[thejumper5]

I've noticed several times in the past week or so NFL teams making "if" trades. For instance, the Jets sent WR Derrick Mason to the Texans. If Mason gets 33 catches, the Jets get a draft pick, if he doesn't get, the Jets get nothing. Apparently this happens once in a while in the NFL, but does anyone know if it happens in other sports? In baseball there are "player to be named later" trades, but I don't think I can remember an "if" trade.

(As a Cubs fan, I would love to ship Soriano out on an "if" trade. If Soriano hits 28 home runs, the Cubs get a pair of low level MiLB players; if he doesn't get there, the Cubs get nothing. That would be a splendid trade.)

[ssckelley]

IF the Cubs could find anyone willing to take Soriano and IF they picked up even a part of his salary he would be gone without any IF in return.

I have heard of this in baseball, sometimes it is cloaked in those "player to be named" deals.

[woodyk1]

In the MLB, there have been a couple examples of players being traded for themselves (traded for player to be named later who turned out to tbe themselves!). Dickie Noles was one of those.

Actually, the Rule 5 draft is sort of the way an IF trade works in baseball. It won't involve someone like Soriano (sorry to say).