C Russell Martin / Welington Castillo
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Javier Baez
SS Starlin Castro
3B Kris Bryant
LF Melky Cabrera
CF Arismendy Alcantara
RF Justin Ruggiano

SP Shields (this would be Cueto if the Reds don't pick up his option, which they will, I'd think? He also could be traded this month before the deadline.)
SP Arrieta
SP Billingsley
SP Wood
SP Jackson (or Kyle Hendricks if you can figure out how to get rid of Edwin Jackson)

CP Rondon
RP Ramirez
RP Schlitter
RP Wright
RP Russell
RP Strop
RP Grimm

Bench: Valbuena, Bonifacio, Lake, Kalish / Coghlan

I'd offer Martin a 3 year / $24M contract with a mutual option on the fourth year at $9M.
I'd offer Melky Cabrera a 2 year / $22M contract. Maybe you go 3 but not at $11M for the third year.
Hopefully James Shields keeps struggling and you can get him for 5 years / $90M. If you crest $20M/per, it needs to be shorter than 5 years...more like three.
Billingsley...not sure what that contract looks like. The Dodgers probably won't on Billingsley. 1 year, $10M with a club option for $12M?

This makes the 2015 team heavily competitive unless Bryant and Baez truly bomb, and allows the Cubs to still have dollars left over after 2015 to go after one big ticket pitcher (Price? Latos? Zimmermann? Medlen?), and upgrade a corner outfield spot if the development of Schwarber or Soler doesn't look promising. Besides, we just need to keep it warm for Eloy Jimenez in September 2019.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Can Alcantara play CF?

I thought he was an infielder

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Yea, and they have been playing him there on and off lately.


I like this roster.

Looks OK to me.

What kind of market inefficiencies did you uncover?

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The same was once said of many an outfielder, including two of the Cubs that have started a majority of games in the outfield this year.

As Bucky Chris mentioned, he has played 7 games in CF so far this season. If Bryant plays LF or RF (and a left handed / switch hitter like Melky isn't signed, or he replaced Ruggiano in right) then Alcantara probably remains at 2B. In that scenario, Baez is at 3B and the Cubs need to sign a left handed CF for a season or two. Bonifacio should not be a starting CF for a competing team.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Settle down, leashyourSTINE.

I need Vizcaino in the BP. I never want to see Russell's face in a Cubs uni ever again after this year. I'd like to see a piece from Hammel/Shark trades in there.

James Russell has a 1.96 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP, and beautiful hair.

What are you upset about? That he isn't a LOOGY. Find a LOOGY elsewhere, don't try to turn him into one.

Scott Eyre is only 42.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I want these guys throwing hot fire. He's a frustrating guy. Flip him.

Don't be that guy. Results are results. You don't flip him just to flip him. I mean...if you package him for a piece that helps, fine. But he isn't someone to jettison like Jose Veras and Carlos Marmol were.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

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Ruggiano will be 33?

And he had a good week! Thats it.

I will take a proven OF MLB power at the very least. There is plenty of that. Willingham, MORSE!, Cruz! cuddyer.

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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.’”

He's just a guy. Not a long term piece. Perfect candidate to package to get the better PTBNL list.

Next year I dont want "THE ALL JUST GUYS OF" I want the Guys who can hit 25 HR's and be bad batting ,240.

What we have now is guys trying to get comfortable at the ML level.

Going to say the Cubs OF has the fewest RBI's in the majors. This is a huge problem! A problem that can be fixed

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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.’”

They should trade for Cueto if he's available. Can't tell me the assets aren't there. They're not getting a better pitcher than that.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The Cubs aren't suddenly going to have a $200M payroll next season. Slow your roll.

I'm not clamoring for Ruggiano to be a starter on the 2015 Cubs. But he is serviceable in the outfield until the Cubs see what they have in terms of outfield prospects.

Why? He is a free agent after the season regardless.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Fuck Russell.

Give me Rosscupp.

OR AM I?!

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Been seeing a lot of people "surprised" at how much Bryant has improved at 3B this year. I'm starting to think more and more he may stay there.

Id be happy if they acquired All stars James Shields, Melky Cabrera, and Russel Martin.


I dont think they will.


Id play Lake over Ruggiano and it would be tough to keep Valbuena's ability to get on base on the bench.

What is with the continued Lake love? He was the single worst hitter at making contact in MLB through the first two months of the season, then had decent two weeks, and is now terrible again. And it'll be a shame to lose Valbuena's OBP of .222 over the last two weeks.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Lake is still young and can improve. Ruggiano fought in WWII


I wasnt aware we were only going off the last two weeks

I think Ill take the .355 OBP for the year.

If Lake looked like he cared to improve, maybe.

And fair point on Valbuena. Yet his poor streaks come when he is a full time player, and his hot streaks come when he splits time with Olt.

He isn't starter material.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Im just not a fan of Ruggiano and if Valbuena shows an ability to keep the opb above 330 with some power, then he's in unless every other guy in that lineup is essential.

C Welington Castillo
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Javier Baez
SS Starlin Castro
3B Kris Bryant
LF Nelson Cruz
CF Arismendy Alcantara
RF Justin Ruggiano

SP Shields
SP Arrieta
SP Hendricks
SP Wood
SP Ramirez

CP Rondon
RP Jackson (if they don't dump him, Rosscup if they do)
RP Schlitter
RP Wright
RP Vizcaino
RP Strop
RP Grimm

Bench: Valbuena, Olt, Watkins, Sczcur, Miguel Olivo


Sign Olivo to backup Castillo. Stretch out Ramirez to be in the rotation and move Jackson to the pen. Fill in the bench with flexibility and speed (Watkins, Sczcur). Sign Shields to lead the staff. Sign Nelson Cruz to cap the best power lineup in the league. Shields and Cruz are both older, so they can probably be had with shorter contracts for higher $ amounts. Cubs payroll is so small they can afford it.

Cruz is another right handed bat. Alcantara is a switch, and Rizzo is lefthanded. Seems a bit unbalanced. Albeit mine wasn't much better.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Fuck balance when you can smash the ball out of the ballpark.

Does Cruz have a stipulation in his contract that he can't receive a qualifying offer? Shields will definitely get one. I don't think the Cubs are ready to sacrifice draft picks for free agents.

No there isn't. Theo told me so.

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