I wonder if the Cubs could dump Heyward if they ate half his contract and threw in somebody like Russell or Edwards.
I don't think Russell adds any value to most teams. He's a PR nightmare (especially for a team on the west coast like the Mariners--maybe the PR is easier to navigate in a more politically diverse or conservative area of the company). Plus, he's getting expensive and just isn't very good at anything but defense. He's a throw-in at best.
I'm sure this won't be a popular opinion on this board, but I think the Cubs should cash in on Edwards' value this offseason. He still seems to be perceived favorably...but he's not actually *that* young (27), and he melts down far too often in critical situations. Plus, his stuff was noticeably down after he came back from injury. With his command, he's not going to have a long career if he permanently loses anything off his pitches (see Carlos Marmol, for example). You also have to wonder if he might be a TJ candidate soon.
I think this is the last chance they have to get real value out of him. Next offseason, I don't think it's that much of a stretch to think he could be a non-tender candidate...or at least a dump-for-nothing guy who would've had value a year or two before (like Kyle Barraclough was for the Marlins earlier this offseason). That's assuming he's not recovering from TJ surgery.