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Watch Shaw breakout in a huge way after Nico's contract extension! Any no trade verbiage in the extension?

Brown is going to be impersonating a yo-yo this season. He will be back and forth from Chicago to Des Moines. Why? Brown has options remaining and the majority of the roster does not.

Does he have a + glove?

Depending on Amaya to back up any position up is risky. With his injury history, however flukey, he just seems snakebit with injuries. I'm a big Long fan from watching him here in Des Moines. He is a quality human being who can flat out hit with authority. Besides the elbow injury he is currently not on the 40 man roster. With all of the non-roster guys in camp his roster status may dictate that he starts the year at Iowa. No matter who backs up Busch, Mo (5' 8"), Amaya (6' 1") or Long (5' 11"). The defense is going to be sub-par.

Amen. That bench was atrocious and structurally self-redundant.

With the off days early in the season going with 6 starters is an inefficient alignment. An extra pen arm is more optimal. You don't want starters going 7 to 8 days between starts.

Jonny Long has a MLB ready bat and little to prove in Des Moines. After being promoted at every level his numbers improved instead of regressed. It would be a soft introduction into MLB by filling Austin's 1B/DH role. When they call him up, I'd wager it's for the duration. Side note: Jonny will be missed by the greater Des Moines Little league communities. He held several hitting clinics during his limited downtime. He would stay late to sign both at the park and the clinics. Quality human being and a wonderful role model.

Mike Tauchman would make a nice 4th outfielder. I don't think Alcantara's bat is MLB ready plus he needs to play every day to develop. Tauchman shouldn't be an expensive sign.

What does your bench look like? With the Bregman signing - Shaw moves into the utility infielder role. Would like to see Jonny Long on the roster. Having another RH bat would be nice. He could platoon with Mo at DH as well as backing up 1B when a tough LHP starts and Busch sits.

What's next? Cubs signing Trevor Bauer?

As a young child, some of my first memories of sporting events, are of attending KC Royal games with my Grandfather, who had season tickets for many years. Collected some cherished signed balls (Frank White, Dennis Leonard, and George Brett) and more importunately memories of games with grandpa. Even though a lifelong Cub fan, I still followed the Royals to talk baseball with 91 years old Grandpa. Where am I going with this? 2015 Was a World Series winning year for the Royals. With a mediocre at best starting rotation I thought they had no chance and told that much. Grandpa kept reminding how much of a weapon the bullpen the bullpen was. He was right. And it was. The Royals were shortening the game to 6 innings. If their starters and front half of the bullpen could get them 6 good innings and keep them close (Royals had 1 starter with an ERA under 4 and 1 ((Jeremy Guthrie over 6)) they had a +.550 win percentage. The bullpen had the depth to cover a Greg Holland injury. They shortened the game using this template: 7th: Herrera 8th: Davis - (Madson when Holland went down) 9th: Holland Relievers are volatile from season to season, The Cubs proved you can build from the scrap heap this year. It's an ugly process without a guarantee of success that takes in season time that wastes some of the team's best efforts which directly impacts morale. Rather than Hoyer's typical nickel and dime approach of signing a plethora of low to mid range FA BP arms, Why not pony up for an arm that takes the 9th inning away and makes everyone else one slot better? Who fills the 7th 8th and 9th slot right now?

The Los Angeles Angels have some players that fit current Cub needs. An ascending young controllable starter that has mid/top of a rotation stuff: José Soriano - Free agent 2029. His knuckle-curve is filthy combined with his splitter. Needs to refine his command. Having a solid year. Here is a link to some clips of him pitching, José Soriano Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News | Los Angeles Angels Bullpen help: Kenley Jansen - rental - still missing bats. Not sure if he should close or setup for Palencia. 3B / OF / Bench - Taylor Ward - rental - Has experience at 3B. Just not much of it as a pro. Has 2B experience as well. Right-handed batter should help with tough LHP. Having a good season. Taylor would be a HUGE upgrade to the bench if the Cubs do something different @ 3B or if Shaw breaks out and claims 3B. Individually, Ward and Jansen are rentals and shouldn't be that hard to acquire. Soriano is a different matter. Concerns? Other than RCal's (😄) anxiety over Ward's 3B defense. Morel's 3B defense discussion affected us all... Thoughts?

I don't want to set the Pirates up with quality Bats. I don't want Caisse...Wiggins or Long in our division.

To be fair - Jim freaking Bowden DID make some bad trades. Maybe he just can't help himself. He did get fired for wasting prospect capitol by trading for ......relief pitchers.

A rental is a rental...NO DBacks. You don't move that caliber a prospect for 50+/- games of Eugieno Suarez.