From Pro Kissass: Patrick Mooney at Comcast sports.

No one’s saying the Cubs should just hand Scott Boras a blank check.

It was a lot easier to shoot the messenger after the super-agent delivered his “All-Day Sucker” line during his annual State of Boras Corp. address at the winter meetings.

But there is some middle ground between signing Albert Pujols to a megadeal and stocking your roster with guys who’ve just been DFA’d.

Masahiro Tanaka could be the next mid-market reality check for Theo Epstein and his baseball operations department. This week saw two more data points.

The Cubs had a final 2013 payroll of $100.9 million that ranked 15th out of 30 teams, trailing the White Sox ($116.7 million) as well as division rivals like the St. Louis Cardinals ($119.6 million) and Cincinnati Reds ($116.1 million), according to luxury-tax calculations from the commissioner’s office obtained by the Associated Press.

[MORE: With posting agreement set, Cubs plan to take shot at Tanaka]

Forbes separately reported Major League Baseball’s gross revenues will exceed $8 billion for the first time ever in 2013 (at a time when a restrictive collective bargaining agreement limits how much teams can spend in the draft and internationally).

It’s not just the missed opportunities like Yu Darvish or Hyun-Jin Ryu. The financial implications of the complicated, leveraged $845 million deal between Sam Zell’s Tribune Co. and the Ricketts family — which included a stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago — essentially impact every decision.

There have been mixed signals on whether the Cubs will have even one bullet to fire this winter. But once the revenues start flowing from new television deals and a renovated Wrigley Field, they’re supposed to get to a place where one mistake won’t blow up their entire budget.

That’s how a big-market team like the Boston Red Sox operates. Epstein could work around free-agent misses at Fenway Park. That’s an insight into how he would be spending here.

“That’s one of the real benefits of having lots of flexibility in a given offseason,” Epstein said last week. “You can take chances. You can feel more comfortable taking certain risks. Any time you sign a free-agent pitcher, it’s a massive risk, because you’re one pitch away from getting zero return on that investment. How do you think that feels?

“That’s not comfortable. But when you’re hedging your bets and making three and four and five and six different investments — and you’re bringing in some lower-salary players as well for depth and you’re diversifying your investments — that’s a lot better feeling than if you have all your flexibility getting you one bet.

“That’s a tough circumstance to be in. So, sure, having that flexibility we’re going to have in the future has a ripple effect on some of the things we’re able to try and do.”

[RELATED: Closing time: Cubs reach agreement with Jose Veras]

Not every move has to be a perfect value signing. Maybe the Cubs could have bought some protection for Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro or added even more sign-and-flip guys to restock the farm system. Perhaps a better team would have created some goodwill or more leverage in the negotiations with City Hall and the television networks — or slowed the bleeding attendance at Wrigley Field.

Of course, Tanaka makes perfect sense if the Rakuten Golden Eagles let him leave Japan. The 25-year-old right-hander went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last season. But everyone’s looking for pitching and prime-age players. The Cubs will make an aggressive play while knowing their limits.

To make a big impact in the winter, Epstein said, you need two different kinds of currency: Massive amounts of payroll flexibility and/or a surplus of quality young players.

“There’s a real parallel to what’s going on in the business side,” Epstein said. “We bring in lots of revenue already, but there’s the potential for so much more. Between the TV negotiations and the Wrigley project, we’re going to realize a lot more revenue. It’s going to happen, hopefully with a winning team helping, too.

“We have the chance to go from where we are now to a really elevated position with respect to both forms of currency. And I promise you when that happens we will be significantly more active. I’m not going to promise you that we’re going to run out and sign the most expensive free agents or we’re going to be doing nine-figure deals left and right.

“But I promise you that we will be a lot more interesting for you guys (in the media). More importantly, we’ll be in a much better position to put a very deep, very talented team on the field with lots of depth and redundancy — the type of team that can withstand a full season and hold up and win 90-plus games and get in the playoffs.

“We’re on our way there. But we’re not there yet.”

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

It'll be interesting to see if Epstein walks. I can't see how he was not lied to when he signed on. Fanboy clearly is buried in debt and this franchise is stuck in the mud. Epstein probably will wait to see if Baez/Almora/Soler/Bryant pan out but if they don't hit gold with at least 1 of them and have at least 1 or 2 of the others be All Star caliber players, they are clearly going to be mediocre. And unless Fox Sports decides to bid on the TV rights, I don't see a major increase in revenues without a winning ballclub.

Let's be honest. We are stuck with an ownership "family" that is hamstrung. Joe Ricketts is probably pissed that he is not seeing the ROI he is used to seeing and has cut FanBoy off accordingly.

If only Mark Cuban wasn't blackballed...

This thought crosses my mind everytime I read a new article about the Cubs chasing some 4a ballplayer. I had these clowns pegged right from the beginning. I posted before the 2012 season that it was a bad idea to start a rebuild the same season MLB added another wildcard team. It's been one ride straight to the depths of Hell since.

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

The time to spend is not here, unless it's for an exceptional younger player (perhaps Tanaka). At this point, it's still about aquiring and developing young talent. When they get enough at the major league level to contend, then it will be time to spend on top free agents to put them over the top, at positions they were not able to fill. Until then it will be lower end guys with good upside, who might be flipped for more good prospects if they are out of contention (likely) at the trade deadline. It's hard being patient, but the process is going well and it won't be too much longer. But spending foolishly to be mediocre rather than bad in 2014, makes no sense. It would only mean perhaps blocking the path of a good prospect and drafting in a less desirable position the following year.

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Go Cubs!!!!

If Ricketts doesn't have any money now and doesn't cash in on the big TV deal, there's going to be no money to spend.

What a garbage article and horribly misleading subject.

The article really says nothing. Like, literally nothing. Signing pitchers is a huge risk? No way. Cubs want Wrigley to generate more money? First time hearing that!

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Team Cutler.

Unless, of course, you are a fan watching or going to the games. Maybe the fans should stay away rather than "spending foolishly" on a ghastly product.

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They've spent considerable money on foreign talent, upgraded their minor league facilities, and now on improving the income potential of Wrigley Field all without taxpayer money. The franchise was in disarray when Ricketts bought it with aging players and bad contracts. They've clear out all the trash and are rebuilding from the ground up. If the plan doesn't work, then I am fine with ripping them. But to me it makes no sense to rip them now when the plan is unfolding. If successful, it will lead to a long term focus that provides years of division championships and playoff caliber teams. The playoffs will always be a crap shoot, but you can't play craps if you're not at the table.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I guess you are correct in the strict definition of the word. However, the city is giving them thousands of square feet of public land to increase the footprint of Wrigley. The city is granting them air rights above Clark for signage, not identifier signs but full on advertisement signs. These are highly valuable grants making the oft repeated statement that the rehab is entirely private not credible.

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

I wonder if the OP has some sort of agenda

If you signed good FA in YEAR 1, those contract would be quickly winding down just in time for the prospects to arrive. Three year contracts would have been played out. Four year contracts would have been tradable or provide veteran presence for the prospects. Everything you laud could have been done without tanking.

As far as spending foolishly, well, isn't that why you brought in the Theo team? They presumably would have been smart in FA acquisitions. If they had made the playoffs in any of the past few years, it is my opinion that even the rehab proposals would have been much more smooth.

Instead, both fans and foes alike now take a skeptical posture in everything this team does...except for RPB who laps it up as willingly as a porn star at a gang bang

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

Hendry failed miserably the last few seasons. He did get the Cubs to the playoffs though. No GM in Cubs history has led the team to almost 200 losses in two seasons. All this talk about the youngsters coming up is just propaganda. Guess what? the other 31 teams also have youngsters coming up. They must all be fantastic! This is total bullshit. Ricketts is a moron from the lucky sperm club. For once in his life,try to be successful on his own dime! He has to prove to daddy he can do this. Theo doing dumpster diving 3 seasons in a row is a very hard slap in the face to Cub fans everywhere!

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

It amazes me that everyone doesn't see the entire Ricketts era as one massive money grab that looks to be continuing until there is no other option but attempt to compete. If he wasn't selling hope in the name of Theo Epstein I think Cubs fans would hate Ricketts already.

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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!

I do see it as that and I do hate him, for what little that's worth.

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Initially I disagreed with this. But then got to thinking, any other President and GM combo that I'd still have patience with and the answer is a resounding no.

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Team Cutler.

I do!!

Good Dolphin makes an excellent point about FA signings 2 years ago. There is no reason to tank seasons at the ML level. Theo did it for draft pick position which in the game of baseball is insane.

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

The interesting thing though is that all will be forgiven if they win. It's actually really smart business. Tom Ricketts is the Mitt Romney of baseball.

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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!

I liked Mitt's wife. She was a tough & classy lady. She was attractive,too at least to a man my age.

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

*SIGH* Look, again, in my baseball world, and aaaaaaaahhhh, I watch a lot of baseball, well, uh, ah, not a lot but enough, and uh, eh, again, and I'm not talking about that crap they play on the south side, Adam Dunn, Beckham, ah, uh, uh, look, I left his camp a long time ago, a long time ago, but, look, *SIGH* for the love of God, if you can't see what the Cubs are doing, you have to be baseball retarded, uh, eh, eh , this is the right way, Kris Bryant, this kid is a superstar, he'll, he'll be in Chicago this year, why not?, why not?, Soler, Almora, Baez, and the other kid, eh, aaaaah, uh, look, I mean, for the love of God, the Cubs haven';t had a collection of talent like this since they brought up Dick Drott, Moe Drabowsky and Glenn Hobbie

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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

I had Dick Drott...it turned green and purple for a week.

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

Im in your head and most of your posts.

Ive been more critical of the Cubs than any other poster here since 2008

What hallucinates are you on,pal?

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

Pretty sure that nearly 100% of the fans on this board have always been skeptical of Ricketts

I cant think of one person who has ever been Pro Ricketts.


Ricketts was always the problem. And while certain people always focused on Theo and how he's a terrible GM and conning everyone, there were those of us who kept shifting the blame, correctly, back to Ricketts.

Jimmy, you are negative about everything and the Sox fans on this board use you to troll Cub fans. Stop letting them use you.


My first post on this board was ripping the Cubs, and that was after a 97 win season heading to the playoffs.

Ill type it slowly for you

Ive been more critical of the Cubs than any cub fan poster here, since 2008



Go ahead, Jimmy. Find all the posts Ive made giving the Cubs credit. Ill wait.

2014-15 is when they always said things would show evidence of winning.

Yes, they are laying ground for extended excuses but they have enough of these #1 picks and top prospects in the system now to show evidence of this talent at the major league level.

Rizzo does have big pressure on him right now. 2nd full year, 3rd year in the bigs, I do expect 270 and 30 HR, with less K's.

When the organization takes a step backwards is when I will get really pissed.

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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.’”

Maybe not pro-Ricketts, but clearly pro-"The Plan".
No one said Theo was a terrible GM either. That is a different conversation.

The conversation focused on Theo because of how hyped he was when he got here.

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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!

Let me type slowly for you...WRONG!

I do like a lot of Theo's acquisitions. He has found some useful parts,it's just a few parts short of filling some glaring holes. There is no way Barney should start again in 2014. They also need some guys that can hit for average on that team. A RH hitting 1st basemen could also help because wonderboy sucks against lefties.

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

Anything?


No?


Ok.


I never even thought of this, but there might not be ONE positive post about the Cubs from me in my 5 years here.

Since 2008 when I joined, its been nothing but bad moves.

Bullshit Jimmy. You alleged I was not critical. Im saying find ONE POST backing that up or just admit you're full of shit.

If Im so pro Cub, then it should be easy.

not all bad moves but not enough good ones especially from Theo.

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