Another Top 100 With No Cubs, the First Mention of Players Striking, and Other Bullets

January 28, 2018, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

We are between games and more swimming – The Little Boy has developed a particular affection for Skee-Ball and Space Invaders with no prompting from dad, so that’s awesome – and I’m gonna try to pump out these Bullets while we eat pizza for breakfast …

Another top 100 came out last night, and the Cubs were not represented. The Cubs had zero prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 100, joining just two other teams:

Breaking down the updated @MLBPipeline Top 100 Prospects by team. pic.twitter.com/w7QwzZKNlU

— Daren Willman (@darenw) January 28, 2018

Not that rankings like this are the be-all, end-all, but one thing: congrats on the two top 100 prospects after trading Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Christian Yelich, Marlins.
OK, so the Cubs were probably close to having a couple guys in the top 100, though, right? Well, not according to MLB Pipeline:

Neither was right on the cusp of #Top100Prospects. Alzolay could crack the list at midseason if he continues to progress like he did last year. Don't sleep on Jose Albertos. @Cubs https://t.co/27NKkDPsMN

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) January 28, 2018

So, again we fall back to: (1) Cubs have a lot of prospect-aged-ish talent already in the big leagues, and (2) Cubs have some guys who could be top 100 by midseason if X, Y, and Z things happen.
It was only a matter of time before we started seeing this:

Amid chill in free-agent market, #Dodgers' Kenley Jansen says: 'Maybe we have to go on strike' https://t.co/AzWNdfNRXh

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) January 27, 2018

It’s not entirely cynical support either, since even a guy who’s landed a big contract like Jansen would still be forgoing a ton of money to strike (and it’s money he probably wouldn’t make up on the back end when his current deal expires). The reality, as we’ve discussed, is that this CBA is a relative disaster for the players, they are seeing it now, and they are understandably pissed. It will probably lead to change in the union, change in the relationship with ownership (either by way of a formal strike or an agreed re-opening of the CBA), and change in the way revenues are distributed in the game. Until this CBA concludes after the 2021 season, though, the players’ options will be limited.
Sahadev Sharma writes about how the Cubs will or will not react in the face of big moves by the Brewers. As you’d hope and expect for this front office, the Cubs are gonna do what they’re gonna do – sticking to their plan – regardless of what happens elsewhere in the division. And there figures to be more happening, as it’s almost impossible to imagine the Brewers not adding another starting pitcher at this point.
Imagining the uniforms in the NL Central as hockey uniforms is freaking awesome:

MLB x Hockey Jerseys Part 2: NL CENTRAL (minus the Cards cuz I can’t stand them) pic.twitter.com/vPiJtTgUJs

— DesignsByRL (@designs_rl) January 27, 2018

It’s especially awesome, because #AtReds had a comment that precipitated #AtCubs to bust out one of the best moments in Cubs history – the Kyle Farnsworth spear takedown: