DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies traded All-Star shortstop Jose Hernandez to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night for infielder Mark Bellhorn and minor league pitcher Travis Anderson.

Whenever a guy gets dealt to Colorado, all fantasy owners pay attention. In general, it means a lot for a hitter or a pitcher. In this case, however, maybe not. Bellhorn was struggling so badly, he's likely to be a spot player and appear only sporadically for Chris Stynes at third and Ron Belliard at second. Juan Uribe is now guaranteed everyday work at short. So don't all go out and add Bellhorn, he was having a miserable season, though he could launch a few more homers this way. For Hernandez, he becomes the Cubs' everyday third baseman, and this is good news. Remember, he has shortstop eligibility, too. The Cubbies are contenders, and before putting up pedestrian numbers this season, proving Coors isn't for everyone, Hernandez had big power numbers in Milwaukee. This could light a fire under him, and it's not too late to think about 30 homers here. --Eric Karabell, ESPN Fantasy Games

Hernandez was an All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, when he had 24 homers and 78 RBI. He also struck out a major league-leading 188 times, one short of Bobby Bonds' single-season record set in 1970.

"I think it is exciting,'' Hernandez said. "They are in first place right now. It's not bad. I'm a bit shocked right now.''

Hernandez played for the Cubs from 1994-99. He has also spent time with Texas, Cleveland and Atlanta during a 12-year career.

"They just called me and they want me there (Friday), so I don't know what's going to happen, if I can get there or not,'' Hernandez said.

The 33-year-old Hernandez signed with Colorado as a free agent in the offseason to play third base and moved to shortstop when Juan Uribe started the year on the disabled list. Hernandez hit .237 with eight homers and 27 RBI, but fanned 95 times in 69 games with the Rockies.

"Jose Hernandez did everything we asked him to do. He was a very good acquisition for us,'' Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think internally, we decided that we needed to head in a little different direction with some youth at shortstop.

"Jose struggled offensively. The Cubs pursued us on this deal, we didn't dangle Jose out for the last three weeks looking for takers, we didn't shop him. They had a need and kept beating on the door, and finally we made a deal that made sense for us, and it was a good baseball decision.''

Although he strikes out a lot, Hernandez should add some much-needed punch to a light-hitting Cubs infield. He joins a lineup that already includes Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou.

"He is supposed to play over there and I couldn't guarantee him playing time here, and that is something that I was not comfortable with -- a guy with his resume sitting on the bench,'' Hurdle said.

Bellhorn, 28, hit 27 homers for the Cubs in 2002, a franchise record for a switch-hitter. But he's struggled this season, batting only .209 with two homers and 22 RBI in 51 games.

He played in four seasons for Oakland before going to the Cubs.

"Bellhorn was on the outs there and was not figuring in their plans,'' Hurdle said. "You look at the numbers he put up last year, he was a guy we asked about over the winter and there was no way we could get him. Just goes to show you how the winds of change blow in baseball.

"We have a steady third baseman in Chris Stynes right now, but Bellhorn is a guy we will mix and match, we will look for matchups. Two years ago he hammered the ball pretty well. We feel pretty confident that he is a guy that we can bring in here, and hopefully get offensively charged again.''

Anderson, 25, began the season at Class-A Daytona of the Florida State League, where he didn't allow a run in 22 2/3 innings as a reliever. He was 2-3 with a 4.37 ERA after moving up to Double-A West Tennessee.