Well, why don't we just agree that the most likely scenario existed then? We simply did not offer as much money or years. The terms were inferior. And (deep breath everyone who bristled at that) that's.....ok. It's not the end of the world. It's ok for the FO to set a price and hold to it. But when players sign elsewhere they sign, the vast majority of the time, for the best terms. Not because of climate, how many parks they have, or how good the local burgers are: they sign for the best terms. We went out and did a damn fine job offering the best terms to Cruz, Schoop, Perez, and a few other revelations. We just decided the terms the Cubs offer were more than we budgeted. That's ok. (But then ya gotta go out and get the talent on the field some other way)