Cubs Sign Zobrist, Trade Castro

Tuesday night was a big night for the Chicago Cubs at day two of the Winter Meetings, as they made two big moves.  The first, was signing utility man Ben Zobrist from the Royals.  Zobrist was one of the biggest names in hitters coming into the free agent season, and was connected to the Cubs as early as the Trade Deadline last season.  This is because Zobrist was a favorite of manager Joe Maddon back when they were on the Tampa Bay Rays.
This is a great signing for the Cubs, as they finally get their lead off hitter they so coveted.  You can plug him almost anywhere on the field, and he will be a plus-defender.  But, right now the Cubs will most likely use him at second base the most, now that their is an opening.  Zobrist signed with a four year, $56 million deal.  The Giants and one other team offered the same amount of years for $60 million, but he wanted to play for Maddon to win a ring in his second stint with Maddon as a manager, and to win it in Chicago with the Cubs.
The other big deal was Starlin Castro being flipped to the New York Yankees.  In return, the Cubs got Adam Warren, and a PTBNL, most likely Brendan Ryan.  Warren can start or pitch in the bullpen, giving the Cubs much needed starter depth, while he could pitch out of the pen if needed.   He had a mid-3 ERA last year for the Yanks, making 43 apperances, with about twenty of them being starting assignments.  Brendan Ryan is a second baseman that is a career .230 hitter and hit witha small sample size, .210 in the pinstripes,
I would've liked to get more.  There were rumors that Brett Gardner and Castro could be traded straight up, but that didn't happen.  That would have locked up the center field position for the Cubs.  I guess you could think of it like this; The Cubs traded Castro for Zobrist, Warren, and Ryan.  Not that bad of a deal.  I am disappointed that the Cubs had to get rid of Castro.  He was the first prospect up, in 2010.  I'll Never forget his debut.  He hit a three-run homer in his first at-bat, and had six RBI's at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.  That is where Schwarber had his best game, and where Jorge Soler hit a bomb during his first ever plate appearance in the MLB.
Castro had his ups and downs, but he was a backbone to this massive rebuilding project that worked so well.  But, this trade was inevitable. Rumors started last year, and with Addison Russell taking his spot, and Javier Baez coming up, there's no room.  That was made clear in August when Russell took Castro's shortstop position.  Zobrist is a better fit at second base right now for the Cubs, and the Cubs had a need for another pitcher.  The Cubs are done at the Winter Meetings most likely, but are still in the running for a center fielder and a trade for a young, controlled pitcher to have for the long-term, during this window of competing for World Series.