Ian Stewart returning to Cubs

[Cubsrule]

Ramirez had a good season with the bat last year. Certainly an upgrade over anyone else we put out there. I don't see any reason why he couldn't produce for another 2 years. Not sure where everyone got this idea that he was done

Defensively he was really on the downside, I think everyone knew he had a chance to still be a good offensive player, but he just can't handle third base anymore. Honestly, I think last year was an anomoly, we'll see what he does this year.

[1972 Cubs]

I realize a lot of people are upset but in all honesty if you were in Theo or Jed's shoes what would you do differently? There really hasn't been a player available either last offseason or this one that we could give a big contract to and expect to get a good return with production.

Did any player sign a deal last offseason or this year to a big deal you expect a good return with production ?

[gaughan333]

Did any player sign a deal last offseason or this year to a big deal you expect a good return with production ?

I wouldn't be surprised if Cole Hammels does

[Cubsrule]

I wouldn't be surprised if Cole Hammels does

Definately, him and Matt Cain were the two I was hoping would hit free agency as I knew both Hoyer and Theo would push hard for them and were young enough to live up to their contracts.

[gaughan333]

Definately, him and Matt Cain were the two I was hoping would hit free agency as I knew both Hoyer and Theo would push hard for them and were young enough to live up to their contracts.

Talk to Gato about Hammels...he has/had a major boner for him

[SenorGato]

It's Hamels and he is of the awesome.

I prefer Greinke to Cain personally, though not by much. Cain just seems like a guy who is in the perfect place for his style.

[gaughan333]

see...he even get protective if you spell his name wrong

[SenorGato]

It's not exactly a hard name to spell you smarmy boy you.

[gaughan333]

and continues to be protective...I think someone has a man crush

[Mell413]

I think its fair to say Ramirez year with the glove was an outlier but his bat is still good enough so he does matter. Who knows though with the emphasis on shifts I think he would be OK. His range was his downfall so if you put him in the right spot and had pitchers that could hit their spots he wouldn't worry me there. He wasn't my first choice but I would have been all over that deal.

[SenorGato]

and continues to be protective...I think someone has a man crush

What if I did? Jelly?

[SenorGato]

Ramirez can hit. I like that about players. It's so not Ian Stewart of him.

[GatorJimmy]

And then in a few years..."Why did we give these guys that kind of money? We shouldn't be handing out long-term contracts to declining players!"

Can't everyone just be patient for a little bit? This whining of, "We didn't sign anyone!" or "We should always be big players in the FA market" is short-sighted and narrow-minded. By building from within we can have sustained success with young players than a year or 2 of success with old players with bad contracts.

I don't want another 80 win team with a $150 million payroll. THAT'S bad business. Also, I thought we'd be done hearing about BB's season tickets but I was wrong. No he'll tell us how great he is for giving up his season tickets

I love Baez almora and soler as much as the next guy but aren't Kansas city. We are a top 5 market so there is no excuse to wait 3 years for prospects who may never even turn into anything.

I just really feel like the middle ground is lost. Im not saying we have to go grab every huge name but we aren't even winning bids on decent guys. Ok for example we sign cespedes and ramirez last year. Ramirez isn't locked in forever. This year we grab grienke. We would now have a very good offense with a decent starting 5. That team can possibly contend and the payroll isn't crazy by any means. We aren't losing prospects. I know theo has a plan but as a fan it's hard to sit back and think about the good team we may have "3" years from now. Im not asking for a championship ever year but just a team that isn't a complete ****ing embarrassment!

[SenorGato]

I also don't see why signing FAs is always fated to end in "zomg whyyyyyy?"

[Brothaman33]

I love Baez almora and soler as much as the next guy but aren't Kansas city. We are a top 5 market so there is no excuse to wait 3 years for prospects who may never even turn into anything.

I just really feel like the middle ground is lost. Im not saying we have to go grab every huge name but we aren't even winning bids on decent guys. Ok for example we sign cespedes and ramirez last year. Ramirez isn't locked in forever. This year we grab grienke. We would now have a very good offense with a decent starting 5. That team can possibly contend and the payroll isn't crazy by any means. We aren't losing prospects. I know theo has a plan but as a fan it's hard to sit back and think about the good team we may have "3" years from now. Im not asking for a championship ever year but just a team that isn't a complete ****ing embarrassment!

We did bid on Cespedes, and a very high number at that. We didnt get him. There are other teams that bid on players as well. So it seems what you would be saying is that we should simply throw money around and overpay for everyone because were a "big market team". Even then, Cespedes was a question mark and teams were worried how he would hit in the majors, and theres nothing wrong with that concern. Hindsight being 20/20, its easy to complain about not signing him when he ends up hitting .292 with 23 homeruns.

So lets play this out...

We outbid for Cespedes...he got 4 years 36 million...Lets say we sign him for 4 years 50 mil.

Reports have Grienke asking for 150-175 millions. Lets say we overpay and grab him at around 185 million.

Ramirez got 3 years 36...Lets say we go 3 years 45 Mil.

All of this is assuming that all 3 only want money and that there are no other factors, they are just taking whoever pays them the most, which doesnt happen all that much but well just roll with it.

So now we successfully have around 270-300 millions dollars tied up into 3 players, so that we can "not be an embarressment"

1. Does having those 3 makes us title contenders? I would go with no, but if your ok with 80-83 wins then its ok.
2. We probably are handcuffed to sign any other big name free agents for the next 4 or 5 years.
3. I argue that the payroll WOULD be crazy and that our offense would not be VERY good... but we be above average.

In this senario, Im not ok with spending 300 million to be OK. Id rather wait and trust Theo and Jed have a better long term plan then signing Zack Grienke for 180 millions and resigning Aramis Ramirez.

Patience...