I think Sanchez is better but regardless, I dont understand what led to Jackson being pretty much 100% of the free agent acquisitions.

The signing never really fit any version of the "plan"

I think when they lost Sanchez, they were at the store with money and just got the next guy

Well, I never thought Sanchez was any different than Jackson. After year one of the deals, I'm obviously wrong. But we'll see how it shakes out.

But yeah, I agree with you that it was odd that they signed that one free agent piece. (And it would have been no less odd had it been Sanchez.) My answer isn't that they shouldn't have signed Jackson ( or a guy like him), it's that they should have signed a couple more legitimate big leaguers and had a payroll at least near what a King Kong franchise like the Cubs with their premium ticket prices should.

For anyone who believed differently, this should go to show that attendance and ticket prices are unrelated to payroll.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Outside of the Jackson signing, which was bizarre, every other move seems to have provided cover for what is actually going on which is the Cubs intentionally losing with a low payroll and the massive amounts of cash Ricketts is getting from it. Signing Theo bought them years. I think that was the point of Girardi too. One could even say that Jackson was an attempt at that. "See Cubs fans, we are trying, keep on showing up!".

In terms of money generation, it's actually a great plan. It's what Mitt Romney would do. Ride the profit train until it goes away. You can always invest in free agents and get competitive again when things do start to get bleak.
I think Cuban would have made every move with the goal of returning to being competitive and then expect the money to come from that.

Ricketts may end up looking like a genius if he wins the prospect lottery though. If they become the second best team in the division, I think a lot of people will question just how worth the years of losing was.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Can't they try to work out some kind of refinance on the debt service? Pay a little less and put more towards payroll until the new revenue streams are established? They are missing out on long term opportunities to improve the big league club while their hands are tied.

I was a little off on my payroll number for this year. Right now it projects to be around $60.

I think the whole plan is bullshit. I refuse to accept that it is necessary to tank half a decade for what they are trying to achieve (and even that isn't a lock). If Ricketts was too cash poor to field a competitive MLB team, then he should not have bought the Cubs.

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Well, it's not hiiiiiissss fault the city of Chicago won't destroy perfectly good housing stock for him or let him put up big tall billboards anywhere he wants. Some people just can't get a break!!!

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I think they delayed the construction because they don't have the funds to begin the reconstruction more aggressively. But the new Radio/TV contracts they work out after the 2014 season ends, will alleviate a lot of the financial concerns. The TV executives will be able to see all the outstanding young talent being developed in their farm system and understand that better seasons are just ahead and want very badly to be a part of a Chicago Cubs World Series Championship season.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I don't think this is a thing that happens, otherwise the Brewers would have signed a license to print money back in 2005 when they were said to have had the greatest prospect pool of all time.

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That sounds awfully familiar!

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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.’”

at Steve. C'mon man. Cubs are in trouble on their next TV deal. Not that they won't make more money then they are now. But certainly not what they planned for.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

In trouble??

cubs radio and TV contracts are like gold....actually they are really like gold! Everyone knows they are at relative points and have tremendous upside!

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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.’”

What is the talk of Cubs not being able to get them off the over the air completely until 2020? The big contracts like the Dodgers got included all the games.

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Elections have consequences.

People that compare a small market like Milwaukee to Chicago don't understand the dynamics. Those who think the struggles they have endured in recent seasons will impact the negotiations for 2015 and beyond are more short sighted than the executives who will aggressively negotiate to aquire the TV and Radio broadcast rights for Cubs games. It will be a HUGE increase.

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Go Cubs!!!!

The Cubs can opt out of the TV/radio contracts following the 2014 season.

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Go Cubs!!!!

But the score was reporting in updates today I think, maybe yesterday, that they cannot get out of over the air games until 2020?

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Elections have consequences.

The rights they can renegotiate are not for every game, as they have some games negotiated to air on CSNCH, but it will involve approximately 75 games after 2014. Later they can add the remaining games to an expanded package.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Ok that was my point then. The Dodgers/Mariners monster TV deals are likely for all games. Either way they will get more after 2014 then they do now.

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Elections have consequences.

There will be no excuses for this organization if these kids come up and can play, it will put huge pressure on them right away. Mostly from the fans.

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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.’”