Of course not. Although you will see him described as MLB.COM's Phil Rogers so people take it seriously.

I said idiocy in the original post.[/quote]

Jesse Rogers is EPSN Insider Jesse Rogers

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

That's easy. You keep Russell.

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Communists are just people who are terrible at capitalism.

Keep Russell

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

Didn't IMU predict he would have a 6 WAR this year?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I keep

I keep Baez. As a fan, the team is more fun to watch when he is playing.

I've asked MANY Cub fans and MANY seem to prefer Baez.

I keep Russell no question.

It's funny to see Cubs fans going all Hawk on Baez. You know, Baez is the best tagger I've ever seen!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Apparently as the homer Baez apologist, what did Russell do so much better than Baez last year?

Offensively Baez was the better bat last year and he did it at the bottom of the line up.

.273 .317 .480 23 HR 75 Runs 75 RBI 10SB

.239 .304 .418 12HR 52 Runs 43 RBI 2SB

Russell is a better fielder and the OBP is close even though Baez has 34 points of batting average on him.

Oh and Russell has had tons of big hits in the post season.

Also, Russell was hurt, after he returned he hit .274 and had an .839 OPS


I like Javy. Russell is better.

But I understand your side. I love watching Javy and love having him on the team.

Most willing to trade
Happ
Baez
Schwarber
Russell

I think we're going to sign Darvish, if he'll come here (Cubs were on his no trade list...probably saw the Horry Cow t-shirts)

America is the only country in the world that uses this expression. Very sad.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

That’d be a bad signing . Hope they don’t .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

I understand the trepidation about his playoff performances, but they have to MAKE the playoffs. He'd probably be the best starter on the team.

I just don't have a need to trade Baez or Russell. I was just answering the gun to my head.

I love having 2 shortstops up the middle. Also Baez has seen his walk rate improve 3 straight years. I think he is working to get better at the plate.

No he really hasn’t. Last year he unintentionally walked 15 times in 493 PA’s. In 2016 he unintentionally walked 12 times in 447 PA’s. His walk rate is artificially increased due to 15 intentional walks because he hit in front of the pitcher.

I believe the Farsi equivalent is "knife to your throat"

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

I'll give you credit, you know your Cubs stats inside and out.

Gotta believe Russians use it once in a while.

Hoyer said in a roundabout way that Lackey will not be back and that the Heyward trade rumors are false.

Keep addy, easy decision

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Move Schwarber first then Happ.

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Wonder if the Cubs would have any interest in Ichiro as PH/5th OFer? He can still play all OF positions, can still run the bases and I'm sure he's a good teammate. I know the roster is tight but if Jay isn't coming back so Almora can play more, his LH bat may be a good fit...

NO THANK YOU

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Just go full Hendry and sign Cobb, Darvish, Morrow, and JD Martinez

Also resign Jake and Wade.

MLB Network still reporting the Heyward to Giants trade tonight. I thought it was dead? Dan Pleasac said it makes sense for the Giants.

Also reporting Cards in the mix for Stanon.

I would rather pay Heyward to play D than pay garbage on the mound be garbage on the mound. Ignore the $$ because the $$ is spent. Heyward will save you runs on D and is just a small fraction of the offense. The crap the Giants would send back could lose a game for you every 5th day and every time out of the pen.

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

Why would you trade Baez or Russell? It's a fantastic defensive infield with excellent offensive upside. With Almora in center, you have one of the best defensive teams down the middle in the league. The player to trade is Happ or Schwarber.

Why sign Darvish? I'd rather take Arrieta at a slightly cheaper cost.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

This guy gets it.

As much as he sucks at the plate, he does provide value.

Hey AL fans, is this guy worth signing? Is he at least a 3??

http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/c ... ree-agency

It’s too easy to connect the dots between the Cubs and Alex Cobb, a team that needs to replace 40 percent of its rotation and a pitcher who came up with Joe Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays.

The day after new pitching coach Jim Hickey went on the team’s flagship radio station and told WSCR-AM 670 that he would recommend the free agent to Theo Epstein’s front office – “I would say, ‘Go ahead, good job, yeah, I’m onboard’ – Cobb appeared on MLB Network Radio and sounded ready to follow Maddon to Chicago.

“As much of an honor as it is to be given a qualifying offer,” Cobb said Friday, “to hear your name floating around (in) rumors with potential teams, and the magnitude or the (reputations) that some of these teams have for success, year in and year out, even the smallest inkling or the thought that they want you is even more of a humbling experience.

“I don’t hide the fact that I’ve got the most respect for Joe Maddon and what he did for me coming up as a player. Not so much as a pitcher on the mound, but as a professional athlete and a professional baseball player, and how to deal with the mental side of the game. And how to deal with the stresses that come with a big-league lifestyle.

“There’s nobody better in the game to control (that) and deal with people.”

Cobb is expected to decline the one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer from the Rays, tipping his hand by telling MLB Network Radio: “You’re talking about, hopefully, a decision that’s going to impact the next five years of your life.”

That framework sounds a year or two too long for a guy who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2015 and has never made 30 starts in a season or come close to reaching 200 innings. But Cobb just turned 30 last month, has only 700 innings on his major-league odometer and went 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA and a Gold Glove nomination this year.

Hickey can help fill in the blanks for the Cubs because he was there for Cobb’s rise through the Tampa Bay system, injuries issues and recovery process.

“I can’t say enough good things about him,” Cobb said. “He’s become – not only a pitching coach – but a real close friend of mine. Obviously, if we move down the line and we’re able to have some discussions with them, I’d be very honored to be able to talk with them and hopefully come to a deal.”

In the same way that Maddon may have gotten restless managing the small-market Rays, Cobb sounded eager to play for the kind of built-to-last team that won the 2016 World Series and advanced to the National League Championship Series in three consecutive seasons.

“You kind of make a ranking system of what is most important to you and your family,” Cobb said. “No. 1 and foremost – and me and my wife are both onboard with this – is that we’re going to go to a place that we feel is going to be winners for the length of the contract.

“I’ve been through both. I’ve been through losing seasons and I’ve been through winning seasons. And the amount of joy that winning brings to us – it can’t be replaced by a dollar figure.”