Cubs Offseason 2014: So, what did your team do this offseason? Isn't that cute.

[Saul Goodman]

Advanced metrics?  Hell no.  It's batting average and counting stats all the way down for Carrie Muskat.  Luis Valbuena hit .249 last season, so he kinda sucks.  I bet she felt icky even typing BABIP.

[PenFoe]

Advanced metrics?  Hell no.  It's batting average and counting stats all the way down for Carrie Muskat.  Luis Valbuena hit .249 last season, so he kinda sucks.  I bet she felt icky even typing BABIP.

I don't really see a big problem with that link.
She just mentioned him as someone they could trade, which seems reasonable.

[PenFoe]

JON LESTER WHO

Guess we'll find out just how brilliant Bosio is.

As hard as it is to get excited about this deal (Jason Hamehl?) 2/18 seems totally reasonable.

[InternetApex]

JON LESTER WHO

Guess we'll find out just how brilliant Bosio is.

As hard as it is to get excited about this deal (Jason Hamehl?) 2/18 seems totally reasonable.

It's a perfect move to not be excited or butthurt about. A few more of those and one great big Bonertime move and we're all set to enjoy our summer.

[Slaky]

JON LESTER WHO

Guess we'll find out just how brilliant Bosio is.

As hard as it is to get excited about this deal (Jason Hamehl?) 2/18 seems totally reasonable.

It's really good. Middle of the rotation guy and a fairly short commitment, years wise. Hard to not think this is a really good move.

[Quality Start Machine]

JON LESTER WHO

Guess we'll find out just how brilliant Bosio is.

As hard as it is to get excited about this deal (Jason Hamehl?) 2/18 seems totally reasonable.

It's really good. Middle of the rotation guy and a fairly short commitment, years wise. Hard to not think this is a really good move.

He had his best numbers as a Cub last season. If Bosio can get it out of him again, it's a really nice signing. 9 million/per for 2 isn't too bad, especially since Arietta and Hendricks are cost-controlled over that time. Now if they could find a taker for Jackson, everything's jake.

[PenFoe]

[SKO]

Mostly likely choosing between the more substantial cash offer and a pretty fucking good if smaller cash offer that comes with a "WE WIN ALL OF THE SERIESES" cherry on top.

[PenFoe]

Mostly likely choosing between the more substantial cash offer and a pretty fucking good if smaller cash offer that comes with a "WE WIN ALL OF THE SERIESES" cherry on top.

Mostly likely, indeed.

[R-V]

So Martin to the Blue Jays? Am I hearing this correctly?

What now, Theo? How many more tears?

I liked Martin well enough but I'm fine with not getting him for that contract. He can DH some for the Blue Jays in the later years of the deal, so it may be a bit easier to absorb for them.

Is anyone that upset about the Cubs "missing" out on Martin for 5/$82? 

Probably not Martin specifically, but it was a position of semi-need and they had the money to spend. And it's another good player who ended up not on the Cubs, so it's probably just general angst more than anything else.

Stupid Garpax.

Yeah. I think there's a lot of people waiting on the edge of their seats for Theo and Jed to DO SOMETHING that will let them quiet the voice in their heads that says Ricketts will never spend. I don't even think those people care who it is at this point. Just throw a bunch of cash at someone to prove you can. Cub fans are smart.

It's weird - in this case it wasn't a case of not having the money. They clearly didn't want to go that many years and I'm not upset about it.

I do wonder if they had any conversations with Atlanta about Heyward before saying hey let's get that Italian guy instead.

But isn't the whole point of having a core of young, cost-controlled players that you have the flexibility to go further than you want to in years/money to get a veteran who you feel is a good fit and fills a need, understanding that the last year or two of the deal might be dead money? Martin fit that description perfectly.

I reserve the right to disengage my butthurt if they trade for Montero.

Butthurt: on the verge of disengaging, according to Borb Nightengale.

I like this move if they go with something close to a straight platoon - Montero has a career .797 OPS against RHP, and Beef has hit lefties well, albeit only in about a half-season's worth of plate appearances so far.

Hopefully the Cubs are absorbing most or all of Montero's salary, which would be a good sign that they are moving into actual spending mode after socking away funds (i.e. failing to sign players) for the last couple years.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

So Martin to the Blue Jays? Am I hearing this correctly?

What now, Theo? How many more tears?

I liked Martin well enough but I'm fine with not getting him for that contract. He can DH some for the Blue Jays in the later years of the deal, so it may be a bit easier to absorb for them.

Is anyone that upset about the Cubs "missing" out on Martin for 5/$82?  

Probably not Martin specifically, but it was a position of semi-need and they had the money to spend. And it's another good player who ended up not on the Cubs, so it's probably just general angst more than anything else.

Stupid Garpax.

Yeah. I think there's a lot of people waiting on the edge of their seats for Theo and Jed to DO SOMETHING that will let them quiet the voice in their heads that says Ricketts will never spend. I don't even think those people care who it is at this point. Just throw a bunch of cash at someone to prove you can. Cub fans are smart.

It's weird - in this case it wasn't a case of not having the money. They clearly didn't want to go that many years and I'm not upset about it.

I do wonder if they had any conversations with Atlanta about Heyward before saying hey let's get that Italian guy instead.

But isn't the whole point of having a core of young, cost-controlled players that you have the flexibility to go further than you want to in years/money to get a veteran who you feel is a good fit and fills a need, understanding that the last year or two of the deal might be dead money? Martin fit that description perfectly.

I reserve the right to disengage my butthurt if they trade for Montero.

Butthurt: on the verge of disengaging, according to Borb Nightengale.

I like this move if they go with something close to a straight platoon - Montero has a career .797 OPS against RHP, and Beef has hit lefties well, albeit only in about a half-season's worth of plate appearances so far.

Hopefully the Cubs are absorbing most or all of Montero's salary, which would be a good sign that they are moving into actual spending mode after socking away funds (i.e. failing to sign players) for the last couple years.

I'll take a Beefcastle/Montero platoon.  Should tie us over until one of the catching prospects hopefully emerges, and doesn't burden us with what-would've-been a questionable contract for Martin.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Should tie us over...

Something something Granville Red Line...

[Slaky]

[SKO]

Bleacher nation guy takes that tweet, puts it in blog post, posts his 18th update of the Jon Lester Watch for the day.

[Slaky]

If it's "deals" we know the Montero thing is happening any moment now. That seems all but done.

I get the idea that Loxas and others with sources are being told to expect multiple deals with the caveat that they aren't necessarily talking about Lester.