SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — This has been a winter of Cubs discontent.
The biggest free-agent additions to the club are infielder Daniel Descalso and reliever Brad Brach.
Who, it should be noted, are very fine gentlemen and good ballplayers and they will fill roles that the Cubs needed filled.
But they are not Bryce Harper nor Manny Machado, players some thought the Cubs should sign, though there was likely never any real chance of that happening. We’ve discussed this at length and it doesn’t need to be rehashed here.