MLB - Trades Involving Terrible Contracts That Could Make Sense

Cubs trade Milton Bradley (2 years, $21m) to the Mets for Oliver Perez (2 years, $24m)

The money is essentially a wash and both guys can desperately use a change of scenery. Additionally, both have shown they are at least capable of putting up big numbers (Bradley: 2008; Perez: 2004). This seems like a no-brainer from both sides.

Royals trade Kyle Farnsworth (1 year, $5m) and Jose Guillen (1 year, 12m) to the Reds for Francisco Cordero (2 years, $25m) and prospect Carlos Fisher

Call me crazy, but how far are the Royals away from competing? Not as far as you may thing despite the fact their GM would fail even the most remedial talent assessment class. Any pitching staff with Zach Greinke at the top will have promise, and Gil Meche, Luke Hochevar, and Robinson Tejada flashed enough potential to make this team interesting. If they can sign a bat or three in free agency (and make this deal), the Royals can compete in 2010 without sacrificing any future talent.

Cubs trade Alfonso Soriano (5 years, $90m) to the Tigers for Jeremy Bonderman (1 year, $12.5m), Magglio Ordonez (1 year, $18m), Carlos Guillen (2 years, $26m), and Dontrelle Willis (1 year, $12.5m)

The Tigers rid themselves of huge short-term liabilities in exchange for taking on about $20m of salary over five years. This could make sense if the Tigers think the economy will rebound in the next three to four years and could buy them time, thus preventing them from having to hold a firesale (read: Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson). The Cubs buy some really expensive lotto tickets in Willis (a former Cub prospect) and Bonderman.