Classy statement by Hammel in the trib.

Hat tip to him and wish him the best.

He will sign a 5 year deal with the white sox and he will be terrible. Bosio/Cubs defense hids his flaws as a pitcher.

I still maintain this was a DUMB decision, with all the teams that are looking for pitching. The Cubs should have picked up the option year and brought him to camp. If there was an injury to a pitcher, the depth would be nice to have. If nobody gets hurt in spring training, they could have dealt him for a fairly good prospect. He's been very good in the first half of each of the last 2 seasons and won 16 games last season, to let him go for nothing made no sense.

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Go Cubs!!!!

This was the handshake deal they made with Hammel from the start. Are you saying the Cubs' brass should renege on a promise? I'm sure plenty of teams would have gone back on their word...That the Cubs were true to theirs, I think will prove beneficial with other free agents.

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I think it's conjecture to say there was an agreement. if so, why didn't they just sign a 1 year deal with a player only option for 2017? I thought they might have had an understanding with Fowler that if he signed for the 9 million he got last year on a one year deal, that they would not make a qualifying offer to him this year, which would make him a much more in demand free agent. But they DID give him a qualifying offer, so any team that signs him now, has to give the Cubs a first round draft pick. Thus, his value goes down and he will have fewer teams bidding for his services. If they would do Hammel the favor of not picking up his option because they are so thoughtful and considerate, why not Fowler?

If there was some kind of agreement in place (which again, makes no sense to me) then by all means they should honor it.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Hamel hasn't signed with anyone else, has he? Maybe he does have a handshake deal with Theo.

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That makes no sense. If he wanted to return and the Cubs wanted him back, they already had him signed for 2017 on an option year. They could have just invoked the option. I would bet he is not back and if all the pitchers stay healthy that won't be a big deal. But if there is an injury, the lack of depth could be a significant problem.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Could be along the lines of 'see what you can get on the open market and, if it's not to your liking, then we'll sit and talk'.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I will not dismiss the idea totally. But I would bet against his return. A guy who won 16 games, but was left off the playoff roster. I give him credit for never speaking out to express any frustration about it and being classy about things when his option was declined by the Cubs.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Hammel goes to KC for 2 years at 8 million per with a 3rd year option. Wow, that's the best he could get ?

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

Id have preferred to keep Hammel. Dominant first halfs are nice and he was not terrible in 2nd half.

Need lots of rotation depth. Old staff

He butted heads with Maddon twice in two years. I'm sure that had to factor into the Cubs decision.

He's hurt. Cubs front office is pretty smart, and they know more about Hammel than anyone. There is a reason he took this long to sign.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Cubs had to open up a spot in the rotation to try to develop a younger arm. Otherwise, they would have three open rotation spots after 2017 and no real idea who to fill those spots with. If nobody was going into the last year of their contracts, they would have re-signed Hammel.

They are thinking they are good enough to make the playoffs regardless of production from the #5 starter. They will get to see if they can turn at least one of these other guys into a rotation piece for next season.

Hammel didn't want the Cubs as much or more than the Cubs may not have wanted him. The guy got left off of consecutive post season rosters as a veteran starter with decent production. That is professionally embarrassing. Further, Maddon had shown zero confidence in him in a demonstrative manner. He wanted out.

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

Well, he got it.

He took less money to sign with Kansas City.

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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!

Yes, he's definitely one guy who didn't relish playing for The Great Joe Madden.

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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

Why didn't the White Sux get in on this action? Hammel would have been the #2 starter in that rotation. Right in front of Carlos(drafted before Schwarber) Rodon and "Big Game James"

Don't sound so proud as if it made the Cubs better.

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

Quintana is still on the team. Also, Gonzalez is better than Hammel.

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

Quintana is their #1.

That's right. When it comes to SP,deep depth is the preferred option.

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

Carlos (3.1 WAR) Rodon
Kyle (1.1 WAR) Schwarber

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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

2016

I'll stick with the potential stud pitcher over the .240 hitter. We'll see how it goes.

_________________
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

lol batting average

LOL. Yeah, batting average doesn't matter. Give me a team of .220 guys. Jesus!

_________________
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 would explain the concept of OBP, but I'm considering my audience here.

Does batting average have anything to do with OBP? Consider 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