Sammy Sofa

Well, the fact that we would still have Rizzo, Bryant, Russell and Schwarber is kinda big in this scenario. If we trade Castro and Soler, then they are simply trading the two worst guys of our "core," depending on if you consider Javy a part of the core. They aren't trading away the cheap, young stars. In fact, Starlin isn't really any of those things. His salary isn't really cheap anymore. It's not prohibitive or expensive really. But, he isn't pre-arb, like those other guys. And he is what he is now. He's just a guy that happens to be kinda young and under contract for awhile. Trading a guy like Soler might bite us. But, he's like our fourth or fifth best pre-arb guy, anyway. And he hasn't done anything to prove that he is anywhere near the level of the guys we are actually keeping. That's not how it works though. Zobrist isn't that much better than good Castro. He's not that much better than bad Castro and Baez (who would presumably take over for bad Castro at 2B), that you pay him 19Mil more over the next 4 years with 10 years of age on his side. And there's no law that you can only have 4 good pre-arb players. And if I'm trading a good pre-arb player, I want a similarly good pre-arb player at a bigger position of need. It's swapping out Starlin for Zobrist for $15 million more over the next four years + whatever we get back in a Starlin trade. I think it is brilliant. Depends on what they get for Castro. Also, gotta figure Baez into this somehow. Unless he really takes to CF, then the collateral damage of Zobrist at 2B is not only Castro being traded, but likely Baez being traded. Zobrist has too big of a contract and leash to put Baez in there everyday if he's struggling. Zobrist is already your super-utility guy. Going to be hard to get Javy ABs in the lineup as constructed, and that's before the Cubs have a CF. Baez can get plenty of time as the super utility guy.

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There's a whopping 4 games left in a 16 game season. It ain't like being some douche acting like their night is ruined because the Cubs somehow managed to eke out a win in game #126 in an season that was toast before it even began, but hey, YA GOT ME.

Right, plus, like I've said, the Bears actually haven't looked that bad this year. It's obviously a generalization, but they've been in pretty much all of their games and their losses have been close. You'll see the roster shake up after this season, but given how they've looked with all of the injuries and the deficiencies they had going into the season, I feel like a solid draft could really go a long way to turning them around quickly.

Plus the Cubs have a FO that I was confident in drafting well regardless of whether they had a top pick or not. I still don't know what to make of these clowns running the Bears, but I'm not nearly as confident in them.

weren't you anti tank with the cubs even when the seasons were long over or an I thinking of someone else I'm anti-tanking from the get-go no matter what the sport is.The Bears have reached a point where their chances of the playoffs are remote, plus they've mostly just lost close games instead of being catastrophically bad, so it's not like they're desperately rebuilding from a complete disaster. Pump up that draft. I'm saying weren't you one of the people pissed at people rooting for losses when the team was in last place in August or am I remembering the wrong guy? Well, yeah, [expletive] like the obsessive Fecal League standings and barren game threads mostly populated with chumps bemoaning Cubs wins are things any sane person can't stand.

weren't you anti tank with the cubs even when the seasons were long over or an I thinking of someone else I'm anti-tanking from the get-go no matter what the sport is. The Bears have reached a point where their chances of the playoffs are remote, plus they've mostly just lost close games instead of being catastrophically bad, so it's not like they're desperately rebuilding from a complete disaster. Pump up that draft.

Lose, you idiots.

Oh, what is this fresh nonsense. nothing says fragile psyche like being lauded by your teammates, manager and front office for handling a demotion and change in position and positively contributing to the team in a playoff race. IT'S ALL JUST CODDLING HIS BABY BRAIN. When everyone loved his walk-up music it just made him SOFT AND WEAK.

I will be checked many times on this undoubtedly, but so long as nobody was raped or murdered lets get the whole story together first. His girlfriend was allegedly choked and HIDING IN THE BUSHES when the police arrived. He discharged a firearm 8 times and had to be locked in a room by his friends. Bargain bin jokes might strike some folks as a bit flat. Fair point on the jokes. Anyway some things here with your post: 1 - Allegedly choked should definitely be the one capitalized over the bushes, which wouldn't help if he was actually looking to hurt her. She also allegedly attacked him first after sparking the incident at all by going through his phone first. 2 - He fired the gun at nothing but his own garage wall, which he locked himself in to do, before his friends helped him out by locking him in another room. The Cubs were never going to trade for him, you jamoke. Stop tying yourself into knots pointlessly defending a lunatic.

Holy [expletive], what.

BUT HE COULD BE CONVERTED INTO A STARTER.

Hey, getting defensive over a player the Cubs weren't even trying to get except in his head makes perfect sense.

It was only a matter of time until TomVs.Godzilla imploded yet again.

I have no idea what's even being discussed anymore.

Oh, what is this fresh nonsense.

i love javy and even i think this is ridiculous They can add other minor pieces as well. Even if you're inexplicably talking about some previously unknown third Baez in the Cubs system who was secretly amazing, you could add in the two actual Baezes and you'd still have a scenario where the Rays laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh.

Where.

thank you if anything, that drought that i didn't experience like 80% of, adds a little intrigue. i'd rather win championships, but my desire to win a WS has just about nothing to do with eliminating the "curse" thing, outside of the cool element it would add to the narrative (i'm sure theo loves this part). i mean, yeah, it sucks that they haven't won one in that long, i guess, but i wouldn't feel any better about the cubs had they won one in 1969 or something (or even 84). i'd almost rather have the drought than a random championship somewhere along the way there...but either way it doesn't matter much. Totally spot on. The people who have a right to bitch are the ones who are in their 90s and early 100s. Otherwise, being a Cubs fan means you are no different than an Indians, Brewers, Pirates, Mariners, Astros or Rangers one. I mostly agree but... Indians: At least they can watch video highlights of their team in the World Series...in color. They have memories of their team winning 5 World Series games in the 90's. They have AL Champion banners Brewers: Same but to a much lesser extent. Pirates: They've won a title, they had fun memories of "We are family" and Stargell hitting a HR in game 7 of the world series. even if they weren't alive, they can connect with those memories, similar to how Bears fans can with the 85 team even though someone like me was too young to remember Mariners: OK they can compete with us Astros: Again they have a recent experience of winning a pennant and playing in a world series. Heck they can watch their pennant winning celebration in HD Rangers: Same plus they won 4 WS games within the last 5 years Obviously winning a World Series is the end goal and ultimately the only goal that definitively matters, but the Cubs have a longer pennant drought then any other team has a world series drought (among teams that have won a world series)...we don't have 100 years of pain, but we carry 100 years of baggage as fans whether we want to or not. Some people it doesn't bother, others it does. This post is almost unbearably lame.

Because they were a disappointment in 2009 and then flat out stunk until 2015. Not because they didn't win a WS. So you are implying that there is absolutely no correlation between the stigma surrounding the Cubs and our 107 year World Series drought? Come on. I don't care; I'm not going to look at a 97-win season and an exciting playoff run as a failure or a joke because they haven't won a WS in over a century. I enjoy watching the team I'm a fan of do well.

Because they were a disappointment in 2009 and then flat out stunk until 2015. Not because they didn't win a WS.

didn't the Cubs win 4 playoff games this year? Is that what you call success? Yes.

As appealing as Soler's potential is, last season made him a really big question mark. Gordon isn't a sexy move, but barring injury he's about as close a lock as you can hope for.

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Han me bookies.