You want win a lot of games with a 4.5 era.

Fill those needs in FA with an 88 million dollar payroll? You are not going to find many good FA pitchers rushing to Chicago to win a ring or get a big salary.

88 million dollar payroll? Do you truly believe payroll will just sit at 88 million? They are going to offer big contracts to the right guys as well as maxing out the cash they can spend on the system. There is a reason they were rumored to be waiting for Soler to get his residency finished up and then offer him 27.5 million. Same as there was a reason they offered Cespedes 6 and 36. You want things that are impossible too fast. Either you want this team to make a push into the postseason by rebuilding and being bad to begin with or you want them to continue to be mediocre and patch things rather than fix them. Your choice.

It most certainly does. if your assets (Cubs) drop in value. Your net-worth comes down. Your assets are part of you net worth. My net-worth includes the value of my home. If my home drops in value then my net-worth drops. Accounting 101.

What asset of the Ricketts' family has dropped in value? The Ricketts bought 95% of the Cubs plus everything else for 845 million in 2009. Forbes has the value of everything at 879 million as of March 2012.

It's all pretty much banking on slumping guys to have good years. Also Theo's moves are based on having a good defense, which this team doesn't have. But for the most part you are right.

DeJesus has been pretty solid, not much to complain about there. He would be a great leadoff man if he had more speed. But between his OBP and defense, he has been pretty good. Stewart started off decent, but has fallen back down. The trade itself wasn't bad, since Colvin was pretty much in the same situation. The problem is Stewart being the starting 3rd baseman. I doubt this team signs a big name here, and will just wait for Baez. Although Baez is still playing SS in the minors for some reason. They need to convert him now, they are enough SS in this system. At this point, even though I have complained about replacing certain players against lefties, Stewart might be someone who shouldn't start against them. Put Mather in against lefties at 3rd, Baker if you have to. Atleast Baker in for Stewart would just be a defensive downgrade, unlike at 1st.

As far as the pitching goes, Volstad hasn't been horrible IMO. I thought he pitched well yesterday, but the bullpen let it go farther and no offense to back it up. Not every pitcher will allow 2 or less runs. Although Maholm has only had one reasonable start. If Maholm falls back apart, I think they need to put Wells in the 5 spot. Also this team needs to bring in a FA pitcher next year, probably two. Rebuild or not, there is no ace in the minors and even if they draft one it will be years until they are ready. Signing another top of the lineup pitcher will not block anyone and is necessary. At worst trade for one close in the minors and sign one.

Sean Marshall had an ERA of 2.26 in 2011. His pay was 1.6 million and he would have not been a FA until 2016. He stood 6'8" Left Handed and had great control with a devastating curve. He was considered by many to be one of the best relievers in the NL with great control. He will be 30 on his next birthday. That is a formula for success. That may have been the worst trades of the year if not several years. He was the guy most able to replace Marmol if he fails. He could easily have been part of our future. Pitching can still win pennants and that is the worst part of our current game. Either Theo did not realize how good he was or over estimated the value of Wood. If Theo had a do over on this I feel he would certainly not make that trade.

He was a free agent after this year until the Reds extended him. In extending him, they had to guarantee 16.5 million over the next 3 years not including the incentives. We weren't going to extend him at that kind of money.

They traded a lefty reliever who they could replace with a guy already on the team (Russell) for 3 players who could be part of their future.

Aram , it was not going to be worth paying him what he wanted for 3 more years , his defense has gotten pretty bad the last few years. He was one of my favorite Cubs ove the last decade, but it was time for them to move on.

That young new GM just took a Padres farm system from a #29 ranking when he arrived to a top 5 when he left in a 3 year time frame.
Yes their major league team currently blows but thats mainly due to them not being able to afford to keep good players and their system is loaded and should start providing a steady flow of talent now. Something they will need if they have to continue to operate on a low budget.

Z was a cancer who was never going to be part of this clubhouse again, maybe you missed what some of the players said about him?

It's called selling high on players, I realize you don't get that because the Cubs usually never do it .

Marmol couldn't be traded. His value is low and his contract is not team friendly. Marshall was and therefore he was the one dealt. We are stuck with Marmol for awhile.

You make it sounds like the team makes up most of that net worth. This is not true.

No, I am going to try and discus it with him. You are going to troll as you usually do.

Did you ever think maybe there weren't any good offers coming in for Marmol?

There might have been decent offers for Marmol when Hendry was still in charge, but not this year. They saw his second half last year. It was not pretty.