Weekend Catch-Up: Notes from the Convention, Harper Chatter, Reed Signs, Cole Traded, More

Hey, everybody!

I’m sure Brett will reiterate this sentiment in the Bullets later today, but I just want to say that it was really awesome to meet so many of you at the convention and at Lizzie McNeill’s over the weekend. I know Brett, Luis, and I had a blast and I hope you did, too.

And, hey, the Cubs may have not had any surprises for us at The Sheraton, but at least the market started to loosen up over the weekend. So let’s take a quick look back, in case you missed anything …

Friday, January 12

  • Brett kicked off the weekend with Friday’s Bullets, discussing, among many things, Rizzo’s continued philanthropy.
  • I then explored a rumor, which postulated that the Cubs’ inactivity might be tied to their future pursuit of Bryce Harper.
  • The first Lukewarm Stove of the weekend followed, including the potential for a one-year deal with Greg Holland.
  • Brett wondered where you’d rank the Cubs league-wide right now.
  • The Cubs were briefly the Mystery Team for Gerrit Cole – very briefly.
  • The Cubs came to deals with every arb-eligible player besides Justin Grimm (plus Kris Bryant got a record-breaking salary).
  • Saturday, January 13

  • Morning Bullets with some early highlights from the convention.
  • The Twins landed potential Cubs free agent target Addison Reed with an unexpectedly affordable deal.
  • Some Cubs business-side/renovation notes from the weekend.
  • The Astros *actually* traded for Gerrit Cole.
  • Another Lukewarm Stove, dissecting the fallout from Cole’s and Reed’s deals.
  • Sunday, January 14

  • Willson Contreras won the Convention with the best moment of the weekend.
  • Tom Ricketts drew a line in the sand with Sammy Sosa.
  • The Yankees think they can get Yu Darvish for five years and $80-$90 million … apparently.
  • The third and final Lukewarm Stove of the weekend, discussed the Cardinals’ intentions, the Pirates moves with McCutchen, and some luxury tax concerns, among many things.
  • written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

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