Life on the North Side of Chicago has not been easy for club president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. They only recently snapped a 12-game losing streak and currently rank last in ESPN.com’s Power Rankings.

Cubs fans realize it will take years for Epstein and Hoyer to turn their team into a winner. The Major League Baseball first-year player draft on Monday will be Epstein and Hoyer’s second significant step toward that goal after their deal for slugging first baseman Anthony Rizzo this past offseason. And in the ensuing days before the signing deadline for draft picks, Epstein and Hoyer will have the opportunity to infuse talent into their system and build for the future.

However, in order for the team to improve more quickly and get younger faster, the following three trades need to be made. They would rile Cubs fans some, but the time for difficult decisions has just about arrived.