How likely is it Tom played $GME this week? Personally, this reads to me as a Kaplan "cover my ass" move. Or he's very liberally playing with the word "recently." The Cubs clearly aren't spending a ton, and given that reality they were likely always going to wait until A) after the Arb deadline and B) for some of the top tier of FA to sign so they could start seriously engaging with the middle tier. It makes sense but I feel like if this was in any sort of consideration as a plan why would they let guys like Lester, Chatwood, Q go for basically nothing? Lester is not that great anymore but when you are looking at guys like Samardzija and Shelby Miller as rotation pieces, and Lester would have come back for very very little and much of that deferred...seems like an odd move IMO.