Sources: Expect Cubs to spend next winter

[Willrust]

Will, what is the difference of signing Fielder to 9 yrs 215 million, versus Cano who will more than likely get 7 yrs 175 million? Talk about girth all you want, but there is no more guarantee that Cano will be around at age 38, then Fielder will be at age 36.

Fielder plays a position where he doesn't have to be mobile and could have been signed at age 27. Cano will be 31 when he inks a contract.

BTW, the Cubs are no closer to being contenders this year if they sign Cano than they were when Fielder was on the free agent market 2 years ago. Not saying it is you, but I don't get how people can endorse the bringing in of Cano, but not Fielder.

To me, everything about both of them is the same exact situation.

Robinson Cano is a 2B with some flexibility to move to another position (3B, LF, RF & 1B are not out of the question). Prince Fielder is stuck at 1B until his knees, feet or back gives out and will only be able to DH. Also, the level of difference between what the Cubs currently have at 2B and Robinson Cano is vastly greater than the difference between Rizzo and Fielder/Pujols. You are talking about a guy in Cano that could be a HOFer if he continues at his current pace versus a 1 dimensional guy in Barney. At least with Rizzo vs. Fielder Pujols, you are comparing a potential perennial All-Star to two likely HOFers.

As to the Cubs not being closer this year compared to the 2012 season, they are closer due to the added progression of their prospects (Soler, Watkins, Shoulders, Vogelbach, Rusin, Rosscup, Hendricks, Johnson and Baez to name a few) along with the added progression of the young players currently on the major league team (Castro, Rizzo, Samardzija, Russell, Wood & Castillo).

 

[Willrust]

Not sure what planet you live on where you think you can sign elite FA's like Fielder or Cano for deals under six years.

So again, you want to completely ignore the premier FA's and place all your eggs in the basket of the farm system.

Exactly like Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Tampa are doing.

The exact teams you say the Cubs aren't being run like.

Who is Josh Hamilton, Mr. Trebeck? So, apparently I live here on planet earth where premium FA's do sign deals for 6 years or less.

The Cubs are running a little like KC, Pittsburgh & Tampa, but definitely not exactly like them. The Cubs are using those team's model of attaining a numerous amount of young players along with putting themselves into position to draft and sign national and international players considered to have the highest ceilings. Until the Rays, Pirates & Royals can make their teams self sustaining to the point that they don't need revenue sharing, then you could compare them to the Cubs. Outside of that happening there cannot be an exact comparison between the Cubs and those franchises.

 

[SilenceS]

Who cares about Fielder. The Cubs took a risk with Rizzo and it has paid off pretty well. Now, if Rizzo didnt pan out like he has so far then Theo and them would be in a world of hurt.

 

[KBisBack!]

Prince Fielder is stuck at 1B until his knees, feet or back gives out and will only be able to DH.

You mean IF his knees, feet or back give out.

 

[KBisBack!]

Who is Josh Hamilton, Mr. Trebeck? So, apparently I live here on planet earth where premium FA's do sign deals for 6 years or less.

One player and who signed a 5 year deal.

There are always exceptions to the rule.

Almost all elite position player FA will get deals over six years. Doesn't change a thing.

And funny how last year when he was a FA you whined and whined and whined he wasn't an elite FA due to his off the field issues and injuries.

Guess it fits your agenda now though.

The Cubs are running a little like KC, Pittsburgh & Tampa, but definitely not exactly like them. The Cubs are using those team's model of attaining a numerous amount of young players along with putting themselves into position to draft and sign national and international players considered to have the highest ceilings. Until the Rays, Pirates & Royals can make their teams self sustaining to the point that they don't need revenue sharing, then you could compare them to the Cubs. Outside of that happening there cannot be an exact comparison between the Cubs and those franchises.

When the Cubs start fielding a quality major league team while working on the farm system I will see they are running a little like those teams.

However, right now, they are running exactly like those teams.

 

[KBisBack!]

Who cares about Fielder. The Cubs took a risk with Rizzo and it has paid off pretty well. Now, if Rizzo didnt pan out like he has so far then Theo and them would be in a world of hurt.

I will stop caring about Fielder when Rizzo hits .300 with 35ish HR's and 110ish RBI's.

 

[Willrust]

One player and who signed a 5 year deal.

There are always exceptions to the rule.

Almost all elite position player FA will get deals over six years. Doesn't change a thing.

Way to change your statement after being proven false. Also like the additional caveat of "position player" to your abridged statement. Also, I never said he wasn't an elite FA, just said that it would be a very bad move to offer him a lengthy contract based upon his history of drug abuse. But that is not like you at all to create statements from other posters based upon your creative memory. That's ok, you can always use the old Brandon Wood standby, perhaps the summation that James Sheilds was the Ace of the Rays staff over David Price, perhaps it could be the Sean Marshall trade that I was fond of and was chastised for, or thinking that the Maholm pickup was a good thing for the Cubs or the idea that Jackson would be a bad idea based upon his history at Wrigley (including comparison of Jackson vs. Cubs at Wrigley and vs. Cubs outside of Wrigley really painted a picture of how badly Jackson pitches at Wrigley), throw in the Ian Stewart trade for future All Stars Tyler Colvin & DJ LeMaheiu (of which at one point you said Tyler Colvin was a 4th OFer at best), sprinkle in some belief that I had a love-fest for Chris Volstad (although all I ever said was Z had to go and Volstad was the best return the Cubs could have netted {BTW, this is the same Z that you said should be treated just like Milton Bradley, and eventually was}). Did I miss any?

When the Cubs start fielding a quality major league team while working on the farm system I will see they are running a little like those teams.

However, right now, they are running exactly like those teams.

Tell me again, when was the last time any of those teams offered a substantial contract to a FA? Gil Meche in 2007! As I mentioned before, the Pirates did set their personal record for FA signing this offseason... 17M to Russell Martin. That's right, the largest FA contract signed in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates is 17M! The Cubs just this offseason signed Jackson for over 50M and offered nearly 80M for Anibal Sanchez. The Cubs also have a payroll much larger than the Pirates (66M), Rays (61M) and Royals (81M); despite the Cubs subsidizing parts of those team's payrolls through revenue sharing. The Cubs and those teams are not run exactly alike! To say so, makes you look like a buffoon. Are there some similarities, yes. But they are not run exactly the same.

 

[CSF77]

Will how about defending Theo/Jed after they put together a team that can play .500 ball.

Until then all you are doing is defending a 100 loss season and finding justifications for sucking.

 

[Willrust]

One player and who signed a 5 year deal.

There are always exceptions to the rule.

Almost all elite position player FA will get deals over six years. Doesn't change a thing.

And funny how last year when he was a FA you whined and whined and whined he wasn't an elite FA due to his off the field issues and injuries.

Guess it fits your agenda now though.



When the Cubs start fielding a quality major league team while working on the farm system I will see they are running a little like those teams.

However, right now, they are running exactly like those teams.

Will how about defending Theo/Jed after they put together a team that can play .500 ball.

Until then all you are doing is defending a 100 loss season and finding justifications for sucking.

CFS,

Some on here and over at CBS have been giving he Cubs grief for not completely tanking the season and running out young players for experience, like Jackson & Watkins specifically. Well, when the Cubs followed that rationale last year after trading away fill-ins and guys with expiring contracts; everyone jumped on them for intentionally tanking? The Cubs could have kept Dempster and Maholm last year and won 70-75 games; but what would that have done? If that means that I am defending a 100 loss season and finding justifications for sucking, then so be it. However, at the same time, the Cubs have been quite upfront about what was going to happen. If you don't like it, tough shit, but don't act as though they are being master manipulators or lying about what they are doing.

That being said...How about some people hold off on the lynching party against the Cubs management and ownership until after year 3. This offseason will mark the 3rd year. The Cubs have a 55M payroll currently on the books for next year and will have real flexibility to spend on some key FA acquisitions (1 or 2 position players like Cano, Ellsbury, Peralta or Choo and 1 or 2 SP like Hughes, Garza, etc). They will have 3-4 prospects that could help the Cubs early in 2014 (Vizcaino, Lake, Watkins or Jackson), along with a couple that could see late season callups (Soler & Baez). If the Cubs do not pursue enough quality FA's to keep their payroll at the 100M -110M mark (that is about 40M in FA contracts for 2014 after the 10-15M in arbitration contracts), continue to implement a majority of FA signings with the goal of flipping (1 or 2 of these is expected, but 3 or more would be a clear sign); and finish the year with a worse record than 2013; I will lead the charge to fire Epstein, or Hoyer, or both!

 

[SilenceS]

I will stop caring about Fielder when Rizzo hits .300 with 35ish HR's and 110ish RBI's.

I also wished I would have banged a girl with DD's back in the day but I had a gf. Its in the past. The AL has a distinct advantage at signing players because of the DH. Blame ML baseball for this distinct advantage. The Cubs probably would have been bigger players if they had the DH. Did I want Fielder? Yes, but i think I am over it a 1 and a half later. Rizzo also has been pretty good. He hasnt been trash since being called up. Rizzo is the absolute least of the Cubs problems. The Fielder argument should be left in the past. Its over and barring a trade he will never be a Cub.

 

[Chris J]

I will stop caring about Fielder when Rizzo hits .300 with 35ish HR's and 110ish RBI's.

When will you understand that maybe Fielder just didnt want to sign with Chicago?

 

[CSF77]

Some on here and over at CBS have been giving he Cubs grief for not completely tanking the season and running out young players for experience, like Jackson & Watkins specifically. Well, when the Cubs followed that rationale last year after trading away fill-ins and guys with expiring contracts; everyone jumped on them for intentionally tanking? The Cubs could have kept Dempster and Maholm last year and won 70-75 games; but what would that have done? If that means that I am defending a 100 loss season and finding justifications for sucking, then so be it. However, at the same time, the Cubs have been quite upfront about what was going to happen. If you don't like it, tough shit, but don't act as though they are being master manipulators or lying about what they are doing.

Uhm they did that in 2006 and they sucked.

2007 they spent on Sori, DeRosa, Marquez and Lilly and they went to the play offs.

2006 they were forced by injury to plug in untested players and the result was suck.

2012 they sold off any player with value and pluged in untested players.

2012 they went into the season with LaHair at 1B just to push back Rizzo's time clock.


The track record is crummy at best.


So you can get off the podium and preaching how great things are until after what they are doing shows results at the major league level. What is happening at A+/AA/AAA :fap::fap::fap: all you want.

 

[KBisBack!]

Way to change your statement after being proven false. Also like the additional caveat of "position player" to your abridged statement.

Way to be ridiculous and find one example that is by far the exception and not the rule to further your whining.

And yes I added in position player because even though most of the smart baseball people on here know pitchers don't usually get contracts as long as the position players, I felt in your case it needed to be added before more sippy cups get thrown.

Also, I never said he wasn't an elite FA, just said that it would be a very bad move to offer him a lengthy contract based upon his history of drug abuse.

Because he wasn't an elite FA you said.

That's ok, you can always use the old Brandon Wood standby

Something that dumb will never get old pointing out.

, perhaps the summation that James Sheilds was the Ace of the Rays staff over David Price,

Another beauty I must say.

throw in the Ian Stewart trade for future All Stars Tyler Colvin & DJ LeMaheiu (of which at one point you said Tyler Colvin was a 4th OFer at best),

Of course you ignore the facts that a major league 4th OF is an improvement over Ian Stewart who sucks at AAA.

sprinkle in some belief that I had a love-fest for Chris Volstad (although all I ever said was Z had to go and Volstad was the best return the Cubs could have netted

And was an improvement over Z. You and bearz went on and on and on about that.

Tell me again, when was the last time any of those teams offered a substantial contract to a FA? Gil Meche in 2007!

Tell me again, when was the last time the Cubs signed a quality big time FA?? Soriano in 2007!!

I don't care at all that the Cubs 'almost' signed Anibal Sanchez. They didn't, yet you want to praise failure as some sort of success like the 100 loss season last year.

Almost signing Sanchez does me about as much good as you almost saying something smart.

Not much.

 

[mountsalami]

Some on here and over at CBS have been giving he Cubs grief for not completely tanking the season and running out young players for experience, like Jackson & Watkins specifically. Well, when the Cubs followed that rationale last year after trading away fill-ins and guys with expiring contracts; everyone jumped on them for intentionally tanking?

No they didn't. You are an idiot.

Most knowledgable fans knew that the season was tanked from what they decided to place on the field BEFORE the season started.

Then tanked it some more AFTER the deadline.

I'm pretty sure you'll see a repeat this deadline. Then down the shitter we go some more.

 

[KBisBack!]

When will you understand that maybe Fielder just didnt want to sign with Chicago?

When you understand he likely didn't want to sign with Chicago because they didn't make him a realistic offer, if they even made him an offer at all.

 

[mountsalami]

And was an improvement over Z. You and bearz went on and on and on about that.

100% percent true statement.

 

[nwfisch]

When will you understand that maybe Fielder just didnt want to sign with Chicago?

How do you know he didn't want to sign, if the Cubs never made a serious offer?

 

[mountsalami]

How do you know he didn't want to sign, if the Cubs never made a serious offer?

Like I've mentioned before. There are always those special people that receive information via alien transmissions or get the dinner invites at the Epstein Mansion.

You've got to respect the fortunate ones who are priviledged with these "gifts" that are shared.

They don't have to share this valuable insider information. So I expect you all to thank them for it rather than deliver them heartache and ridicule.

There really is no other way around it.

 

[Chris J]

How do you know he didn't want to sign, if the Cubs never made a serious offer?

300 million on two guys? What a way to build a team

 

[CSF77]

When will you understand that maybe Fielder just didnt want to sign with Chicago?

So take it you are assuming also....