After being traded now three times in the past 13 months, Anthony Rizzo must be thinking either nobody wants me or there are teams out there who actually do want me. I guess it’s the glass half-full or empty theory.

Rizzo was traded again on Friday, this time from the San Diego Padres to the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo and RHP Zach Cates were traded to the Cubs for RHP Andrew Cashner and OF Kyung-Min Na.

Rizzo was blocked in San Diego by Yonder Alonso, but he won’t be blocked in Chicago. It seems like it’s put up or shut up time for Rizzo. Rizzo, who hit just .141 in 153 PA’s for the Padres in 2011 will only have to beat out Bryan LaHair for the Cubs’ first base gig.

The Cubs also received Zach Cates, a right-handed pitcher, who is a converted catcher. In his first year of professional ball in 2011, Cates had a 4.73 ERA, 8.5 K/9, and 4.0 BB/9 in 118 innings for Single-A Fort Wayne. He projects as a back of the rotation starter at the Major League level.

In return for Rizzo, the Padres got themselves a hard throwing righty in Cashner. Cashner was once a top pitching prospect in the Cubs’ organization, but hasn’t lived up to expectations. I think the main reason why is because the Cubs had no idea what do with him. They didn’t know if he was a starter or a reliever. He was like the Joba Chamberlain of the mid-west. Minus the annoying talk radio hosts who debated the subject for over a year.

I believe the Padres acquired Cashner to be the eventual replacement for Heath Bell. Bell’s replacement in 2012 will be Huston Street, but he’s not long for San Diego.

Na isn’t much of a prospect. He has a career .244/.335/.284 slash line in two minor league seasons.

It looks like both teams filled a need with this trade, but we won’t know the the winner of this trade until about three years down the line.

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