What will we spend our money on this offseason?

[Tyrant]

goodness i thought it was obvious kyle was joking

 

NOBODY flip flops that hard

 

I would've assumed anyone else was joking but this is Kyle so you never know.

[jersey cubs fan]

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales · 2m2 minutes ago

"If the right things line up, we could have an active off-season. We're not going to force it."

 

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales · 3m3 minutes ago

GM Jed Hoyer said overstated reports of Cubs linked to every free agent is somewhat agent driven, given team's payroll flexibility.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/100839258/cubs-not-going-to-force-offseason-moves-says-general-manager-jed-hoyer

 

Muskat article including an MLB.com video with harold reynolds and nightengale talking about the cubs

[jumbo]

I think it was Levine on the score the other day said that he has knowledge that the Cubs have $65MM to spend after arbitration. I had to look at Cots after this

 

MLBTR just put out their arb estimates for each team, this is the Cubs:

 

Travis Wood (4.004) – $5.5MM

Justin Ruggiano (4.019) – $2.5MM

Luis Valbuena (4.148) – $3.1MM

Wesley Wright (5.105) – $2.0MM

Pedro Strop (3.156) – $2.4MM

John Baker (5.141) – $1.1MM

Chris Coghlan (4.148) – $1.4MM

Felix Doubront (3.120) – $1.3MM

Jake Arrieta (3.145) – $4.1MM

Welington Castillo (3.009) – $2.1MM

 

Total Above (10)= $25.5MM

 

Under Contract (8) = $35.5MM

Jackson, Castro, Rizzo, Wood, Wada, Soler, Sweeney, Turner

 

Autorenewals (6) = $3MM (roughly)

Rondon, Grimm, Alcantara, Baez, Hendricks, Ramirez

 

Before FA = $64MM

 

Assuming an offseason of:

Lester $25MM/year

McCarthy $15MM

FA Veteran Bat - let's say Martin $15MM

 

FA = $55MM

 

Payroll of $120MM total

 

Lester, Arrieta, McCarthy, Wood, Turner, Doubront, Jackson w/Hendricks, Straily, Wada in AAA (they have options)

Rondon, Ramirez, Strop, Grimm, Wright, Doubront, Jackson (Schlitter, Rosscup, Vizcaino have options)

 

Martin, Rizzo, Baez, Castro, Bryant, Coghlan, Alcantara, Soler

Castillo, Valbuena, someone who can backup 1B, Sweeney, Ruggiano

 

Maybe they get a LF instead of Martin, maybe they can trade Jackson and half his salary to someone (he wouldn't be that terrible on a 2/11 deal would he?). I'm sure they'll pick up a couple Cody Ransom types but hopefully none of them stick. Castillo could backup 1B, but hopefully not much. Martin has never played 1B in the majors or minors.

[jumbo]

Not sure if anyone has seen this from fangraphs:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2015-free-agent-predictions/#more-167846

 

 

Chicago Cubs

 

Everyone expects them to sign Jon Lester because of the Boston connection, but my guess is that they actually prefer Max Scherzer, a higher strikeout starter with a slightly stronger track record of consistency. Scherzer is the best pitcher on the market, and the Cubs are certainly signaling that they’re going to make some big moves this winter, so I’m putting him in Chicago for 7/$175M. That won’t stop them from also signing Russell Martin for 5/$75M, and then gambling on an upside play in Brett Anderson for 1/$7M. We’ve seen the Cubs be smart and frugal; now I think we’re going to see them throw some money around.

[sneakypower]

Scherzer simply just ain't happening

[Guest]

Yeah, Cameron has been guessing that they like Scherzer more than Lester for months, I don't get it.

[Guest]

Yeah, Cameron has been guessing that they like Scherzer more than Lester for months, I don't get it.

Bring me both and we shall bask in glory.