Desperate after being spurned by Rafael Palmeiro, who is evidently determined to spare his wife to further hardship, GM Jim Hendry again activated the eye patch beacon in the sky above Chicago. Pittsburgh responded to the Cubs' distress call with an offer of Randall Simon for OF-R Ray Sadler.

Chicago drafted Sadler out of Hill Texas Junior College with their 30th round pick of the 1999 draft. After a season with the Cubs' Rookie-level Arizona League affiliate, he advanced to A Lansing in the Midwest League for the 2001 season. Sadler spent most of last year at A+ Daytona in the Florida State League with a brief call-up to AA West Tennessee in the Southern League. At the time of the trade, the 22-year-old was hitting .291 with a .352 OBP and .434 SLG on 120 H, 31 2B, 5 3B, and 6 HR with a 33:81 BB:K and 17/24 SB% in 412 AB at AA. Sadler needs to improve his plate discipline, but he appears to possess solid speed skills and could acquire some power as he matures physically. Pittsburgh should leave him in AA for the remainder of the season and possibly a portion of 2004. However, Sadler could develop into at least a solid reserve outfielder by 2005.