Bleacher Bums Forum

David O'Brien
@DOBrienATL
You can't hang onto all your prospects. You got more than you can play just for this purpose -- to use some as trade capital and fill in gaps rather than have to rely on free agency. And we're not talking about trading Ian Anderson or Pache.

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JR, the three years spent in 4th grade didn't help your reading skills.

I enjoy the buzz of the offseason damn near as much as I enjoy the season and I read these rumors on Twitter all day and Ive heard Theo say more than once that he expected to win the case against Bryant.

I wonder if that and his reluctance to sign an extension has caused any ill will with the Cubs.

Ive always expected that we would trade Bryant and Im not sure that's a bad move.

Part of the schtick was that the Cubs were going to have such a great winning environment, and that Theo and management were going to treat players so well, and that there was going to be such a great culture, that players were going to WANT to stay, and that other teams would need to super-outbid to get guys to want to leave.  The Cardinals would acquire players, and have it be such a great place that guys would routinely sign extensions.  Doesn't appear that the Cubs have actually ended up creating that. 

Perhaps that will improve?  Back in 15 and 16, the Cubs felt like they were on the rise, the young happening thing with the great future, kind of unexpected, everything clicking.  Theo and Hoyer seemed to have a magic touch, clicking on deals like Arrieta and Fowler and Rondon, Schwarber being a quick hit, etc..
Since then, it seems like the burden of expectation has been heavy, and that nothing Theo/HOyer have done since has clicked, and that despite the many wins, 17 and 18 felt kinda disappointing. 

But now there will be zero burden-of-expectation.  Maybe this will be a year which is unexpectedly and refreshingly fun and exciting?  Unexpected cats like Wick and Wieck and Hultzen and Wickler emerging; Bryant getting back into MVP discussion; Schwarber and Happ emerging as good hitters; Hoerner not only sustaining but improving and looking like the real thing; some unexpected rotation pitchers emerging as really useful (Chatwood, Alzolay, Abbott....)  Being the thrilling underdog overachiever will be super fun, and with Lester and Q coming off payroll perhaps the payroll won't look nearly so burdensome next winter?  Plus Davis and Marquez will have super years, and suddenly the farm will look like we've got some winners on the way...  David Ross will have the team working hard and camaraderie being terrific.  All of the new analytics guys will be improving players and having players feel like this is the place to optimize their game. 

So perhaps next winter this will very much feel like a place where a Bryant very much does NOT want to leave, where it's NOT a collapsing sunset team but has a bright future, and where a fair-market extension will be both very appealing to him, and very accessible to the Cubs?  Why not? 

In terms of contracts, Bryant has two more years.  Lester, Q, Chatwood, Morrow, Kimbrel, all of those contracts will be gone.  Even the Heyward obligation will have only two more years left, the end in sight.  It's not like we've got so many stars that we won't be able to afford to pay market-price for the couple of them worth keeping.  Not sure why you couldn't fit all four of Bryant, Baez, Schwarber, and Contreras under the lux level, if you had some effective thrift-priced pitchers.  So the premise that the big-market Cubs can't possibly compete on the market if they let Bryant reach the market seems unnecessary. 

craig, I not sure what the evidence is that the Cubs environment is not one that players enjoy and want to stay with.

I keep seeing comments, particularly on Twitter, that the Cubs should just extend Bryant instead of trading him.  That seems a little simplistic. I believe Bryant has made clear that he won't give the Cubs any hometown discount.  Not sure exactly what that means in terms of total dollars or length of contract, but based on other super stars, I'm not sure the Cubs should go there. He will be "only" 30 when he begins whatever contract he makes as a free agent, but that contract is going to probably take him at least into his mid-thirties, and could well include far less productive years than those the Cubs have had with him.

Personally, I would prefer Bryant remain a Cub for life. But unlike Rizzo (and maybe Baez), that does not seem to be his preference. His preference, apparently, is to make the most money he can (and presumably be on successful teams as well).  I don't blame him for that, but I do not believe his long term interests and the Cubs' long term interests align. So be it. If, and only if, the Cubs can get really good value for him before he leaves, I think that will make the most sense for the team. That will make me a little sad, but I've survived being a little sad before.

Cubs and two other clubs have met with Japanese center fielder Shogo Akiyama according to industry source . He has attributes that have been missing on offense and defense . Career .376 OBP.--Levine

And yes Im horribly racist apparently because I dont like injured pitchers but Im all for this.