Its that Time of Year Again – Stupid Kris Bryant Trade Rumors
It seems that every year around this time, there’s some rival team executive that suggests that the Chicago Cubs will listen to trades involving Kris Bryant. Then there are the subsequent droves of internet GM’s that add their two-cents on why the team should trade the team’s most accomplished slugger.
Wednesday morning, ESPN’s Jeff Passan dropped a bomb suggesting that the Cubs would entertain offers for Bryant. In the piece, Passan mentions that the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and the Cubs would entertain offers for Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Bryant.
I understand some fans thought behind trading Kris Bryant, I do. Not only is he a Scott Boras client and more apt to look at free agency, but with the way the Cubs have performed since the World Series tells some that this is a team in need of a complete overhaul. I don’t agree with the thought that you trade your best player in an attempt to rebuild a farm system. Unless you are absolutely waiving the white flag and saying you are tearing the whole thing down. But the thought that you would hold onto an Anthony Rizzo that consistently shows his back is wearing out on him, a Javier Baez that will likely never have a better season that 2018, Willson Contreras who plays a position notorious for breaking players down (and he’s started to show signs of that) – just doesn’t sit right.
But you have Bryant, who has been the team’s best hitter since he has arrived in Chicago – and it’s not particularly close – on the block?
Coincidently, in the same article Passan mentions that the Cubs would attempt to re-sign Javier Baez. So between the two stars, the Cubs would choose the bigger wild card (in terms of performance) over the more predictable player? I just don’t fully understand the point behind the idea if the team were to do both. Unless the Cubs feel Baez would sign for a ridiculously below value contract.
The other part that bothers me here is this. While a lot of Cubs fans hold onto a false rumor that was put out by David Kaplan, saying Bryant turned down a deal north of $200 million, he (Bryant) was very adamant that he would like to talk about an extension with the Cubs. There were several occasions just this offseason where he specifically addressed this. But, the Cubs haven’t returned the call.
“Anytime you can show loyalty to the team that drafted you and you came up with and established relationships with those people, any human being would want to do that,” Bryant said. “It’s no secret that everyone in this clubhouse loves playing in Chicago. We love everything about this organization.
“Everyone in this clubhouse would want to finish his career with this team, myself included.”
To play devil’s advocate, Bryant would require a GIANT haul for the Cubs to pull the trigger on anything. This would be a deal that sends multiple top 50 prospects to the Cubs and likely not only an MLB-ready player but a player on the verge of becoming a star.
What team can offer that to the Cubs? Maybe the Toronto Blue Jays? They did draft him before he opted to go to college. They have a couple top 100 prospects, they have some youngsters on the verge of becoming a star, but a team that is so far behind the top end of their division, it just doesn’t make sense.
Ultimately, yet again, this rumor is nothing but B.S. I’m not saying Passan is passing along a false rumor, I am sure he is reporting what was told to him. There just isn’t a team that is poised to make that kind of offer to the Cubs.
Bryant will absolutely be a Chicago Cub in 2020, and likely again in 2021. How about we celebrate him instead of dreaming what the team could get for him.
