Cubs 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[CubinNY]

44 minutes ago, DrCub said:

Is this a real stat?  If so, FTR.

It is for real, but we don't know if the numbers are correct. It's obnoxious. Tommy Boy and the Sibs are using the Cubs to finance their building projects around Wrigley. 

[Backtobanks]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

 

Exactly. Where is this idea that Tom didn’t agree to a contract with Bregman coming from? I never remember a report that said Bregman agreed to a deal but Rom wouldn’t sign off on it. 

It drives me crazy when we hear about the "supposed" offers made by the Cubs when they fail to sign someone.  None of us (including the media) has any idea what an offer was, and the speculation is leaked by the FO or agents.  Ricketts and Hoyer have the same credibility as Trump and his staff.  Most of the local media insiders are just reporting what Hoyer tells them.

[Bertz]

Shota's option is for 3 years $57M.  So to try and get a sense of how that stacks up market wise, here are SPs from the last three offseasons to sign a 3 year deal between $40M and $70M.  An asterisk means that guy had a QO attached

2023 

Zack Eflin 3/$41M

*Nate Eovaldi 3/$54

*Chris Bassit 3/$63

2024

Seth Lugo 3/$45M

2025

Michael Wach 3/$51M

Yusei Kikuchi 3/$63M

Luis Severino 3/$67M (largely seen as an immediate overpay because rhe A's were desperate to get someone to go to Sacramento)

---

I'll be honest, this bar is a lot higher than I expected.  Feels like you really cannot pick up Shota's option.  It sucks to have 60% of your rotation likely headed to FA after the season, but if he sticks around it probably needs to be via his option or the QO.

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Shota's option is for 3 years $57M.  So to try and get a sense of how that stacks up market wise, here are SPs from the last three offseasons to sign a 3 year deal between $40M and $70M.  An asterisk means that guy had a QO attached

2023 

Zack Eflin 3/$41M

*Nate Eovaldi 3/$54

*Chris Bassit 3/$63

2024

Seth Lugo 3/$45M

2025

Michael Wach 3/$51M

Yusei Kikuchi 3/$63M

Luis Severino 3/$67M (largely seen as an immediate overpay because rhe A's were desperate to get someone to go to Sacramento)

---

I'll be honest, this bar is a lot higher than I expected.  Feels like you really cannot pick up Shota's option.  It sucks to have 60% of your rotation likely headed to FA after the season, but if he sticks around it probably needs to be via his option or the QO.

To me it isn’t even suggesting him for 3/$57M is bad. We can agree or disagree on that, doesn’t matter. For me the issue is get someone better and pay more. That someone better replaces Shota. If you keep Shota you might not a spot for a pitcher. I would still like one if the top 4 or 5 on the market signed by the Cubs and then a trade for another young MOR/TOR starter. Again, that means no Shota and maybe no Tailon. If Tailon and Shota turn into Sanchez and Cabrera (as an example) you improved your rotation without spending that much money for next year. If someone doesn’t like those names put any FA pitcher you want in there with any controllable young front of the rotation starter(except Skenes and Skubal). If Horton is a #3 and Boyd a #4 (before Steele is back). That’s a good rotation. As for the #5 starter it can be either Rea/Assad/Brown/Wicks

[Transmogrified Tiger]

7 hours ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

It is.

I've seen this shared a bunch of times and the Cubs revenue number has never passed the sniff test for me.  As one point of comparison, the Phillies have a TV deal that pays them 25 million more per year, they outdrew the Cubs that year by 350k, had playoff revenue, and are a consistently successful team with stars in a similar market(assuming a lopsided 2:1 Cubs:Sox split of Chicago).  For these to be true there's a gap of ~100 million the Cubs are making that the Phillies are not and I have no idea what something of that magnitude can be when the biggest blocks(TV + attendance) are already considered

[Geographyhater8888]

On 10/16/2025 at 9:36 AM, Rcal10 said:

I agree Tom does not get the benefit of the doubt. Just never saw this before. However, I agree with Jason that it wouldn’t have mattered last year. This year, maybe he is the big bat signing. But they need at least 1 TOR starter too. Maybe they don’t offer Imanaga a contract. Maybe they trade Tailon. Maybe they replace both of them with better pitchers. Trade for either Ryan, Gore, Alcantara, Cabrera or even Lopez then sign either Cease, King, Suarez, Valdez or Gallen. In that scenerio Horton is #3 and Boyd#4 until Steele gets back. Until then #5 is any of Rea/Brown/Wicks/Assad. They also have Wiggins waiting for a call up.
Even if they did sign Bregman or Bichette, I wouldn’t deal Shaw. He would be my utility guy who gets 3 games a week filling in around the infield and as DH. 

I predict a Cease or someone of similar value, a couple pen arms and maybe a platoon option like Paul Goldschmidt who mashes lefties and another bench bat. 

A major shakeup would surprise me, although with multiple expiring contracts who knows. Bichette would move over to third, you downgrade defensively and the $ will cut into the rotation options. But WTF do I know. He did make an offer to Bregman and stuck Morel over there for almost 2 years. In this make believe instance you’d have Rojas+the asset that Nico bring you and another piece or 2 that’ll hopefully be enough to acquire your preferred cost controlled pitcher of choice.

 

Edited October 17, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Bertz]

I actually like the Goldschmidt idea. I think that might be the right level of bat to add.  Caissie as the nominal starter in RF with a bench of

Amaya

Goldschmidt 

Alcantara

Some infielder to cover 2B/3B (Luis Rengifo?)

With Mo down at Iowa working on defense until there's an injury or Caissie flops.  Long traded.  That feels like a good balance of giving the kids rope but not so much they can create a black hole at the bottom of the lineup.  Leaves the rest of your resources to get thrown at pitching.

I do worry the fanbase will be weirdos about Goldschmidt.  The guy theyd be getting and the guy they remember are not the same.

[Outshined_One]

Alcantara's sports hernia surgery definitely puts some perspective onto the Cubs' usage of him at the end of the season.  I don't think it hinders his trade value, and it actually makes you wonder if he'd have had a more prominent role if he were fully healthy.

I still think Mo is the most likely of the Iowa bunch to have a regular role on the team next season, but one ponders these things while watching the inevitability of the Brewers getting swept.

[Petrey10]

I’m aigning bichette for 3b. He needs a position change. He’s not a ss. Keeping Shaw for bench 2b/3b role.

 

sign cease

 

find a few bullpen arms to solidify that. If that means trading an OF or trading some youth I’m game. It’s time to win. Push this window to get to 100 win territory.

[squally1313]

19 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I actually like the Goldschmidt idea. I think that might be the right level of bat to add.  Caissie as the nominal starter in RF with a bench of

Amaya

Goldschmidt 

Alcantara

Some infielder to cover 2B/3B (Luis Rengifo?)

With Mo down at Iowa working on defense until there's an injury or Caissie flops.  Long traded.  That feels like a good balance of giving the kids rope but not so much they can create a black hole at the bottom of the lineup.  Leaves the rest of your resources to get thrown at pitching.

I do worry the fanbase will be weirdos about Goldschmidt.  The guy theyd be getting and the guy they remember are not the same.

In this plan are you comfortable with the pitching options mostly coming from free agency? Don't think Long gets you anywhere close to the talent level you're looking for. Given the order of operations you'd basically be going into free agency with:

• Shota - the main question here but the one you have to decide on first. 3/57 seems steep, which means it's out of their hands
• Horton
• Boyd on essentially a one year deal (mutual option for 2027 but those rarely vest)
• Taillon on a one year deal
• 1.5ish years of Steele
• Probably Rea on a one year deal
• Assad/Wicks/Brown/other assorted mediocre innings eaters
• A likely limited Wiggins, who still has to clear the AAA hurdle

That seems low on both high level talent and ability to fill innings past 2026, Shota impacts that and having to make that decision first in the offseason can guide the plan, but him likely having consecutive player options takes the decision out of Jed's hands.

I know it's not nearly as easy as it sounds to just trade for a cost controlled starter, but I'm still leaning towards signing a bigger bat and then jettisoning some of the AAA offensive talent for similarly valued arms. 

[Bertz]

10 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

In this plan are you comfortable with the pitching options mostly coming from free agency? Don't think Long gets you anywhere close to the talent level you're looking for. Given the order of operations you'd basically be going into free agency with:

• Shota - the main question here but the one you have to decide on first. 3/57 seems steep, which means it's out of their hands
• Horton
• Boyd on essentially a one year deal (mutual option for 2027 but those rarely vest)
• Taillon on a one year deal
• 1.5ish years of Steele
• Probably Rea on a one year deal
• Assad/Wicks/Brown/other assorted mediocre innings eaters
• A likely limited Wiggins, who still has to clear the AAA hurdle

That seems low on both high level talent and ability to fill innings past 2026, Shota impacts that and having to make that decision first in the offseason can guide the plan, but him likely having consecutive player options takes the decision out of Jed's hands.

I know it's not nearly as easy as it sounds to just trade for a cost controlled starter, but I'm still leaning towards signing a bigger bat and then jettisoning some of the AAA offensive talent for similarly valued arms. 

Yeah we're spending probably ~$10M on the position player group in this example?  And I figure there's ~$70M to play with before any options.  You're right I don't expect Long to move the needle a ton on a controllable pitcher, but maybe something more like Sandy Alcantara who's got a healthy salary?  So let's call it something like this for spending $60M on pitching:

- Long and Assad for Sandy Alcantara ($19M)

- Shota sticks around on his player option ($14M)

- Pick up Kittredge's option ($8M)

- Sign one of the closers (Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Robert Suarez) to a 3-4 year deal in the $15M range.  I like Williams most so let's call it him

- Spend your remaining cash (~$5M) on the best lefty reliever you can muster, let's call it a Drew Pomeranz reunion

Full pitching staff of

SP - Boyd, Alcantara, Horton, Shota, Taillon, Steele (IL)

CP - Williams

SU - Kittredge, Palencia

MR - Pomeranz, Hodge, TBD spring training audition winner

LR - Brown, Wicks

I don't love that Boyd/Shota/Taillon are all FAs after '26.  But you have Steele, Horton, and Alcantara (only if you want him) plus I'd like to think you feel solid about one of Wiggins/Brown/Wicks by then.  And if you don't like Alcantara, I think it's pretty easy to throw a little more money at the rotation (Bieber?) and use the trade chips more on the bullpen.

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Yeah we're spending probably ~$10M on the position player group in this example?  And I figure there's ~$70M to play with before any options.  You're right I don't expect Long to move the needle a ton on a controllable pitcher, but maybe something more like Sandy Alcantara who's got a healthy salary?  So let's call it something like this for spending $60M on pitching:

- Long and Assad for Sandy Alcantara ($19M)

- Shota sticks around on his player option ($14M)

- Pick up Kittredge's option ($8M)

- Sign one of the closers (Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Robert Suarez) to a 3-4 year deal in the $15M range.  I like Williams most so let's call it him

- Spend your remaining cash (~$5M) on the best lefty reliever you can muster, let's call it a Drew Pomeranz reunion

Full pitching staff of

SP - Boyd, Alcantara, Horton, Shota, Taillon, Steele (IL)

CP - Williams

SU - Kittredge, Palencia

MR - Pomeranz, Hodge, TBD spring training audition winner

LR - Brown, Wicks

I don't love that Boyd/Shota/Taillon are all FAs after '26.  But you have Steele, Horton, and Alcantara (only if you want him) plus I'd like to think you feel solid about one of Wiggins/Brown/Wicks by then.  And if you don't like Alcantara, I think it's pretty easy to throw a little more money at the rotation (Bieber?) and use the trade chips more on the bullpen.

I like the idea of strengthening the staff. But I would go further. First, I definitely would not offer Shota the 2/$57M. If he didn’t take the 1/$15M I would let him walk. I would also try trading Tailon. Use that money saved on one of the top FA pitchers. 5th starter until Steele comes back is whoever isn’t traded and wins the job between Rea/Assad/Brown or Wicks. A rotation with Cease(as an example), Alcantara, Horron, Boyd and eventually Steele is a very good rotation. They will need it because they lose a lot with Cassie/Ballasteros/Kevin taking the place of Tucker.!

[squally1313]

30 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Yeah we're spending probably ~$10M on the position player group in this example?  And I figure there's ~$70M to play with before any options.  You're right I don't expect Long to move the needle a ton on a controllable pitcher, but maybe something more like Sandy Alcantara who's got a healthy salary?  So let's call it something like this for spending $60M on pitching:

- Long and Assad for Sandy Alcantara ($19M)

- Shota sticks around on his player option ($14M)

- Pick up Kittredge's option ($8M)

- Sign one of the closers (Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Robert Suarez) to a 3-4 year deal in the $15M range.  I like Williams most so let's call it him

- Spend your remaining cash (~$5M) on the best lefty reliever you can muster, let's call it a Drew Pomeranz reunion

Full pitching staff of

SP - Boyd, Alcantara, Horton, Shota, Taillon, Steele (IL)

CP - Williams

SU - Kittredge, Palencia

MR - Pomeranz, Hodge, TBD spring training audition winner

LR - Brown, Wicks

I don't love that Boyd/Shota/Taillon are all FAs after '26.  But you have Steele, Horton, and Alcantara (only if you want him) plus I'd like to think you feel solid about one of Wiggins/Brown/Wicks by then.  And if you don't like Alcantara, I think it's pretty easy to throw a little more money at the rotation (Bieber?) and use the trade chips more on the bullpen.

I follow the logic on all this, and I'm not sure I've thought through a specific plan that flips the script and does better, but the above team basically is swapping Tucker for Caissie and then Alcantara for Rea, and then picking up a fringe win or two between Goldschmidt and Williams. That seems....sorta status quo? Which is not bad, it's a 92 win team, you're avoiding the big contract, etc. 

I think I'd just rather go down the path of keeping the offense elite and balancing it a little bit so that we aren't mainly defensing our way to all the WAR. Tucker lets you find the highest bidder for Caissie and Alcantara, Bichette, Bregman, or even Suarez lets you find the highest bidder for Shaw. On one hand, as I said earlier, it's not like you can just snap your fingers and make a trade. On the other, your top end pitching options expand a lot from the group of Cease/Ranger Suarez/Valdez/King.

And if we're being honest, part of the reason I want a bigger offensive splash is to save Jed and Tom from doing the thing I really don't want them to do, which is to turn a 21 year old Ballesteros into a full time DH right off the jump because he's cheap and probably an above average hitter. 

[muntjack]

I'm not incredibly optimistic about the offseason,  but I think you have to set your sights higher than Sandy Alcantara (who would undoubtedly be a smart addition for the right cost).  

They need to trade for either an elite starter (Ryan, Gore) or one on the cusp (Cabrera, Ragans, Perez).  

They have the pieces to make this addition.  

 

[Manny Trillos Brother]

I don't love Ricketts at all, but is it possible Jed isn't getting enough credit for being a "good shopper" and is actually pretty good at his job? All of the Cubs media-social media sphere is calling for a larger budget this year (again, I would totally advocate for that), but is it really necessary? 

To me it's either A. Superteam or B. Hover around the $230-$240 mark and work your development pipeline hard & be opportunistic. I'd love to go the superteam route, but our ownership simply isn't going to do that. Nor is it a guarantee of getting into the playoffs (see Mets). 

Let's say we go to $275m - 6 of our spots (8 fielders + DH) are "set". You have C & 3B (both of which are "kind of" set) & DH. We have what ~$165 in commitments for 2026? Add in arb raises and we are around $190m? That gives us $85m to spend. Say the DH Schwarber/Belli/Tucker spot gets $35m. That still gives us $50m to spend + prospects to trade with the only holes being a TOR SP and then some misc relievers & bench pieces.

That should easily get the job done and still won't bump us too far up the cost/revenue chart. If we trade for a Joe Ryan or Edward Cabrera are people going to get upset that we have money left over even though we got a really good young pitcher?

[Bertz]

40 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I follow the logic on all this, and I'm not sure I've thought through a specific plan that flips the script and does better, but the above team basically is swapping Tucker for Caissie and then Alcantara for Rea, and then picking up a fringe win or two between Goldschmidt and Williams. That seems....sorta status quo? Which is not bad, it's a 92 win team, you're avoiding the big contract, etc. 

I think I'd just rather go down the path of keeping the offense elite and balancing it a little bit so that we aren't mainly defensing our way to all the WAR. Tucker lets you find the highest bidder for Caissie and Alcantara, Bichette, Bregman, or even Suarez lets you find the highest bidder for Shaw. On one hand, as I said earlier, it's not like you can just snap your fingers and make a trade. On the other, your top end pitching options expand a lot from the group of Cease/Ranger Suarez/Valdez/King.

And if we're being honest, part of the reason I want a bigger offensive splash is to save Jed and Tom from doing the thing I really don't want them to do, which is to turn a 21 year old Ballesteros into a full time DH right off the jump because he's cheap and probably an above average hitter. 

It is 100% status quo.  But I'm very comfortable with a situation where we keep the team's talent level flat while simultaneously getting younger.  Especially ahead of the roster cliff next winter.

If Tom wants to stop doing the crocodile arms routine for a year and we can have both Tucker and pitching, great.  But asuming we have to choose I want pitching, and lots of it.

[Geographyhater8888]

18 minutes ago, Bertz said:

It is 100% status quo.  But I'm very comfortable with a situation where we keep the team's talent level flat while simultaneously getting younger.  Especially ahead of the roster cliff next winter.

If Tom wants to stop doing the crocodile arms routine for a year and we can have both Tucker and pitching, great.  But asuming we have to choose I want pitching, and lots of it.

What do you mean? It’s $17 million off the books. He’s not going to give Jed an additional $300 million+ and allow him to choose between Tucker or a package of free agents to improve the roster. 

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

What do you mean? It’s $17 million off the books. He’s not going to give Jed an additional $300 million+ and allow him to choose between Tucker or a package of free agents to improve the roster. 

The issue is present with the post. You are using yearly salary ($17m) and total contract value ($300+m). If The Cubs sign Kyle Tucker, they're not paying out $300m right away. It would be around a $13m increase (or so).

What Bertz is trying to say is that the Cubs can both sign Tucker, and spend on pitching in 2026 without having to be the Dodgers. They're sitting around the $170-$180m mark on spending right now, which is $60m under the first LT line. Add in the extra $25m of revenue in playoff cash, as well as factoring in the amount of money dropping off from the 2026 roster cliff, the Cubs are in prime position to spend a bunch this year and still get under the LT again in a year. 

I think we both know that it isn't necessarily going to happen. But if the Cubs stopped behaving in the way that they have been, this is the offseason to sign both Tucker, a good SP and stock the pen. Ultimately, the Cubs will probably pick one or the other instead. 

[Backtobanks]

Go all in on King, trade for Cabrera, and trade for Jung.

[Geographyhater8888]

47 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

The issue is present with the post. You are using yearly salary ($17m) and total contract value ($300+m). If The Cubs sign Kyle Tucker, they're not paying out $300m right away. It would be around a $13m increase (or so).

What Bertz is trying to say is that the Cubs can both sign Tucker, and spend on pitching in 2026 without having to be the Dodgers. They're sitting around the $170-$180m mark on spending right now, which is $60m under the first LT line. Add in the extra $25m of revenue in playoff cash, as well as factoring in the amount of money dropping off from the 2026 roster cliff, the Cubs are in prime position to spend a bunch this year and still get under the LT again in a year. 

I think we both know that it isn't necessarily going to happen. But if the Cubs stopped behaving in the way that they have been, this is the offseason to sign both Tucker, a good SP and stock the pen. Ultimately, the Cubs will probably pick one or the other instead. 

I know it’s not literally $300 million AAV. They’ve never given anywhere near that $ figure. They technically can, I’d be stunned with how they’ve historically handed out contracts. Deferred money is also an option to to add stay under the tax while adding to the staff this winter but Tom has been publicly against that too. But you’re correct that there’s an opportunity with all the controllable young talent.

Edited October 17, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Bertz]

7 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

What do you mean? It’s $17 million off the books. He’s not going to give Jed an additional $300 million+ and allow him to choose between Tucker or a package of free agents to improve the roster. 

The team generally uses the luxury tax line as its defacto payroll cap.  The Cubs are ~$80M under that line right now heading into 2026, and that's assuming no options get picked up.  Take out ~$10M for trade deadline money, another ~$20M for the various depth bench/bullpen types (e.g. the Caleb Thielbar and Jon Berti type signings), and there's $50Mish remaining to spend on more fun and impactful stuff.

Even the most conservative estimate for Tucker is something like Corey Seager money (10 years, $325M), probably higher.  So that's 2/3rds of your fun money right there.  And if Shota picks up his option you're already tapped out.  You can feel more comfortable dealing away some of the young bats for additional pitching if you've got Tucker locked down, but realistically you're staring at a pitching staff that is okay at best unless you get some really positive outcomes from Steele, Wiggins, and/or Brown.

So unless Tom bumps payroll, that's the choice: keep the band together on offense and have a fairly shakey pitching staff (admittedly with upside), or fortify the pitching staff but replace Tucker with a gaggle of talented kids.  I prefer the latter, but I don't think anyone is wrong to prefer the former.

[Geographyhater8888]

53 minutes ago, Bertz said:

The team generally uses the luxury tax line as its defacto payroll cap.  The Cubs are ~$80M under that line right now heading into 2026, and that's assuming no options get picked up.  Take out ~$10M for trade deadline money, another ~$20M for the various depth bench/bullpen types (e.g. the Caleb Thielbar and Jon Berti type signings), and there's $50Mish remaining to spend on more fun and impactful stuff.

Even the most conservative estimate for Tucker is something like Corey Seager money (10 years, $325M), probably higher.  So that's 2/3rds of your fun money right there.  And if Shota picks up his option you're already tapped out.  You can feel more comfortable dealing away some of the young bats for additional pitching if you've got Tucker locked down, but realistically you're staring at a pitching staff that is okay at best unless you get some really positive outcomes from Steele, Wiggins, and/or Brown.

So unless Tom bumps payroll, that's the choice: keep the band together on offense and have a fairly shakey pitching staff (admittedly with upside), or fortify the pitching staff but replace Tucker with a gaggle of talented kids.  I prefer the latter, but I don't think anyone is wrong to prefer the former.

I see. I’d be stunned if Jed chooses the former..

Edited October 17, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[squally1313]

Extremely half-assed internet research: Suzuki has a NTC, but would assume if there's a list of teams he's willing to waive it for, the Dodgers would be on it. The Dodgers currently have Kike Hernandez in left after Conforto bombed out, and both of them are bad and free agents at YE anyways. The Dodgers don't need Suzuki (or anyone else), but 1/$19m for a left fielder is pocket change to them. 

The Dodgers, on the pitching side, have Snell for 4 years, Glasnow for 2, Shohei/Yamamoto/Sasaki for forever, and then there's Emmitt Sheehan (2.1 fWAR, 2.82/2.93 ERA/FIP in 73 IP/12 starts) and Gavin Stone (2.1 fWAR, 3.53 ERA/4.01 FIP in 140 IP/25 starts coming off October 2024 TJ surgery). Adding one of those guys to the pitching mix with control through 2029 and clearing $19m off the books makes someone like Tucker much more palatable, and then you still have Caissie/Ballesteros/Long to figure out pitching and fight for a DH spot. 

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, Manny Trillos Brother said:

I don't love Ricketts at all, but is it possible Jed isn't getting enough credit for being a "good shopper" and is actually pretty good at his job? All of the Cubs media-social media sphere is calling for a larger budget this year (again, I would totally advocate for that), but is it really necessary? 

To me it's either A. Superteam or B. Hover around the $230-$240 mark and work your development pipeline hard & be opportunistic. I'd love to go the superteam route, but our ownership simply isn't going to do that. Nor is it a guarantee of getting into the playoffs (see Mets). 

Let's say we go to $275m - 6 of our spots (8 fielders + DH) are "set". You have C & 3B (both of which are "kind of" set) & DH. We have what ~$165 in commitments for 2026? Add in arb raises and we are around $190m? That gives us $85m to spend. Say the DH Schwarber/Belli/Tucker spot gets $35m. That still gives us $50m to spend + prospects to trade with the only holes being a TOR SP and then some misc relievers & bench pieces.

That should easily get the job done and still won't bump us too far up the cost/revenue chart. If we trade for a Joe Ryan or Edward Cabrera are people going to get upset that we have money left over even though we got a really good young pitcher?

There is no way to separate Jed from the Ricketts. They are one and the same. Tom loves the luxury tax because he was one of the main architects of it and he can use it as an artificial ceiling. So that should be the line, but as we've seen, it's not; they may go over, but not for long, and they will be way under more than they ever will be over.

Tom and the sibs believe the best way to build a team is to grow it from the farm.  And they don't want to "pay for past accomplishments",  

I hate them, and it is what it is, as they say. 

[Bertz]

Another pitcher worth keeping in the back of your mind is Tatsuya Imai

Passan said about a month ago he's expected to get something in the $150-200M range, and obviously wouldn't have a qualifying offer attached.