Chicago Cubs have two clear paths forward in the coming offseason

Chicago Cubs could shop the bargain bin once again in free agency

Assume those big name, high-profile superstars want no part of coming to the North Side of Chicago. What, then, can Hoyer and owner Tom Ricketts do to ‘re-tool’ their club?

Well, in short, they can follow a recipe that’s worked well in the past. Go out, add guys looking to bet on themselves on one or two-year contracts, then flip the strong performers come July in hopes of further bolstering the prospect depth and gaining assets that are controllable for the long-term.

Remember, the Cubs took this road in the years leading up to 2015. They turned Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel into Addison Russell, then a top prospect in the game. Emilio Bonifacio and James Russell became Victor Caratini. Epstein shipped Matt Garza to Texas in a deal that netted Justin Grimm and CJ Edwards, among others. Fan favorite Ryan Dempster joined the Rangers in 2012 – Kyle Hendricks came back in return.

In short, the Cubs know how to keep turning over the roster while the kids continue to develop, headlined by stud outfielder Brennen Davis, who has been playing like a man possessed at Triple-A Iowa.

If they miss out on the big fish out there, this is the path forward. There won’t be a dramatic improvement in the on-field product in the short-term, but that doesn’t mean the organization won’t be improving regardless.