Hunter

Considering the Phillies would prefer Machado. Nightengale is the worst.

Have we fallen so far that not only look to twitter for trade rumors, but now we are looking to twitter for players to sign? :lol:

Brewers picked up Spangenberg. Pretty solid 1 year deal. [tweet] [/tweet]

Huh? Any team he signed with only pays the league minimum for him. Using Tulo and dumping Russell would have saved us $3.5 million too.

[tweet] [/tweet] I would rather give up Almora, but if true, do this yesterday.

Well for $3 I guess we could take a chance in 2020.

How do the Dodgers keep finding ways to dump bad contracts and payroll? We can't seem to do it.

No, really, you don't. You cut your losses and move on. I'm not even comfortable with the idea of trading to try to recoup some value. I get that it's the right business move, but some things should be bigger than business. I don't want to gain anything from his horsefeathers existence. I want the team to drop him like the flaming bag of horsefeathers that he is. If I were more vindictive, maybe I'd want him sent off to the minor leagues to sit on a bench and burn a number of his most valuable years. But I don't know that that accomplishes anything, and I'm pretty sure that would result in a viable grievance claim. I am not saying what I would do but trying to reason what the organization is doing. It isn't worth any justification to keep him.

This is how I feel as well. So glad I bought Baez WS jersey beginning of 2017 season so it won't bother me about buying another Cub related merch for a long time. Now to the bold part. Is there any blowback to the Cubs from Boras in this situation? Like if Cubs just outright release him and lets say Russell can't find a team to sign him all offseason, would Boras throw up his arms and start talking to MLBPA about filing a grievance or whatever? Boras could be like, "There's no video proof, convicted/arrest, etc and all we're relying on are the words of a couple womens and that the Cubs should still be paying him this season." It's a horsefeathers look for Boras, but I can see him sticking up to his client in that way. Surely Theo/Cubs aren't worried that this could happen right? I'm just trying to think of another option on why Cubs have kept Russell so far that haven't been talked about. I don't think this has been brought up in this thread yet. For the Boras angle, I more see it a possibility of him having an impact on signing Harper or extending/resigning Bryant. It might not be that big of an impact, but you don't want to piss him off either. In the end, the most money usually wins, but you want to keep a good relationship with the guy who holds strong influence of people you want to sign or extend. I've been of the belief that the Cubs tendered Russell to pay him $3-$4 million he will get and then trade him when it becomes doable. You keep Boras happy because you didn't completely kick Russell to the curb where he ends up getting nothing better than a minor league contract offered to him by another team.

I generally like to let facts come out before I am willing to condemn someone. I also believe everyone deserves second chances and giving people the opportunity to apologize and move forward. I have been willing to give Russell such an opportunity and thought maybe the Cubs are doing the same. I can respect the Cubs if they honestly intended to do so. However, the more that is coming out the more I too want Russell gone. The stories are troubling because they speak to an overall lack of character more so than Russell making stupid mistakes. His production hasn't been great, and his salary can't be an issue. The only thing I can fathom is the Cubs are either desperately trying to recover some value out of this situation, or this is all to stay in Boras' good graces. Neither reason is worth it, and he needs to go.

I don't remember seeing this before, but it lines up with the timing of the Reddit post. It was well known that the Dodgers are trying to shop Puig, but the bit about him wanting to be in LA?

The cat weighs in: [tweet] [/tweet]

Yeah, I don’t get this. i think it probably has to do with their presumably having more tradeable money than we do. Like we would have to work pretty hard to move enough money (heyward, chatwood etc) while they can surely find a taker for Puig without much trouble. They are also currently 9 million under cap and we are over by 14 million.

I've always wondered how the winter meetings work. I've always imagined it is like a speed dating experience. Each GM sits down with another GMs for 5 minutes. "I'm looking for a left handed middle reliever." "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm more of an outfielder kind of team."

I don't think it is breaking news that Harper would want to play for the Cubs. I think just about everyone has always figured it is more up to the Cubs than him. I don't think it will require the Cubs handing out the most money/years, but if they can get close enough, he will choose the Cubs. With the reporting of the Cubs' money situation, it isn't much of leap to think they would try to clear $20 million in payroll to make room for Harper and still be able to shop for other needs. If Harper is willing to wait, then the Cubs are going to be smart and act poor. We have other needs to fill and moving people before a big signing is easier than after. I also don't think it is a great stretch that we will see a signing almost immediately after a big payroll clearing trade. Especially if it is Heyward or Chatwood. If the Cubs can't dump $20 million in payroll, they will have to get really creative. I should start a Cubs Captain Obvious twitter with this great insight!

Does Heyward have a no-trade clause? A limited one.

His 27 season he stole 3 bases and was caught 16 times lol. Career 74 stolen with 72 caught.

Dodgers are estimated at $197 million. That leaves them with about $9 million to play with. Previous 2 years they were over-cap. That third year of being over-cap really hurts. Penalty jumps from 20% 1st year, to 30% 2nd year, and then to 50% for the 3rd year. If they were be over by $20 million, they would then be paying a 62% penalty on their overages.

Dodgers also going in to 3rd year being over cap. Articles during season were about how they had to get under cap for 19.

Rosenthal saying Cutch doesn't stop them from going after Harper though. [tweet] [/tweet]

Keep blowing money on other players not named Machado or Harper.

You remember incorrectly. The cubs were the 3rd highest payroll last year. Dodgers and Giants were both over the salary cap.

Such a huge buzz that LITERALLY NO OTHER OUTLET IS REPORTING IT Really wish more people would call him out on it. If it is so big, why hasn't any credible or even semi-credible reporter mentioned it.

Hard to say, everyone was wearing coats and hoodies at night. The conference had 55,000 people and gave out hoodies to everyone.

I stayed at the Bellagio last week for a conference. It is across from that sign. They weren't running Manilow then. Also the people pictured are way under dressed for this time of year. It was low 50s at night last week. Granted the street performers and strippers hang out near there and don't wear much. At night the girls were wearing more on their legs and torso due to the weather.