We have heard the rumors for about a month now, somehow the club that is trying to reduce payroll is trying to acquire a player that is still owed $234 million over the next seven years. The Chicago Cubs, according to a source, are absolutely interested in acquiring Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies.
We have seen this reported from a multitude of local, Chicago sources, which can sometimes mean the Cubs just made some calls. Personally, I believe the Cubs have made calls on just about every player that has been available since Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have arrived in 2012. They’ve called on the likes of Bryce Harper, the likes of Mookie Betts, and have of course called on Arenado.
That is just what good baseball organizations do.
Just because they call, doesn’t mean they are going to pull something off. It doesn’t mean the conversation develops past a simple phone call. It just means they’ve called. But there is a point in which rumors become facts and when facts become something that should absolutely be given attention. With media members in Colorado now confirming the Cubs’ interest, it is now time to take this seriously.
Les Shapiro is a co-host of the afternoon drive on Mile High Sports Radio. He has now confirmed with two sources (one I believe to be David Kaplan, who Kap suggested that he confirmed with a source in Denver on ESPN 1000) that the Cubs are in hot pursuit of the Colorado Rockies’ third baseman, Nolan Arenado.
(1/2) Have verified w/2 sources now—one close to NolanArenado, one close to @cubs…Theo intends to continue pursuing a trade. Return, in all likelihood, would be KrisBryant & a prospect w/@rockies picking up part of Nolan's $$$. Nolan is still very unhappy w/Bridich and…
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) February 12, 2020
(2/2) the direction of the @rockies organization. I'm told he would warmly welcome a trade to the @cubs. The @cubs will continue to pursue this throughout spring training. (The @cubs also are fearful he could end up w/the division rival @Cardinals.) #rockies #cubs #mlbnetwork
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) February 12, 2020
What we know…
- Arenado wants out of Colorado
- The Cubs have made phone calls
- The Cubs are looking to improve their club in the future, at the expense of 2020
- Arenado has told friends he would like to play in Chicago
- Cubs are actively *listening* to trade offers for Kris Bryant
While there isn’t much that actually connects Bryant to these recent rumors, it would make the most sense. Bryant plays third, Arenado is a better defensive option there. The Cubs have a $21M right fielder in Jason Heyward and a left fielder that could hit 40 tanks in 2020. Unless the Cubs look to moving Heyward into a platoon in CF, Bryant is the biggest piece that would make this deal work.
But… this is also what I know…
Kaplan has gotten creative with his news, especially when it comes to Kris Bryant. He’s the one that started the false rumor of Bryant turning down a deal “north of $200 million” last Spring. He’s been sour on some Cubs news that has broken, stating that the news that national guys got should have been passed to local guys first. While I enjoy his passion for the Cubs and I respect his place in the Chicago media landscape, I don’t always trust his news.
I don’t know who Shapiro is. Outside of working in Colorado radio, he did work for Peoria’s WEEK in the early 1980s and is a Chicago-native. I highly doubt he still has Chicago connections, outside some family, and it makes me question who within the Cubs organization he would know. Further, who within the Cubs would leak such information to him.
I don’t doubt that he knows someone within the Rockies, but that isn’t who he is mentioning. He specifically mentions he confirmed this with someone close to Nolan Arenado and someone close to the Cubs. The person close to the Cubs is Kaplan. I’m calling that right now. It’s Kap, and he doesn’t know.
The other “source” who is close to Arenado, isn’t a trustworthy source right now. They are trying to build the case for Arenado to be moved and it has already been leaked that the Cubs had called in the past and that Nolan would like playing in Chicago. It benefits them to have teams named, especially since another name in the rumors is that of the St Louis Cardinals. What better way to get the Cards to pony up than to specifically link the Cubs to Arenado.
I absolutely think the Cubs have called. I absolutely believe they’ve had in-depth conversations. I don’t think the Cubs are as active in this as Les or Kap suggest. Until there’s more traction, and I’m willing to be wrong on this, I don’t necessarily buy that this is a real thing.
