2014 Chicago Cubs In-Season Discussion Thread

@TheCCO: ICYMI #Cubs: Report: Cubs Will Not Pick-Up Tsuyoshi Wada’s 2015 Club Option bit.ly/1oC9V8H #MLB

@CarrieMuskat: #Cubs Rizzo taking grounders at 1B. Still on track for return Monday (hopefully)

chibears55 said:

@TheCCO: ICYMI #Cubs: Report: Cubs Will Not Pick-Up Tsuyoshi Wada’s 2015 Club Option bit.ly/1oC9V8H #MLB

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last 2 games decided that.

Boobaby1 said:

Why all of the dark horses? You still have to pay Headly, and I don't want another "WHAT IF" or a "HOPE TO". Get the proven bat that you need, and paying Cabrera 52 million for 4 years isn't breaking any bank versusu what someone like Elsbury received.

He is a table setter, left handed (primarily) which would allow blockage for Alcantara at 1st base to swipe bags, or a batter simply to pull the ball and advance him at worst if Alcantara doubles. He doesn't strikeout much , and knows how to work the count. He would be instrumental in helping in the developmental process for the young kids along with Rizzo.

Do we really need another full year of getting one pitcher and letting the kids HOPEFULLY mature? You can do that and have Valbuena, Olt, and Coghlan on the bench just in case it doesn't go as planned. That is how teams win. They don't win resting on their laurels.

And for what it's worth, figure up what a TOR pitcher and Cabrera would add to the payroll considering Cabrera would be 5-6 million less per year than Soriano. I think the Cubs can more than afford both with the payroll flexibility that they will now have.

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S said it pretty well. Q offer will kill him.

Not to mention they have been over loading and now the over flow of IF is going to get pushed into the outfield.

Still, his career numbers: 4410 Ab's .301/.351/.458 92 career SB's and 88 career HR's. To be honest I'll bet we get that production out of Russell at a fraction of the cost. like 1/100 the cost.

Now your main argument is adding vets to push the youth. Well last I checked Castro has 2977 ML AB's. Rizzo 1557 AB's. Those 2 are the guys you build around.

They are not rookies.

Add to it Castillo 1671 MLB AB's. Again another guy that gets forgotten.

You add Soler in RF; Alcantara CF as the youth projects.

Later season Bryant. Baez I'm not sure what direction they go to be honest. I wouldn't be mad if they plugged Watkins in at 2B and Valbuena at 3B opening day.

Still what makes the most sense to me is trying to trade Jackson for Brown. Philli is going to need a SP. Both players need a change. Cubs can get out of Brown easier when the need happens. (vs a 52 mil log jam in the OF).

CSF77 said:

last 2 games decided that.

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Probably, also think their going to definitely add a FA maybe two if they can rid themselves of Jackson to go with Arrieta and Hendricks and their going to have plenty of depth now with straily dubront and turner to go along with their younger guys..

chibears55 said:

Probably, also think their going to definitely add a FA maybe two if they can rid themselves of Jackson to go with Arrieta and Hendricks and their going to have plenty of depth now with straily dubront and turner to go along with their younger guys..

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I see them adding 1 SP then trading Jackson for a bat with cash sent over. I also see them retaining Arrieta, Hendricks, Turner and Doubront. Wood doesn't get offered Arb. 5 mil is too much to pay anyways.

So with what they have it makes sense to add a LH arm over a RH arm.

I would gage it Lester: I would offer 130 mil.
Then Liriano Just to take him away from a rival. I could see them giving Liriano

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/national-league-central/pittsburgh-pirates/
Francisco Liriano lhp
1 year/$1M (2013), plus 2014 club option

1 year/$1M (2013), plus 2014 club option
signed by Pittsburgh as a free agent 2/8/13
13:$1M, 14:$8M club option
may earn additional $3.75M in 2013
roster bonuses based on days not spent on disabled list with injury to
humerus bonus of non-throwing right arm
2014 option guaranteed at $8M with 150
days not spent on disabled list in 2013 with the right arm injury, $6M
with 120 days not spent on disabled list with the right arm injury, $5M
with 90 days not spent on disabled list with the right arm injury
if 2014 option vests at $5M or $6M, Liriano may earn performance bonuses up to $8M based on games started
2014 option vested at $6M

I would say he is worth 50 mil. He is better than Hendricks but not a TOR.

Again Lester makes the most sense. I wouldn't use up any resource to prevent that signing.

@BleacherNation: I approve of this sample size. MT @CespedesBBQ awesome, via @baseball_ref Play Index
highest career SLG%, min 50 PAs: pic.twitter.com/X1ixjCB1Ha

Look who all time leader in SLG%.. ; ))

Hmm well Olt is making a really interesting comeback to relevancy. In Sept he is hitting .250/.382/.357 over 34 PAs. Short sample size and all but if this is where he stays then that would be a pretty big win in the Garza deal when you consider Grimm and Ramirez have already been major bullpen pieces and the "prize" of the trade is still in AA.

For all you chris rusin fans

@TheCCO: #Cubs : From the Wire: Rockies Claim LHP Chris Rusin Off Waivers from the Cubs bit.ly/1pyXLNt #MLB