In trading away Bellinger, the team inarguably made the team worse with the sole purpose of cutting payroll. The Cubs were 3rd in revenue last season. Inexcusable to be in a position where cutting salary is your main concern. It was sold to the fans by emphasizing the benefit of staying under the cap. However they are still about $30 million under the cap. You do not get to put the money they saved from Belli as being put towards new acquisitions when they are still this far below the cap.
As Cubs fans, many of us saw the writing on the wall that they would not be willing to spend enough to at least be right at the cap (although with the division so wide open at the moment it's inexcusable to not go over). When we voice these complaints, the author of this piece then insults us all and tells us what we are clearly seeing is wrong. They are not cutting the salary. He emphatically tells us it will get right back to where they were, despite all the team's history telling us otherwise.
So yes, when they end up in fact spending 26th in the league in terms of payroll/revenue, I will let the author hear it. Especially when just a few games into the season it is already apparent that our bullpen is going to be a huge problem yet again.
As Cubs fans, we cannot be ok with ownership spending as little as they do, especially when they continue to bring in so much. Making articles like this excusing their spending will do nothing to improve the team in the future.
