sharon_orn
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This week's mailbag gets into the Cubs' remaining payroll space, how MLBTR's arbitration projections came to be, what the Padres, Reds, and Rangers might do, po sible fits for , the situation, what the Cardinals could get for or , and much more. Walter asks: With roughly $45 million left until the bottom threshold, how do you see Jed Hoyer spending it? Do you think he is being handcuffed Charles Barkley Jersey because he is in the last year of his contract? No, I can't see the Ricketts family putting boundaries on Hoyer because of his lame-duck status. , the Cubs' CBT payroll sits at $198MM, which indeed puts them $43MM shy of the first threshold. I'm not convinced Hoyer will spend all of that, but he figures to spend a good portion. The Cubs waited out until late February last year to get the short-term deal they craved. It's not hard to see the Cubs being opportunistic on , , or should they move into short-term deal territory. The Cubs giving $5MM to probably reduces the odds of pursuing another starting pitcher, however. Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription BENEFITS Acce s weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco. Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony. Remove ads and support our writers. Acce s GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker Carmelo Anthony Jersey