MLB: ***Official Cubs Offseason Thread***

[FerShizzle]

Happ
Schwarber
Bryant
Rizzo
Contreras
Russell
Heyward
Baez

???

I like this lineup, but I’m still not sure how Zobrist and Almora fit into it. I think Zo ends up playing a lot of RF and LF this year, and maybe even some 1B. Happ will be playing 2B whenever Baez isn’t.

Regardless, Zobrist getting more than 300 ABs will really piss me off. There is just too much talent being held back by him at this point.

 

[CloneFan4]

If this is true I just lost a lot of respect for Jake

 

[CyJack13]

If this is true I just lost a lot of respect for Jake

Why? The guy deserved to get paid and in 2015 and early 2016 $200M was probably on the table for him if he would have been a free agent at that very moment. I'm sure you loved his attitude when he was telling the Pirates they had no chance in the wild card game before throwing a CG shutout in that game. His attitude rubbed off on the rest of the team too, he thought he was the best pitcher in the game, and for a while there he was. You don't think a guy who is that competitive on the field is going to be just as competitive when it comes to contract negotiations? Especially considering it was his first chance at free agency.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

If this is true I just lost a lot of respect for Jake

What did he allegedly say/do? Can't see the tweet on mobile.

 

[VeloClone]

If this is true I just lost a lot of respect for Jake

Some of these guys seem to listen to agents and the media too much and lose sight of the prize. Players at the highest level want to win. In the grand scheme of things does it really matter that much if you have a $200 million contract or a $50 million contract? If you can agree on a more reasonable contract that will still easily set you for life and help to build a dynasty you can have a better chance of winning multiple championships and cementing your name in history.

 

[CycloneErik]

What did he allegedly say/do? Can't see the tweet on mobile.

Allegedly boasted of his future earnings in the clubhouse, which could either be cancerous or perfectly normal, depending on a person's perspective or presentation.

Jake seems like he was always a good teammate anyway, so whatever, probably.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Allegedly boasted of his future earnings in the clubhouse, which could either be cancerous or perfectly normal, depending on a person's perspective or presentation.

Jake seems like he was always a good teammate anyway, so whatever, probably.

That gets a big "meh" from me. Doesn't seem like a big deal unless he was belittling others in the process.

 

[CycloneErik]

That gets a big "meh" from me. Doesn't seem like a big deal unless he was belittling others in the process.

And that doesn't sound like him, probably.
It's the kind of thing that can be a distraction, but it's just part of a job anyway. I can't believe that this derailed the team or anything.

 

[CyJack13]

Some of these guys seem to listen to agents and the media too much and lose sight of the prize. Players at the highest level want to win. In the grand scheme of things does it really matter that much if you have a $200 million contract or a $50 million contract? If you can agree on a more reasonable contract that will still easily set you for life and help to build a dynasty you can have a better chance of winning multiple championships and cementing your name in history.

It's always easy to tell somebody else they should take less money. And I'm sure if players could have both, winning and money they would take that, but I think the money comes first for most guys, just like it would for almost anyone else in that situation.

 

[CycloneErik]

It's always easy to tell somebody else they should take less money. And I'm sure if players could have both, winning and money they would take that, but I think the money comes first for most guys, just like it would for almost anyone else in that situation.

And I can think of 150 differences between those two figures.
If it's something a lot smaller, I might criticize. I couldn't criticize someone reasonably expecting another $150 million. That's, like, a lot.

 

[CloneFan4]

Why? The guy deserved to get paid and in 2015 and early 2016 $200M was probably on the table for him if he would have been a free agent at that very moment. I'm sure you loved his attitude when he was telling the Pirates they had no chance in the wild card game before throwing a CG shutout in that game. His attitude rubbed off on the rest of the team too, he thought he was the best pitcher in the game, and for a while there he was. You don't think a guy who is that competitive on the field is going to be just as competitive when it comes to contract negotiations? Especially considering it was his first chance at free agency.

Why would you go around the clubhouse bragging that you're going to get a $200M contract? What is there to gain in that? Just comes off as douchey and the dudes been my favorite player since '15. Maybe its just me but I'd prefer to be around teammates that let their body of work speak for them. Guy like Kyle Hendricks.

EDIT: This is all subject to there being truth to Jake being braggadocios

 

[chuckd4735]

If this is true I just lost a lot of respect for Jake

You lost respect for him because he thought he was worth more than a what he got? If Jake were a FA two years ago, he likely could of got that on a 6 or 7 year contract, so its not crazy for him to think he could of done it this year.

 

[CyJack13]

Why would you go around the clubhouse bragging that you're going to get a $200M contract? What is there to gain in that? Just comes off as douchey and the dudes been my favorite player since '15. Maybe its just me but I'd prefer to be around teammates that let their body of work speak for them. Guy like Kyle Hendricks.

EDIT: This is all subject to there being truth to Jake being braggadocios

Because you think you're the best ******* pitcher in the game and expect to be paid like it? I mean it would be one thing if Heyward is in the locker room talking about how he makes more than almost all the other position player starters combined. But if Jake is talking about getting paid while putting up historic numbers, no problem with that. I'm assuming he wasn't saying this late last year, but 2015-early 2016, that wasn't an insane number.

 

[CyJack13]

In 2014 (a really underrated year for Arrieta, lowest FIP of his career) and 2015, Arrieta threw about 400 absolutely outstanding innings for the Cubs while making barely $4M total over those two years. He watched Lester, who had never had a two year stretch nearly as good as that, sign a $155M deal with the Cubs. Why would he be thinking about taking any kind of below market deal at that point?

 

[CycloneErik]

In 2014 (a really underrated year for Arrieta, lowest FIP of his career) and 2015, Arrieta threw about 400 absolutely outstanding innings for the Cubs while making barely $4M total over those two years. He watched Lester, who had never had a two year stretch nearly as good as that, sign a $155M deal with the Cubs. Why would he be thinking about taking any kind of below market deal at that point?

And, sure, I prefer to work with folks that just go around their business never mentioning money, but I don't work around people who will ever see a $200 million deal, or anything like it.

That, and I'm not naive enough to think that these guys never talk about money. It's inevitable that it comes up. Lot of nerve for a guy dominating the league to think he'd be paid that way (assuming that timeframe).

 

[CloneFan4]

In 2014 (a really underrated year for Arrieta, lowest FIP of his career) and 2015, Arrieta threw about 400 absolutely outstanding innings for the Cubs while making barely $4M total over those two years. He watched Lester, who had never had a two year stretch nearly as good as that, sign a $155M deal with the Cubs. Why would he be thinking about taking any kind of below market deal at that point?

Point to where I said anything about Jake accepting less than what he deserved. Never have I said that. My issue with with the braggadocios attitude. And boy you can't get in one post in this thread without bashing Heyward. It was downright pathetic a long time ago.

 

[CyJack13]

Point to where I said anything about Jake accepting less than what he deserved. Never have I said that. My issue with with the braggadocios attitude. And boy you can't get in one post in this thread without bashing Heyward. It was downright pathetic a long time ago.

Breaking news: Pro Athletes are cocky.

 

[CloneFan4]

Breaking news: Pro Athletes are cocky.

 

[Rabbuk]

Point to where I said anything about Jake accepting less than what he deserved. Never have I said that. My issue with with the braggadocios attitude. And boy you can't get in one post in this thread without bashing Heyward. It was downright pathetic a long time ago.

In fairness I would trade Heyward for a footlong hotdog.

 

[VeloClone]

It's always easy to tell somebody else they should take less money. And I'm sure if players could have both, winning and money they would take that, but I think the money comes first for most guys, just like it would for almost anyone else in that situation.

I am not telling anyone to take less money, just pointing out that the competition is for too many players not about winning the most championships but rather seeing who can make the most money - many times more than a reasonable person can ever spend in their lifetime. They can do what they want but they have certainly lost what most of the players profess to be the reason they were driven to play the game.