If the Chicago Cubs needed any reason to move into a more aggrressive trade posture, Carlos Zambrano's removal from last night's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays provided it.  He was removed in the seventh inning with right shoulder discomfort.  Fortunately for the Cubs, top-of-the-rotation starting pitchers are available in abundance this trading season.  C.C. Sabathia of the Cleveland Indians, Erik Bedard of the Seattle Mariners, and A.J. Burnett of the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be the subject of trade rumors to every team in play-off contention and looking/needing to shore-up their starting rotations.

What makes the Zambrano injury concerns so well-timed are the statements Jays' SP A.J. Burnett recently made in the Chicago Sun-Times.  To say he wanted out of Toronto wouldn't do them justice so here they are.

"But if something were to happen and I'd have the opportunity to go to a place where baseball is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that would be awesome. Right now, my focus is with the club, but if something like that were to happen, I'd accept it with open arms."

Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star adds more color when he reports that Burnett placed his condominium on the market at the start of the season and has tipped his cap to the Blue Jays boobirds as he left the fiedl a couple starts back.

A.J. Burnett exercising his opt-out clause and leaving two years and $24 million on the table to get an new contract is a foregone conclusion.  The only question is whether J.P. Ricciardi and the Toronto Blue Jays receive an offer that surpasses the two draft picks they would get when Burnett walks this off-season.  With an offense ranked near the bottom of the American league in Runs and SLG, the line-up needs to be bolstered to properly leverage a pitching staff ranked 3rd in the AL in ERA, 2nd in Ks and 3rd in HRs Allowed.

Can the Chicago Cubs meet the needs of the Blue Jays offense and surpass the value of the two draft picks the Jays would receive for losing Burnett?  I am not so sure.  Is Felix Pie attractive to a team locked into long-term deals with CF Vernon Wells and RF Alex Rios?  Is 2B Eric Patterson attractive to a defense-first middle infield?  Do the Jays accept demoted LHP Rich Hill?  I think the answer to these questions is a defintive "No."

Unless the Cubs are willing to deal the 2008 rookie-of-the-year front runner, Geovanny Soto, I don't think the Cubs can acquire A.J. Burnett despite his professed love to play with a team whose fans eat Cubbie baseball for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Cubs may have the will to deal for A.J. Burnett, but I don't think they have the way.