Jake needs to go. He is going to breakdown very soon with his delivery style. Rebuild the bullpen and trade for a young SP.

I would be interested in trading Russell for a starting pitcher and then signing Cozart to replace him rather than using Baez and Happ in the infield.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

No thanks to Jake or Darvish. Jake is on the decline, Darvish is a loser.

If I really have to I'm trading Baez or Happ before Russell. Russell has the injury problems but he has proven to be a big bat in the playoffs.

If Jake will take 4/108 for example (a 27M AVV) I say re-sign him but chances are someone will go 5/6 years at 25M+ and then it's bye bye. I don't think there is a ton of risk with him arm wise either. Would like to see him back. Maybe they could structure a deal tied to starts/IP to extend him beyond 4 years...

If they don't trade him, I hope this happens. I keep telling myself he seems like a dude that would do it but why would any human being say let's rework my contract so I get less money. He did sign for less to come here though.

I read that vesting options are likely for Arrieta with any team, but there could be 5 years guaranteed out there for him.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Russell is clutch. No thank you.

Happ seems like the guy mostly likely traded. He is sub par defensively but has the switch hitting power bat and 6 years of team control plus the defensive versatility. There is a lot to like there.

As for as trading Russell, gotta get back someone with top of the rotation stuff. Not sure your going to find that.

Schwarber and a thing for Michael Fulmer.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Im not interested in trading Russell either.. Guy will bounce back and have a huge year next year.

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Keep everybody and sign about 3 FA SP that could fit in the 4 and 5 spots.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

They gotta do some work on the bullpen. Cannot stand pat there.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I'd almost prefer they don't trade any of their position players, and add 1 starter/reliever through free agency, not even upper end talent. They aren't going to get an aces in free agency, and they're likely to have to have to overpay. Why not lay somewhat low and re-evaluate the market come July?

Currently, if they do nothing, they have Lester, Hendricks and Quintana. They probably do need to add a #4 starter, but can get buy without a #5 if the top of the rotation does their job.

I would not be surprised at all to see them go this route.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Sell high on Happ for pitching. He's a player you do not have a position for. I am not opposed to trading Schwarber but I doubt he will bring back the return the Cubs want. Better to let him build up his value.

Sign Cobb to be a #3/#4 and let Montgomery take the #5. If Davis doesn't get a stupid offer, resign him.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Id rather have Lynn over Cobb, if Schwarber sucks this year his value drops more..if he hits better than Theo won't trade him...just dump him now, get what ya can and move on.

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Obviously we need a closer but I wouldn't worry about the rest of the bullpen until the trade deadline. We had a good regular season bullpen last year (eventhough it declined in the 2nd half but who saw Justin Wilson being that bad?).

Do what the Dodgers, Yankees and I think even the Astros did and trade for closers from bad teams near or at the deadline. It seems like that will be the model going forward. 3-4 closers in your bullpen for the stretch run.

Jake is going to get at least 5 years for a shit ton of money. If the Cubs wanto be the Yankees or Giants and understand / accept that in 2 years, the contract will be throwing money out the window...fine. I've yet to see the Cubs operate that way.

Jake is going elsewhere.

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Jon Lester signed a 6/$155M contract in his age 31 season. Arrieta will be 32 and not as good as Lester, in my opinion, at the time of the contract. I think he is looking at 4-5 years at between $22M-$25M per.

7 years and $155

The GM who wins this lottery will be fired.

Jake was a good five inning pitcher.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

That's about all it takes nowadays.

The Cubs are already that team with Lester underperforming and showing signs of age in year 3 of a 6 year contract.

Everyone seems to be penciling him in for 2016 numbers when he is most likely not going to be good as 2017.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Then sign him. He will be awesome.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Lester almost certainly won't be at his best as he finishes up that contract. Still, it was a good signing that has already worked out well for the Cubs. Also, he's lefthanded and doesn't rely on overwhelming stuff to get outs. That's a big difference between him and Arrieta.

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Communists are just people who are terrible at capitalism.

Dont be bitchy.

I would offer him 4 years at the most. I might overpay a bit but no more than 4 years.

I understand that wont get it done, so he's gone.

Havent seen that at all. He was a Cy Young finalist in 2016.

I see people calling him a 2/3 which is what he was last year.

He'll go like 13-11 with a high 3's ERA.

Wouldn't mind if Theo called KC to see what they want for Danny Duffy. He's signed to a pretty team friendly deal through 2021 or something.

KC has to know they are facing a massive rebuild, maybe they want to jumpstart it.

Aren't they going to end up giving Lynn (or Cobb) at least $17-18 million a season on a multi-year deal? Not sure I'd be up for giving any of these guys huge deals when there's probably better value to be found on the market.

Heard on the radio Dodgers trying to make room for Stanton.