OH NO! the Cubs have made an ill-advised minor league signing by picking up Rodrigo Lopez! This clearly indicates that the team is going in the wrong direction, and they must have thoughts of trying to make a run for the title, which would be a terrible mistake! This team was supposed to start nothing but 18-19 year old prospects at every position this year because to me that is what a rebuilding year means! There is no room for anyone on the team above the age of 23 because that is the recipe for success down the road! Baseball teams RARELY have use for veteran arms that can eat some innings during the dog days of summer! It is such a risky proposition inviting a veteran player to SPRING TRAINING. That is FAR to risky a move! After all, no other teams in the majors sign veteran players to minor league deals, it is very rare! They should have saved the pile of money they just offered Lopez and given it to Greinke next year, THAT would have been a brilliant move!

This club should have no veteran presence! Way too many risky 1-year deals for veteran players to fill gaping holes in the lineup!

OH MY GOD this is the most horrible signing in the world THESE GUYS DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING what a disaster in the making! WHY WHY WHY didnt they just consult with 312player first, he could have stopped this from happening! He could have talked some sense into Theo about what a long-term disaster this spring training invite is going to be!

PAAAAANNNNNNIIIIIIICCCCCCC!!!!!!!!!!

THIS TEAM IS SERIOUSLY FUCKED NOW THAT BONUS BABY LOPEZ HAS COME IN HE IS GOING TO CRUMBLE BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND CRUSH THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENERATIONS OF YOUNG PLAYERS TO COME! 312 PLAYER IS FUCKING BRILLIANT WHY CAN'T ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT?????



AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

_________________
IT IS OFFICIALLY TIME TO PANIC!
DO NOT REMAIN CALM!
DO NOT MOVE IN AN ORDERLY FASHION!

I <3 this mult

_________________

PANIC! is an awesome mult.

I think the Garza to Detroit might be on the back burner. Maybe if Detroit is looking strong at the deadline, they make the deal to put themselves over the top. IMHO.

If the Cubs were able to extend Garza for a reasonable contract, do you guys think that would make him more or less tradeable?

If he is extended then he becomes part of the plan for the years they expect to compete so he would be a keeper at that point.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

Hello October!!!!!!!! It's Trevor Miller time!!!!!

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/ ... ague-deal/

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

Cubs have signed pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith to a minor-league contract.

This is very interesting. He had a nice three year run going, and completely crapped out in 2010.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... ry01.shtml

_________________

He is also Australian which makes him even more awesome. This is a very nice can't hurt pick up.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

Dewitt has finally been designated. The Cubs also claim Adrian Cardenas from Oakland. Not hearing anything good about Cardenas.

_________________

His name is not Blake Dewitt. He can play 2B, SS, and 3B. Hit very well in AAA last year.

Put me in the "He's Not Blake Dewitt" camp, officially sponsored by Urlacher's Missing Neck and Tom Emanski.

_________________

Right now the Cubs position by position look average at catcher,LF,CF,RF. A little below average at 2nd. Big "?" marks at 1st and 3rd. Way above average at SS.

What do you guys see?

_________________
favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I see a team that struggles early but then improves as individuals as well as the team itself find their strengths. Its hard to say who is going to do what next year except that Castro will be Castro with slightly more power. The Cubs have always been a veteran team with expectations and entitlement. Now they are a group of unproven and young tweeners that are hungry. Most probably won't pan out but there could be a few surprises.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

I see myself making a lot of money this year betting against the Cub.

Cardenas pretty much is Blake Dewitt. A one time top prospect who never reached his potential. Cardenas doesn't hit for power, he has very little speed and he's bad defensively. He is however a couple years younger than Dewitt so it's worth a shot to see if he can figure it out at the plate because it's a foregone conclusion that it will never happen for Dewitt. This is the kind of move a rebuilding team has to make.

You are on the money with that recap additionally Cardenas does have 2 more options remaining Dewitt had none. Cardenas also has a better OBP and some upside still only 24 ...he has played mostly at 2b but also some ss 3b and lf...when a guy moves that much in the minors it is because he can NOT play the field.

_________________

I'd agree. At least Quade is gone and hopefully Soriano and Byrd are gone by the deadline.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7550834/miami-marlins-meet-yoenis-cespedes-wednesday-offer-deal

Cespedes says he hopes to play for the Marlins.

Cubs reportedly out on Cespedes. In big on Soler when he becomes available.

Good non move Theo.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

By Dave van Dyck
Tribune reporter
9:18 a.m. CST, February 13, 2012

When the winter began, there were three major Cubans who could become free agents, and the Chicago Cubs could land two of them.

According to reports from the Dominican Republic, the Cubs soon could sign 19-year-old outfielder Jorge Soler after earlier getting 19-year-old pitcher Gerardo Concepcion.

The prize of the group was believed at first to be Yoenis Cespedes, but his star was tarnished by a bad showing in the Dominican winter league. He may be getting ready to sign with the Marlins after visiting Miami last week.

Soler, who has not officially been declared a free agent, may have met with Cubs executives while they were visiting their new academy earlier this month. One reported had the Cubs willing to pay $27.5 million for an unknown number of years. They paid Conception $7 million, believed to be for three years.

Soler was less heralded than Cespedes, but is reported to have five-tool potential. He is 6-foot-3 and weighs just over 200 pounds.

dvandyck@tribune.com

_________________

Cespedes signs with...........













Oakland. Wtf.

_________________
Team Cutler.

Billy Beane actually paid for someone. WTF?

He just got some new paper. With the potential for the team to relocate, makes some sense.

_________________
Team Cutler.

How is it possible for his stock to drop that fast? I believe Beane got it right.

_________________

4yr/$36M and he's able to be a free agent after 4 yrs. The A's can definitely us the offense and hopefully this signing works out better for them than the Michael Iona signing.

Talking extension with Garza. I like it. He's good enough to keep around for the next 4-5 years, but I'm willing to bet the contract will be structured as such where he could be moved for prospects if appropriate.

He does want a NTC which Theo/Jed are generally against. So we'll see what happens with that. He should get Yadier moneyish I'd bet

_________________
Team Cutler.

The Cubs apparently signed veteran lefty Nate Robertson to a minor league deal the other day. I'm not sure there is much left of his arm but who knows.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!