If it is true that the Cubs have authority to up payroll by 15m, then someone with the power to make a decision like that is still currently in place. If that's the case, why only 15m? If the team is going to be sold, what difference would 15m or 25m really make in the overall scheme of things. If it chases off a buyer, I'm sure there will still be other buyers interested. In other words, I doubt if forking out the cash for someone like ARod would really deter someone from buying, so why stop at a 15m increase. And even if the Cubs did get so daring to spend 25m on ARod, the door would still be open to deal off guys like Jones, Dempster, Marquis to make ARod more affordable. If 15m means Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter, I'd much rather see them go after ARod for more money. Signing someone like ARod should make purchasing the Cubs even more entertaining to a potential buyer, IMO. ARod increases the value of the team, whereas I don't see any other free agent out there that does that. It's probably a pipe dream to wish for ARod, but I think it still has to be explored.