Tryptamine

I irrationally don't want to move Baez at all. I enjoy it far too much when other team's fans hate both Baez and Contreras for basically everything they do. It's nice to be on the positive end of that after so many years.

So we're giving up a very good young player and eating an awful contract? Apparently that is his definition of "Win win".

I think it's more that the Cubs want to get his deal done so they can move on, but Cobb wants to explore the market a little more. If reports are right he's getting more attention than any other FA starter left on the market.

I really hope you're wrong unless someone really likes Happ a whole lot.

With the Yankees in heavy on Cobb, I get the feeling that the days of hoping for 4/48 or even 4/60 are long gone and we're probably looking at something like 5/85 or 4/70 now.

So you figure if things go really well 2M on Rene Rivera,10M on Morrow, 8M on Reed, does that even leave enough to go after Cobb and still have Harper money next year?

All 2nd hand [tweet] [/tweet] Not as positive as the second hand comment, but I'll take take it.

I'm pretty happy with this signing as long as the the other pitcher added is at least of Cobb quality.

Agreed, if Ohtani happens to not work out where they have to grab Cobb and someone else, Mikolas was neck and neck with Chatwood for me.

I just hope Theo and crew is completely thorough on all the Japanese customs. It would make a very positive impression if they were able to get through a dinner properly and avoided all the little snafus that most people don't know about. Drinking procedure included. Just for example, in Japan the number 4 is bad luck because it spelled "Shi" and to die in Japanese is "Shinu". Most buildings will skip the 4th floor etc.

I almost thought I was still reading a Yankee message board.

I get it, they're not letting Trubisky throw the ball much, but 102 yards? Time for Fox and Pace to get the axe.

Would be thrilled to land Smyly on a minor league deal just in case his arm ever stays in one piece. I can't believe Chi Chi is already getting DFA'd. He's like 2 years off a top 100 listing.

Orioles are supposedly after Almora. I put very little stock in this but it's slow. Anyways, outside of Gausman/Bundy there is no one I'd feel good about trading Almora for. http://www.12up.com/posts/5822867-report-orioles-express-interest-in-young-cubs-star?a_aid=40920

Jay Jackson, one of my favorites when I first started really paying attention to the system. I was so sure that Jay was going to be a monster and Tony Thomas was going to be our 2B for years to come.

If I had the ability to change one rule in MLB it would be this one. It's a very large advantage for team's like BAL and STL who basically carry top 10 payrolls as it is.

I guess I forgot he got hurt/wasn’t as good last year. I wonder if like Caritini and Zas would be enough if Moran was all it was going to take? With as pitching desperate as Baltimore is, Adzolay would almost definitely be gone

This. Getting really tired of giving up prospects for pen arms; if you're going to trade do it for a SP or a Yelich type.

I think Angels, Rangers or Mariners for him I would love if Arietta signed with the Angels. I always kind of root for them for Trout's sake, so it would be nice to see if Jake could help them out.

This is bad for us. Everyone of the half dozen changes over the last year or two has been, I'm not exactly surprised. MLB has been trying to send him to the Yankees for a while.

Those contract numbers floated by MLB Trade Rumors were really bad for Cobb. He's going to get far closer to 100M than he will the 4/48 they suggest. On a side note, the Reds didn't offer Zack Cozart a QO which would make him an amazing option should Theo decide to move one of of Russell or Baez.

I'm not going to include Otani in this mock, there's just not anyone with any real information as far as where he wants to go. Secondly, I am going to assume that the Cubs are truly going to make an effort to sign Harper in 2019. Sign Rene Rivera 1/2.5M Sign Carlos Gomez 2/22M Sign Alex Cobb 4/70M Sign Clay Buchholz 1/5M Sign Wily Peralta 1/5M Sign Addison Reed 3/27M Trade Ian Happ and Victor Caratini to TOR for Roberto Osuna. TOR needs a 2B replacement for the oft hurt Devon Travis and they're going to need a back up at catcher who can eventually take over when Russell Martin's contract is up in 2019. C:Contreras 1B: Rizzo 2B: Baez SS: Russell 3B: Bryant RF: Heyward CF: Almora LF: Schwarber Bench: Rivera,Zobrist,Gomez,TLS,Hannemann SP: Lester,Hendricks,Quintana,Cobb,(Buccholz/Peralta) RP:Osuna,Reed,Strop,Edwards,Montgomery,Wilson,Maples The offense remains pretty much the same, maybe a slight upgrade in going Jon Jay to C.Gomez. SP might be slightly downgraded, but I think between Buccholz and peralta one of them can figure it out enough to give us a bunch of 4ERA inning which is all I'm looking for. I think the bullpen is upgraded with Osuna and Reed, not to mention it solves the closer problem for a while as Osuna is under control for 3 more years. 2019 is where they find their long term 5th pitcher and chase after Harper.

That's a shame, this could have been a huge boost.

I don’t like how this played out, it sucks, but let’s not pretend like Simeon was sending us the Rose and Parker’s of the world. And I would think we’d get credit for not only taking, but allowing Jaylon Tate four years at a big ten school. The Simeon thing was pretty much secondary. Taking away a kid's scholarship 4 hours before he's ready to announce is really scummy. It's also pretty pathetic that Mac Irvin basically controls who is and isn't going to UofI now

Underwood has completely embarrassed himself and pretty must cost UofI any shot at another Simeon recruit going forward. The Guy hasn't even coached a game yet and I'm already ready for him to move on.