Speculating on potential trades at this time of year is akin to a teenager building a Christmas wishlist. You’re excited to jot down ideas and ultimately disappointed when things go in a vastly different direction. I’m no different, but it doesn’t stop me from playing GM for multiple teams whose players I’m only vaguely familiar with. Scouting the numbers gets all of us in trouble, though there’s some merit, albeit misguided at best, to think any of us could do better than back-to-back 83-win seasons. Sigh, if only it were that easy.
So while you discuss the merits of including Nico Hoerner or Isaac Paredes in a package for Bryan Woo, I’ll leave you with what might be the most appropriate — if not annoying — holiday song for all the armchair GMs that have all the solutions to add 11-12 wins to Chicago’s middling National League ballclub.