Dude Carlos Lee and Adam Dunn never got themselves or others hurt out there the way Schwarber did. They also didn't faceplant at anything hit their way. They may not have been good fielders but they at least knew how to avoid serious injury in the field.

Schwarber is an almost unprecedented trainwreck in left. I've really never seen anything quite like his hopeless 2015 playoffs in the field.

Only because they basically had the range generally associated with a phone booth. Schwarber was better than those guys before the injury and after spring training, I believe we will all see a very respectable LF played by the young slugger.

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Go Cubs!!!!

slow and unathletic Carlos Lee stole double digit bases 8 times in his career

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

Is Hammel going to walk into camp like Dex did last spring?

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

That would be a shocker, but they seemed to be on very good terms when he was released from the final year of his deal to go explore other possibilities. I would like to see him return if only as a depth signing, to ensure if there is an injury to anyone in the starting rotation that they have it covered. Very few rotations stay intact and many even suffer setbacks in spring training. Plus, he has been OUTSTANDING in the first half of the past couple seasons. If he could help them get off to another great start and then step aside, that would work. But I suspect he will land a multi-year deal somewhere. Probably not for quite the money he wanted, but a multi-year deal nonetheless.

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Go Cubs!!!!

You know, I actually would want this at this point. Look, I know the guy sucks balls in the second half. I know Maddon won't pitch him in the playoffs. But at the end of the day you know the 1-3 starters for the playoffs and the key should be to do everything to keep them healthy through to the playoffs.

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Its probably been talked about, but is there a chance that Dylan Cease or Trevor Clifton makes the roster coming out of camp? If not, at least as a September call-up? Both are curveball pitchers, which I think Stone was saying is seeing a big increase in popularity due to some umpiring change or something.

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I highly doubt it for the both. 2018 at the earliest, and even then it is more of a September thing.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

What concerns me is the number of "project" arms the Cubs have signed without getting a legitimate 4th or 5th starter. I worry about injuries. It's the only thing that can derail the Big Blue Locomotive!

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

The key acquisition of Eddie Butler has them set up to repeat.

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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

Mike Montgomery is a legitimate 5th starter.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Project arms are fine. While I didn't have a lot of great love for the guy, Dempster was a great example of what you could get with a reclamation project. The Pirates have been living off it for a bit now. Its cheap and there is little downside. None of these guys are going to pitch a meaningful game in October.

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I'm with ya, Jimmy. They are not going to be as lucky health-wise as they were last year.

More recently, Arrieta was a project arm... there is nothing with having some projects as long as you don't depend on them.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

It also helps to have the best pitching coach in baseball.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

They lost Schwarber a week into the season last year. Montero was hurt for stretches. Fowler missed time and they went into a tailspin.

Heyward was so bad at the plate it was like he missed the whole season

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Szczur Soler and almost the entire bullpen were also on the DL throughout the season.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Yeah, I didn't even go into pitching. The whole reason Joe decided he could only pitch Chapman in the playoffs was due to Strop and Rondon not being all the way back from injury.

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Thanks for the insight.

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