Morning Marquee: Did the Chicago Cubs make a mistake by not signing Fowler?

With the full squad in Mesa, Arizona, the Chicago Cubs are ready to get to work and continue where they left off. While they have a good chunk of their 2015 roster still intact with a few new additions, they are missing several players who left over the offseason.

Right-handed reliever Jason Motte has found a new home with the Colorado Rockies, infielder Starlin Castro was traded to the New York Yankees and outfielder Dexter Fowler will be playing right field in Baltimore.

The Orioles adding Fowler to their lineup is huge considering how well he is out on the field, in the batters box and on the base path. But how great would it have been if the Cubs were able to re-sign him?

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When you think about it, a move involving right fielder Jorge Soler would need to take place in order for that to happen. Not that it’s still an option now that he’s in the American League East.

Soler has outstanding power but he found himself in a few slumps during the regular season and even missed around two months of playing time due to multiple injuries. Meanwhile, Fowler continued to do what he did best and that was getting on base.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old rejected a qualifying offer of $15.8 million and landed himself a three-year, $35 million deal. It’s a bit surprising that it took a team that long to even approach Fowler as most thought he would have been picked up once the market opened up.

Still, it’s great to see that he’ll remain as a starter and not have to come off the bench. This move doesn’t quite make the Baltimore Orioles the team to beat in the A.L. East, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Here are a few more stories you may have missed:

‘Cubs and Fowler could have helped each other‘ – Cubbies Crib

‘Chicago Cubs Top 30 prospects list continued‘ – Cubbies Crib

‘Cubs: Who would come back first, Sosa or Big Z?’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Padres have first full-squad workout‘ – Friars on Base

‘Cardinals: Spring Training Recap Day 7‘ – Redbird Rants