Theo is building his farm system, but when do the Cubs turn to the first big free agent signing? While I would love to see one or more of these prospects work out, given Theo's history, I can't see him going too long without making a big splash. I really think this needs to be the year where they make a big splash, either via a trade deadline move or a signing in the 2013-2014 offseason. Case in point, the pitching staff right now is without a solid veteran. So does that move get made this year? Or do you wait one more year to see some of the prospects in action first?

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David Price

I think there was a method to their madness of snagging his college pitching coach.

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

2 years.

Could be next year. I don't think they are afraid to sign someone next year at all, once they have a clear direction of this thing, or they should.

Additionally, in 2 years, they might get a little more money? New TV deal.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

It already happened....

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This. I don't think Jed or Theo have an answer to this question. If the right option comes along, they will be in.

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It doesn't look like there is going to be a big free agent available next off season. Robinson Cano would obviously qualify but I don't think the Yankees are going to let him hit the free agent market. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann could be that guy but they will both be 30 years old with a significant history of injury. There are some nice players like Ben Zobrist (33), Chase Utley (35) Curtis Granderson (33), Hunter Pence (31) and Shin Soo Choo (31) but their best years are probably behind them.

The pitching market is very similar. Adam Wainwright (32) is a legitimate ace but I don't see St Louis letting him go. Josh Johnson (30), Tim Lincicum (30), Jon Lester (30) and Ubaldo Jimenez (30) have ace stuff but come with some baggage. James Shields (32) and Dan Haren's (33) best years may be behind them. Then you have a bunch of back of the rotation guys llike Jason Vargas (31), Ricky Nolasco (31), Gavin Floyd (31), Shaun Marcum (32) and Ervin Santana (31).

If the Cubs are going to make a "big" move I think it's going to come via a trade. There are some nice players on that list but I wouldn't classify any of them as franchise changers.

If they went big it would be a pitcher.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I will be surprised if there is not an all star player signed before next season. I mean the guys Keyser listed as nice players would qualify for me.

I'd guess one pitcher and one position player. I mean I'd take Jon Lester and Granderson as a nice splash.

I am still convinced that they don't sign but they send a nice package to Tampa for Price. They know they wont keep him and the Cubs are building a nice stock of commodities in the minors. Vogelbach could be the tampa DH in 2 years.

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

Not a very exciting list of pitchers there, which is where I agree with BigFan as the position to sign someone for. 2015 doesn't look much better. Cueto will be up.

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it's impossible to know when the right time to sign top tier pitchers is going to be. A lot depends on how quickly guys like Baez,Lake, Jackson, Soler and Almora develop. But I see the best case scenario being after the 2014 season. At that point signing 2 outstanding starting pitchers (they actually intend to keep) might make sense.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Max Scherzer turned down a long term deal with Detroit this off-season. He'll be a free agent after 2014, and the Tigers might decide to deal him before then with their rotation logjam and their need to extend Verlander and Cabrera, while covering Prince's monster salary as well.

I'm still waiting for the Cubs to dump something off to Detroit to get local pitcher Casey Crosby back home to the Chicagoland area.

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

after Soriano's salary is off the books

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Again, that would be after the 2014 season and before the 2015 season. That's when I said it should happen, as a result of plenty of dollars available and the younger players coming of age and getting up to the major league level. It's likely that Soler/Baez or both, make it to the majors at some point in 2014. but 2015 should be when they really get considerable help from the "stars of the future". I expect the majority of money spent of free agents will be on pitching.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Yeah, but I did it in 7 words.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.