Sorry to be the one to tell you, as you’re waking up this Saturday morning, but the Chicago Cubs have yet to make a move. Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot, Xavier Nady et al are still Cubs. That is, of course, not in and of itself a bad thing – but if there are deals to be had, the Cubs should be moving quickly.
As for Lilly, specifically, multiple reports last night and this morning have Lilly to the Dodgers as the most likely scenario. The Dodgers, by some reports, want Theriot as well; and by other reports, want some mystery positional player (Fontenot? Baker? Nady?). All reports agree that the hang-up right now is how much money the Cubs will eat.
If there are good prospects coming back on the other side of this deal, you don’t need me to tell you that the Cubs should suck it up and eat a chunk of whatever contracts are on the table. You don’t need me to tell you – but I’m going to anyway.
The money owed to Lilly is the very definition of a sunk cost. If the Cubs don’t trade him, they pay it all, and get back – at most – a future draft pick or two, and/or the opportunity to re-sign Lilly before other teams get a crack at him. That’s not without value, mind you, but if the Dodgers are offering better than a couple early-round type prospects (prospects are always better than draft picks, as prospects have already proved they can hack it, at least slightly more than draft picks), the Cubs need to bite the money bullet and make the deal.