I'm looking at the active roster and 40 man roster. I don't know what year it will be when the Cubs next make the playoffs, but it won't be for a while.

Of the guys on the active roster (DL included) the only guy I am comfortably saying will be a Cub when the team next makes the playoffs is Nico Horner.

Of the guys on the 40 man roster, the only other guy I am comfortable saying will be a Cub when the next team makes the playoffs is Madrigal. I mean maybe Miguel Amaya because of his defensive ability.

Not only is it a terrible roster for 2021, but it's really a terrible active and 40 man roster when you project it for 2024 and beyond.

There is a thing called Free Agency.

Happ has to be gone, right? If they could non-tender Schwarber, I can't see them keeping Happ.

As for free agents, are there any entering their prime, or are we going to be seeing some flashy but old names like Kershaw, Verlander, and Scherzer? (I love them all, but those are not guys who will want to be part of a rebuilding.)

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A lot of these guys are past their prime.
Some of these guys never even had a prime.
This guy here is dead!

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Just at SS, (in addition to Baez) Correa, Seager and Story are all FAs

How many of these players do you believe will be wearing a Cubs uniform in any capacity in 2024?

I'll start the bidding at zero.

My guess is Castellanos opts out and that's the big signing.

I don't see them signing anyone of consequence in '22.

There's a thing called a salary dump; https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yu-d ... low-marks/

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There is this thing called a brain, will you use it, not likely.

My guess is Castellanos, Semien, one of the Giants' starters, and then Verlander on a two year incentive laden deal because of his risk of not coming back from his injury anywhere near his old self.

The Cubs 4-7 starters are actually not horrible, even with Marquez missing all of this season to date. Mills, Steele, Adzolay, Thompson is fine for covering 65 starts and another 90 innings of long relief. They need a real 2 and 3 starter as opposed to slumming it with Davies and Arrieta this year. For 2022 with the strike uncertainty, going with Gausmann and Verlander would be acceptable, as long as the plan is to both extend Hendricks and get another starter before the 2023 season.

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