Jason Ross

I just wrote a big article on this, kind of really fleshing out my ideas, and I do think Jed has a small point here - he's right, not one of those guys was moved. At the same time, the Cubs were in a unique position to likely bully one team into moving one of this players. Would the cost have been a lot? Sure thing. Would it have failed a BBTV mode? I bet you it would have. But sometimes you pay a little bit over a price to ensure youre the team with the thing, and the Cubs didn't do that. I'll concede that maybe every team with a controllable SP had such astronomical prices that it wouldn't have ever been feasible, but with the amount out there...I feel like they probably could have gotten one if we were willing to pay a price above what felt rational (that remained short of astronomical).

Listen folks, I drive down the road to get Big Kahuna Burger (yes, it's real, and yes it's a tasty burger) because it's one light away from my house too. But damnit, I ordered a pizza the other night and I paid that delivery fee. Jed needs to be more like me. (that said he did trade for Soroka...)

So my thoughts, just to get them on paper (or internet paper) on the deadline: In a vacuum, I really have no issues with any trade the Cubs made. You can quibble on a prospect here or there, but the highest-ranked prospect traded profiles like a backup, and your best upside is a kid who isn't even-18, so he'll almost assuredly fizzle out. The Cubs got a perfect bench bat in Castro, an undervalued SP in Soroka, and two arms to help the bullpen. The Cubs are unquestionably better than when we last saw them. But...I think this is a failure of a deadline from Jed Hoyer. His best asset as a leader is that he holds strong to his valuations of players. I love that about him. It's why I liked every trade above; the Cubs didn't get fleeced once - they really don't get fleeced. Maybe you don't love a trade but they never get fleeced. But it's that same pigheaded valuation that means you never get irrational for needs. Jed Hoyer is a fine VP of Baseball Ops. He put together this roster, and the Cubs look like a team who can make the playoffs. They're better than yesterday. But sometimes you need to pay 15% more than you should just to have it and Jed's undying loyalty to the value means that while he won't get fleeced, he won't go big. One of our other writers, put it best in our slack today. "Jed always picks up his pizza, he never orders delivery" and I think that's the best analogy I've ever heard for Hoyer. He will never pay the delivery fee, he'll never pay for a tip if he can just drive seven minutes down the road and get it from Dominoes. I don't think he needs to Door Dash McDonalds every night like AJ Preller probably would, but sometime, he needs to treat himself.

There is nothing more coming. They're done.

I wrote a whole ass article on him! And I'm not happy.

Yeah. This is unacceptable.

Just because we haven't heard doesn't mean they haven't told the league.

But the Yankees could give them Spencer Jones for Skenes. Heyman told me.

I'm 100% okay with the Castro trade. Armstrong was Gallagher a year ago. Gallagher is a popup. I'm fine.

James Triantos scratched. He's probably headed to Twins

Haha, not this time...I don't have the names but do think maybe it's steeper than people will expect.

Don't get your hopes up it's free....

Because he's not very good any more.

Can't do Kelly. He's in Texas now.

I'll say this, even though my anxiety is building over what may not happen, if the Cubs were going to make a swing...it was probably going to be a late one with the waters they were in. So being logical, this was probably always how today would go.

"No reason to think they don't make a big move"

Well, the Cubs will probably make a few deals in the next hour. I'm not worried about that much. How much I like the deals, will certainly be the rub.

Hey, they had Russel Martin for two amazing years 10-11 years go! You take your Russel Martin slander elsewhere, good sir!

Feels like it depends on how you see Flores. 24 year old in Triple-A.. Passan notes he's seen as a strong framer and ready for MLB action catcher at the defensive side. Statcast profile has some really good things and some not so good things in there so far at triple-A but it's small sample size.

Yankees get Bednar. Really hope Jones is in that trade so Heyman's tweet looks stupid as hell.

He has a NTC and signed a sweetheart deal to stay in Cleveland. 0%

Confirming what we thought:

BN just wrote about that in the same way. I don't love their opinions, but we also have to remember that Cerami works there and he's been pretty on it. He reports in this way, the quiet winks and nods and comments, so I do think that this is probably coming from a decent place.

His footwork needs a lot of help still too. It's not just that he's a bad framer, he's awkward. It could get there! But his shape kind of makes it more risky. Also, just leaving this here... If he's a catcher that's more than acceptable! As a DH?