When Winning is Losing, Coaching Changes, Albertos, and Other Bullets

I was really hoping to wake up this morning to a new wave of deals around baseball, either very close to completion or ready to be announced. But thanks to Jeff Passan’s report this morning, it’s really hard not to be discouraged. And I don’t just mean about not having activity to follow and analyze and have fun with. I mean the dwindling hope that this weird offseason would wind up fine in the end for the players, just delayed. A free agent stalemate that drags on into Spring Training at a grand scale will unquestionably be bad for the players and bad for the game, and will presage a significant labor fight that already seems virtually certain.

We often talk about “winning” a trade, and, sure, you like to see your team do really well in a trade. But the best trades are always the ones that both sides wind up very happy about – the short-term “win” may not be worth the long-term costs associated with being the a-hole who’s always ripping others off. The CBA was clearly a huge win for the owners. We thought it the day it was announced – specifically, that the luxury tax cap would become something much closer to a salary cap than the game has ever seen – and it’s all the more clear now. The owners “won” those negotiations in blowout fashion. The question now is whether, in the long run, it was worth it to win so one-sidedly. We’ll see what happens in the coming years. I’m nervous.

Meanwhile …

  • Patrick Mooney writes about the turnover on the Cubs’ coaching staff from the perspective of the team’s two best hitters, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, each of whom will miss the guys who left, but can see positives in change. Hitting coach John Mallee didn’t really do anything wrong to lose his job – and he was immediately scooped up by the Phillies – but the Cubs were simply excited about the prospect of adding Chili Davis.
  • Keith Law’s top 100 prospect list came out this week, and he added a small group of “just missed” prospects, which includes a Cubs youngster. The short version of Law’s take? Jose Albertos has everything you’d want to see in a top 50 type prospect … he just hasn’t pitched competitively enough for us to actually know whether he’s that guy. The 19-year-old righty with incredible stuff figures to be featured in South Bend’s rotation this season, so hopefully we’ll now get lots of looks at him.
  • This is a great idea, and I’d love to watch … but it would probably only make things even worse between management and players:
  • We wrote about about Cubs minor league outfield signee Wynton Bernard here, but Emily Waldon has a whole lot more on the story behind the player here, from a few years ago:
  • Heh:
  • Time is a flat circle:
  • Huge Deal of the Day at Amazon today on certified refurbished iPad Pros. I don’t really need one, but I am so tempted.
  • For more Cubs-specific stuff, the Cubs store at MLBShop is 20% off all orders today.
  • Vince McMahon announced that he’s bringing the XFL back, which got me thinking about the XBL, which I am immediately starting:
  • I am open to your completely and totally serious XBL rules suggestions down there in the comments.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Latest News

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

    The Atlanta Braves, with Spencer Strider on the mound, take on the Philadelphia Phillies (who will counter with Zack Wheeler) in their opening game of the season, at 3:05 PM ET on Friday.Keep reading to find out all the details...

    Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, it'll be the New Orleans Pelicans versus the Milwaukee Bucks -- with Jonas Valančiūnas needing to score only once from beyond the arc to beat his 3-pointer prop.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the...

    What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

    Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

    Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

    The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

    What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

    You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Arizona Diamondbacks begin their season as -226 favorites in a home tilt against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID.Arizona's Zac Gallen and Colorado's Kyle Freeland have been named the starters for this contest.Diamondbacks...

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Seattle Mariners start their season as home favorites (-155) in a matchup with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN from T-Mobile Park.Seattle's Luis Castillo and Boston's Brayan Bello have been named the...

    Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Cleveland Guardians look to start their season with a win as road favorites (-145) in a season-opening matchup with the Oakland Athletics. First pitch is on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET on NBCS-CA, live from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Cleveland's Shane...

    more cubs news