This guy isn't another Brett Anderson is he?

Well, with Davis getting 52M guaranteed (the highest AAV ever for a closer plus a vesting option for year 4 at 66M), what should the Cubs do? Stick with Morrow? Sign another closer? Trade? Wait until the deadline?

They just don't want to commit long term to any closer so it would surprise me if they paid big bucks to somebody like Holland so maybe they unload Ian Happ for Colome?? To me Happ is the most expendable given his sub par defense but is a great fit for an AL team...

Shouldn't a reclamation project have some past success to claim?

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

That is where you want to set the bar of success, huh? Seems to me that after winning the World Series you would expect more out of your GM.

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Happy New Year Frank

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

You post this like its some sort of greatness, and then roll your eyes at me. Ok.

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Yeah because that it exactly what I did, I posted it as a statement of greatness. I made no statement about greatness. The guy found some success in the big leagues. Maybe he will again. Maybe he wont

It is a reclamation project. He had a useful year in the pen. Teams are always looking for cheap bullpen help. Every team in the league is going to make signings like this with the hope that they find a diamond in the rough.

I rolled my eyes at you, Mr Cubbie, always finding something to rub your chubby about in regard to the Cubs.

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

Can we get a real lead off hitter first?

I’ve been replaying the 2016 playoffs and it’s amazing how much of an impact Fowler had. Smotlz keeps bragging about him. There was one stat where he said the cubs scored like 90 % of the time when Fowler got on base.

Useful is not successful. Useful is also way back in his rearviewmirror as he spent last year struggling to do anything well in the minors. It's not a reclamation project, its a lottery ticket at best.

Roll your eyes at that for all I care.

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What a stupid argument. Reclamation project vs lottery ticket. Christ.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

#thatsfrank

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

So so angry. Let it all out before the end of the year, Cubs fans. I am here for you.

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I don't think he's either.

Unless your lotto ticket is a scratch off, he's a guy who doesn't strike anyone out and had his best year based off of a fluky prevention of HRs.

Not a reclamation project because never had the pedigree or performance to reclaim.

I'd be surprised if he threw one pitch for the Cubs in 2018. Moreso, if he's logging substantial innings out of the pen, that's a sign of much bigger problems.

One Post and Frank teaming up to do some work in this thread

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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

Seems like the Cubs section is here for your personal anger & feelings of inadequacy. Have fun with that rebuild & looking forward to more of your overcompensating!

And Brandon Morrow was an absolute nobody for the first 8+ seasons of his career. There are countless nobodies that become great, dependable bullpen arms. There are countless nobodies that remain nobodies. There is nothing to discuss about Kyle Ryan in December 2017 going into January 2018.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I'm reasonably sure that he was a winning pitcher as a starter for the Blue Jays. Not an all star, but not a 'nobody' either.

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Murph this morning 12/30 :


-Moves they've made so far even with Yu replacing Arietta does not make them better but status quo from last year.

-Theo hoping on young prospects too much to come thru.

-What players are going to go backwards this year? Has Theo considered that?

-Almora + prosects for Yelich?

-Murph made a swipe at his wife

-Caller1 - Cubs need to get to the playoffs and who's playing hot at the time can win it all. Doesn't think Almora is the answer as leadoff. Murph replies he's hard to peg what kind of player he is. Guest Bruce Miles from the Daily Herald says Cubs like Almora's baseball sense. Murph : he's not the fielder we thought he would be, not the best defensive CF but he doesn't make many mistakes.

-Murph : Schawrber #6 in the lineup every day. He will flourish there. #8 Hayward all season. #7 you can play around R/L hitter. Guest agrees, says he's a pure hitter.

-Caller2 from Daytona Beach Florida - are we getting a backup catcher? Bruce Miles says Cubs wouldn't mind resigning Alex Avila. He became a leader in the clubhouse also if the price is right. Unless they get the Marlins catcher with a Yelich deal.

-Murph : If Joe wants to mess up w/ the leadoff, put Rizzo over Schwarber as #1. He has a better OBP.

-Murph poll : Theo plans for how many more championships before he leaves in 2024? 42% of the fans say 2 more titles. Bruce Levine says 2 is reasonable.

-Fred - great talking baseball when it's zero degrees out.

Murph will continue with Cubs talk after the break.

added - Goofiest quote of the year : Mike Montgomery who has been making noise and bitching/complaining about being a starter : "I dont want to be in a situation where I come into spring training where I deserve a spot but it's not there because of other contracts that they've brought in".

Murph : So the Cubs shouldn't bring in 5 Clayton Kershaw's. Murph is adamant they will be trading him. He's becoming another Miggy.

The Cubs were never going to "win" this offseason. Their improvement next year was always going to have to come from within. No one had a career year last year and it easy to see every, young positional player improve next season. Would it shock anyone to see the Cubs infield to have 120 HRs next season? How about Schwarber hitting 40 bombs or Contreras hitting 25+? I expect Wilson to be better next year and hope that Edwards can be a trusted, high-leverage reliever again.

In the rest of this offseason they'll get another bullpen arm and hopefully sign Darvish, Arrieta, or Cobb when their prices become reasonable. So far, this offseason has been just about what I expected.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Kyle Ryan is going to love Des Moines. He's the guy that is stashed away there for the day the Cubs need emergency bullpen help after an 18-inning game, and they bring him up for three days and then outright him to clear the 40-man spot again.

If he has a very good season in Iowa, he gets rewarded with the Taylor Davis Organizational Filler September Call-Up (TM).

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Morrow was the 5th overall pick.

Morrow punched out 200+ guys one year.

Morrow had a 3+ WAR season as a starter.

Far from a nobody

Career 4.50 ERA starters are nobodies. He had had one good year surrounded by 7 below average years. He was essentially a worse Esteban Loiaza.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

If Morrow is what he was last year I'll be happy. But did he have a career year like most of the 2017 Dodgers? We'll see.

The point, IMU, is that Morrow had at least some success and was a viable Major League arm. Kyle Ryan is an absolute nobody, but feel free to hang your hat on this key signing if you want.

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ya i dont think Kyle Ryan is anything to hang your hat on. If you even get to see him in the big leagues and he gets you one out, that's more than what I'm expecting out of him next season.

Kyle Ryan is going to love Des Moines.

He's there in case of an 18-inning game at Wrigley where they can call him up the next day for 3-4 days to have an extra arm in the bullpen, and then outright his ass right back to Iowa.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I don't seem to be the one hanging my hat on the signing. I did not even believe it was worth mentioning on the board. But here you are.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

No one said anything about Ryan being anyone to hang your hat on. But feel free to continue exaggerating Mr Cubby Chubby

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

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