The point was, if Heyward WAS NOT HERE, wasn't right field covered for Soler injuries just by having Zobrist? If Soler failed as everyone expected, or just played 100 games, we were covered with Ben until we see what Eloy will do. Last couple you had Happ and Almora instead of Theo spending the winter trying to move heyward when the no trade finally relaxed? They left Heyward in the 2 hole the entire first half of his first year here. Gave him every opportunity to succeed, while they took Soler and gave him every reason to fail by telling him he was no longer good enough to play right field.
Bottom line, that would have just been Zobrist getting big dollars (compared to others) and the pay for pitching thru Free agency which is now done and its time to pony up to the core of the team we were supposed to have for a decade.
Zobrist was signed to play 2B.
2015 Russell and Castro swapped mid season. Castro was far better as a 2B and Russell was being eased into the job. Soler was injured alot.
2016 Castro was traded to open payroll for Zobrist
.December 8, 2015
Signed John Lackey as a free agent.
Signed Ben Zobrist as a free agent.
Traded Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees. Received a player to be named later and Adam Warren. The New York Yankees sent Brendan Ryan (December 17, 2015) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade.
1 move was to make Lester happy bringing in his buddy from the Sox. 2nd was to make Joe happy because all season long the wanting a Zobrist type wouldn't stop. Zo wanted a full time role so they traded their 2B to do it. Baez was in limbo at this point after striking out 50% of the time in 2015. He became better after a AAA demotion. 2014 he had 95 SO in 213 AB'S. 2015 he spent the majority in Iowa. 76 AB' in 2015 is not a lock for shit.
2016 they wanted to extend the rotation. They signed Lackey.
They wanted to sign Zo. Did that and cleared Castro.
They were a OF short. Fowler wanted a 4 year deal and the Cubs really did not want to go over 1 year with Almora close. Soler was a train wreck and a injury waiting to happen in RF. So they decided to invest into the TOP OF FREE AGENT.
It is not their fault that Jason tanked. It really isn't.
Regardless all of this is just bull shit anyways it changes nothing to whine over spilt milk.
This is the way I'm looking at things right now. **** Manny and Harper. Trout is a far better talent and hits F)A in 2 years. I would rather not close another opertunity.