Strasburg will be a FA after next year so he could be moved in season.

Greinke and Price are likely to be ridiculously expensive. Zimmerman works for me along with Lackey. Lackey should be a guy they could sign to a reasonable 2 year deal. Arrieta, Zimmerman, Lester, Lackey, and whoever wins the 5th spot between Hendricks and Hammel, with Travis Wood also getting a shot at it in spring training. I like the Mike Leake possibility as well as Lackey, for a 2nd FA arm. He is younger and would likely get more years/money though.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I meant tonight

Who do you want Rogue?

This would have been great strategy THIS season!

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

The trifecta of NO. They need 2 new pitchers (not just 1) whether by trade or free agency . I do not want Shark back here. Look at a guy's career numbers and that is what you will get. I don't want a guy with a 4.09 ERA. forget the 47-61 career record, because he has played on some awful teams. But the career ERA is similar to Edwin Jackson's, before he signed with the Cubs. Don't focus on the outstanding starts (like his final one) and instead focus on the overall body of work. For every great start there is an awful one.

Heyward doesn't fit. With Almora and Martinez in the system, they just need a guy to bridge the gap for a year in CF. Denard Span would be the guy I target. Marlon Byrd is a guy who looked done 3 years ago, but actually had a pretty decent season this past year hitting for around the same average (.250) that Fowler did, with 23 HR and 73 RBI. he could be easily brought in for a single season. would I be excited about him signing here? NO! but I believe Almora may well take over in CF before the 2016 season is over, so I don't block the pat for him with an overpriced Heyward. if you look at his career numbers, they are underwhelming. Looks like Tarzan, played like Jane, all too often. Guys who have career years in their walk year are guys to be wary of. I think whoever signs him to a big money deal, will regret it.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I disagree. They'll still have these young guys under control (at very low prices) and they still have a shit load of talent in the system.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

That's wrong. Yeah, they'll be under control, but in their arbitration years. How much do you think the Babe Ruths might be awarded in arbitration? If all these young guys are what you think they are, they aren't going to be cheap. Plus you have to pay Arrieta. If the new Plan is a three or four year window, go ahead sign Price and/or Greinke. In fact, I hope they do.

_________________
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

Arrieta won't be great next year. He was overworked this year and that may save the Cubs a few dollars. Even if they have $60M tied up in 3 arms I think they will be fine. Babe won't get anywhere near what Trout got ($24M a year) because he's missing a couple of tools. They have Rizzo and Castro under control for pennies and Russell won't be expensive. Babe and Bryant will sign deals paying them $13-17M per season for 6 years. The Cubs are going to be comfortably under $200M for a long time. By the time they have to really pay for the bats Lester and others will be off the books.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Lackey definitely as a 3. I'll look at what's available and tell you who else. Not Shark. Grienke will cost too much at his age.

_________________
Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Do you know who Bryant's agent is? The chances are between slim and none that he doesn't arb all the way to free agency. Also, Russell is going to be expensive if he improves the way Cub fans think he will. I can see his agent right now talking to the arbitrator with a spreadsheet full of favorable comparisons to Andrelton Simmons.

_________________
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

Is arbitration still determined by the traditional "Old School" stats?

I want to smash my phone against somebody's head..



Samardiza is NOT going to be a Cub!

He's neither wanted nor needed.. That dummy Bruce is being used by the Guppy's agent.

_________________

It depends on whether the guy you're representing has good ones or not.

_________________
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'm bookmarking this for a potential signature.

_________________
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'm 1000% sure that dickbag is not a Cub.. You better worry about him accepting that qualifying offer .

_________________

I'm not worried at all. If he does, which is highly unlikely, I just hope he pitches well. He's capable.

_________________
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

He's going to get beat like a drum in the A.L. .. I think he can get a 4 year 52$ million dollar deal from San Diego or Arizona.

_________________

He's probably gonna get more that.

_________________
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

Which is why he can't be a Cub. He's not even worth that.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I think you are a bit too overconfident. I'm not a big Shark fan but I do believe that the Cubs are interested.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

More importantly, I think Shark is very interested. And why wouldn't he be? If the offers are somewhat similar, why wouldn't you go to where you're comfortable and had you most success?

I'm fine with bringing him back.

How about this? He declines the Sox QO and Fowler rejects the QO and the two teams swap draft picks?

I don't think most front offices would agree with such an assessment, although I do.

_________________
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

No chance. His act is not needed in the Cubs locker room. Take that domer arrogance to AZ clubhouse. To hell with him.

Smardjia – I have to agree with 312Player on this one. Some team will open up their wallet for his mediocre ass. He’s productivity compared to potential salary looks too much Lester. The Cubs will find other more economical options, which do include dealing position players.

_________________

Lol @ more importantly.... He was THE WORST pitcher in all of baseball this year.. He's a career 4 ERA in the N.L. and 30 years old..teams ain't beating down the door to sign this scrub... He's Edwin Jackson.

_________________

I don't know how you can sign David Price if youre planning on making deep p!ayoff runs. He's going on 0-8 career after tonight. There's something wrong with him. More than a big enough sample size.. You really want him out there in the NLCS?

_________________
Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Not anymore!

He's off the hook.

_________________

New TV/streaming $$$ will kick in by then. Stadium will be done.
Money will not be an issue. Just a matter of who they want to keep and for how long.

_________________

Nope.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Yep! Maddon is pretty awful too.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!