Imrem: Chicago Cubs make sense in how they're spending their dollars

Baseball money has become mind-boggling, and there's enough to go around.

All any of the 30 major-league teams needs to contend for a championship is to allocate their considerable assets wisely.

The Chicago Cubs appear to have done that by agreeing to a couple of so-called bargain contracts with a couple of so-called bargain free agents.

Veteran pitcher John Lackey: two years, $32 million. Versatile position player Ben Zobrist: four years, $56 million.

Yes, those are bargains in this affluent era of the game.

The Cubs also sent the $40 million left on Starlin Castro's contract - another bargain figure, right? - to the Yankees for lower-priced pitcher Adam Warren and a player to be named.

Major Leage Baseball is swimming in cash due to new-age revenue streams pumping into the game.

No team needs a $300 million payroll to win a World Series. The Dodgers have operated like that's what it takes and failed miserably.

The Royals won a World Series for considerably less. Anything above $100 million should be enough, and the Cubs will be well above that.

The Cubs' latest moves indicate that they have a winning mix: Money and brains.

Maybe luck, too.

Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer caught a break when ace pitcher David Price turned them down to sign with the Red Sox.

Let's round off what the Cubs offered Price to $200 million, though it likely was a bit less.

Price was more of a luxury than a necessity for the Cubs, considering that they already have Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester at the top of their rotation.

The Cubs needed a No. 3 as much as a No. 1 and that turned out to be Lackey, close to ancient but coming off an outstanding season with the Cardinals.

Lackey is one tough guy. He isn't afraid to hit a batter. He isn't afraid to take the ball every fifth day. He isn't afraid to go deep into a game.

Gritty pitcher to have on a team like the Cubs.

Then there's Zobrist, a player who can play every position on the field and maybe even pitch long relief if Cubs manager Joe Maddon asked that of him. They prospered together in Tampa Bay, Maddon and Zobrist did, and should be comfortable with each other in Wrigley Field.

Lackey and Zobrist fill a needs at a combined commitment of $88 million, dozens of millions of dollars less than Price would have cost.

The Cubs then saved those 10s of millions - baseball would call them a pittance these days - in the Castro transaction.

It always made more sense to go after two pitchers, a No. 3 and No. 4, than to wind up with Price only.

Right now the Cubs' rotation lines up with Arrieta, Lester, Lackey and two from among Warren, Jason Hammel or Kyle Hendricks.

The Cubs still should have cash left over for a center fielder, bullpen help and more starting-pitching depth.

Maybe the Cubs would have had enough dollars for other reinforcements even after signing Price, but better that they didn't have to prove it.

Nothing is guaranteed now, of course. Lackey has to remain ageless. Others have to remain healthy. Everybody has to remain motivated.

Then the Cubs have to prove they're a team rather than just a big batch of talented individuals.

If they weren't before, the Cubs certainly are 2016 World Series contenders after Tuesday's flurry of activity.

All because they're turning dollars into sense.

mimrem@dailyherald.com