On Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers completed a trade which sends former all-star catcher Geovany Soto to Texas in exhange for 24-year old right-handed pitcher Jacob Brigham, along with a player to be named later or cash considerations. The addition of either a player to be named later or cash considerations could mean many different things, and Brett Taylor of Bleacher Nation did an excellent job of breaking down the issue:
It's possible that both the PTBNL and the cash considerations coming to the Cubs are tied to how many games Geovany Soto starts for the Rangers over the rest of this season (i.e., the Rangers may have told the Cubs they were trading for a back-up for Mike Napoli (less value), but the Cubs might want protection if the Rangers are actually picking themselves up a starters, so they can re-allocate Napoli (more value)).
Alternatively/additionally, the Cubs could simply have built themselves a hedge that, if the PTBNL(s) they're looking at doesn't perform well over the next month or two, the Cubs can just get some cash back.
Brigham is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound pitcher that was drafted in the sixth round by the Rangers in the 2006 MLB Draft as a high school player out of Florida. He is considered a back end of the rotation type prospect.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more comprehensive coverage, visitCubs blog Bleed Cubbie Blue. For more MLB coverage, check out Baseball Nation as well as MLB Daily Dish.