Castro to a contender. A phenom, by the way, who makes just $567K. In baseball, this is chump change.

And do not think for one hot second the Boston Red Sox do not have their scopes set on Castro, either. If Jose Iglesias’ bat does not join his spectacular defense at shortstop, Boston will also enter the Castro sweepstakes.

Then again, Epstein could just step in and sign Castro this summer, and thus make him the face of the Cubs for the next decade. Trade or sign, the opinion Castro becomes a New York Yankee will thus become null and void. And Castro could go on to become our generation’s Ernie Banks.

But as all baseball fans can attest, the Yankees have proven time and time again throughout their history, when they want someone, they usually go all-out to get them.

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Starlin Castro has quickly established himself as one of the best shortstops in the league.

He led the National League in hits (207) and at-bats (674), and also popped 10 home runs while collecting 66 RBI. His slash line of .307/.341/.432 was also very impressive.

Early in this season, Castro is putting up great numbers.

He’s played in all 17 games, while driving in eight runs and posting a line of .358/.389/.478.

The only knock on Castro is that he’s not a very good fielder. He’s already made seven errors through 17 games this season, and has made a combined 56 in two seasons prior.

Regardless of his defense, his offensive skills are enough to make him one of the top young players in the game today.

With the Cubs in rebuilding mode and hoping to compete in the near future, Castro would likely be a key part of the process.

That doesn’t mean he’ll be with the team.

A trade of Castro would bring a massive return for the Cubs—allowing them to stock up on young arms or position players. These would be major-league ready in time for the team to compete for the pennant.

Or, Castro could be sent out in a deal similar to the one that saw the Marlins acquire Hanley Ramirez.

The Red Sox sent Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia to the Marlins in exchange for right-hander Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell in 2005.

That deal went pretty well for the Sox. Beckett and Lowell were key contributors to the team’s 2007 World Championship season.

If a team offers the Cubs a pitcher of Beckett’s caliber (in 2005)—along with a position player—for Castro and a few other prospects, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer would be wise to listen.

In the end, the Cubs likely won’t trade Castro. He’ll be firmly entrenched as the team’s shortstop—if he improves his defense—and will lead the team to the playoffs sometime in the near future.

It doesn’t hurt to think about the other possibilities, though.

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The Chicago Cubs poured it on the Reds 6-1 today as their bats finally came alive to end their losing streak at six.

Paul Maholm earned his first victory in a Cubs uniform, and the Cubs were finally able to prosper with runners in scoring position.

Here is what we learned from this Cubs win.

Paul Maholm looked great: 

Maholm looked masterful all day as he kept Reds hitters off-balanced as they managed only four hits off of the lefty.  What was impressive with Maholm today is he threw fourteen first pitch strikes to the twenty six hitters he faced as he was able to induce seven ground-ball outs.  

Maholm will never be a power pitcher, which is evident by his low strikeout total in in this outing with five, but with his change in pitch speed to keep hitters guessing, he can continue to have outings like this more often. 

Steve Clevenger should start:   

Clevenger is taking full advantage of his playing time and even though he had not played a game since April 17th, he looked extremely comfortable behind the plate and with the bat in his hand.  

He provided an offensive spark the Cubs desperately needed as he went 3-for-4 while driving in a run to boost his batting average to a whooping .588.  It is time for Sveum to take a closer look at who should be starting as his catcher.

Cubs were 5 for 15 with Runners in Scoring Position: 

The Cubs were finally able to drive runners in scoring position including four two-out RBIs.  Hopefully, this trend continues.

Starin Castro committed his seventh error: 

You can hear the moaning all across Chicago as Castro had two errors in today’s contest.  In spring training, we were told about the improvements the Cubs made on Castro’s defense, but we are still very eager to see where this hard work is at.  

If it was not for the Cubs atrocious record overshadowing his poor fielding performance, he would be sitting on the hot seat everyday.   

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