In the final hour before the non-waiver trade deadline, Chicago GM Jim Hendry completed a deal that rocketed the ranking of the 2004 bartering season from essentially uneventful to unforgettable. The Cubs were the catalyst of the blockbuster swap, which involved four teams. Chicago sent Alex Gonzalez, Francis Beltran, and Brendan Harris to the Expos for Orlando Cabrera, as well as Justin Jones to Minnesota for Doug Mientkiewicz, before forwarding Boston a package of Cabrera and Mientkiewicz for Nomar Garciaparra, Matt Murton, and cash.