Cubs Will Be “Really Active” in Free Agency, But Will Spend “Intelligently”

The headline says it all, insofar as it doesn’t really say anything at all. But I’ll try to wind my way somewhere by the end of this post, because I think it does roughly sum up what the Cubs are going to do.

Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer spoke to the question on everyone’s mind as the Cubs head toward the end of their 2021 season: will this offseason feature actual, targeted spending in free agency, unlike the ok-we-found-some-quarters-in-the-cushions-in-February approach of last year?

“We plan to be really active in free agency,” Hoyer said, per NBCSC. “We plan to spend money intelligently …. Obviously we’ll be active in free agency but we want to do it in a thoughtful and intelligent way.”

We’re gonna try to do a lot of stuff, but also we aren’t going to do anything stupid. Roger that.

To be honest, I’m not sure what else he could say – the action is going to do the speaking, and that action might be delayed by the CBA anyway – but that doesn’t mean I can put much stock in the response right now. In other words, I don’t blame Hoyer for responding this way, but I also don’t take too much away from it. I’m gonna spend a lot of words from here on the topic of the Cubs’ offseason, but don’t mistake that for me thinking Hoyer just revealed something incredible. It was mostly just what you’d expect him to say.

We already anticipated a targeted approach in free agency, where the Cubs will (hopefully) be very active in trying to land a sizable volume of the right short-term deals, where they are paying a premium AAV for upside. Not every other organization is in a position, financially or competitively, to go after those high-risk, high-cost, short-term types. The Cubs are, and they should take advantage of being in that spot.

To that end, I *think* Hoyer hinted at confirming our suspicions at the direction they’ll take. You kinda have to read all of his comments in concert to get the sense, but it certainly has the feel of (1) yes we’re going to have money to spend, (2) yes we’re going to try to land a whole lot of interesting guys, but (3) no we might not sign multiple top-tier free agents. It’s not an explicit thing he said, mind you. Just a sense I get.

Don’t forget, I think they’ll also explore the trade market quite a bit (and probably for similar upside plays), and that can transform a roster in fundamental ways, too. But free agency needs to be a heavy focus if the team wants any chance at competing in 2022. And if you’re going to do a whole lot in free agency with a roster like this, it tends to be the case that you aren’t putting all of your eggs in a single nine-figure basket. You need to take a lot of shots.

“We’re scouting that market heavily,” Hoyer said of the free agent market. “We’re going to analyze that market heavily. There’s offseasons when free agency is something that you do a little bit of. And obviously this year, we’re going to be probably a little more active than usual to fill out our roster because we have a lot of open spots.”

Again, the action is going to do the real speaking here, but at least Hoyer isn’t trying to sell folks on the idea that there AREN’T a lot of holes on the roster. This Cubs roster is not one or two pieces shy of clear contention. It would take a LOT of hits in free agency (and a LOT of big steps forward internally (and good health)) for the Cubs to compete in 2022, so just signing Carlos Correa to a monster deal isn’t going to do it. We can – and will! – debate the merits of balling out on Correa at this moment in time, but the general point here is that the Cubs need to target many, many additions in free agency. Doing so within whatever budget the front office is given will require that “intelligently” part.

Lots of targets. Lots of activity. Lots of intelligence. Simple as that, right?

I kid, because it’s easy enough to say those things, but it’s a far trickier thing to actually get it all right. When you’re playing in the higher-risk pool of free agency, you are necessarily increasing your odds of not hitting on a signing. If a guy were a sure thing, he’d be getting one of those nine-figure deals! So I don’t want to mislead here and say that, while I think I approve of the Cubs’ likely approach, it’s a sure-fire strategy for success.

Instead, it’s a mere recognition of how needy this roster is in 2022 (take lots of shots in free agency), how the budget probably isn’t going to open up all at once (spend intelligently), and how the Cubs might have another rough first half in 2022 (stay short-term).

I’ve tried to be pretty transparent that I’m still wrapping my head around the best approach for the Cubs this offseason when you consider all the complicating factors (the pandemic’s impact on finances, Marquee’s ratings slide, the CBA negotiations and possible shut down, the bulk of the farm talent is still so far away, etc.). I also don’t want to ignore how I still don’t think the NL Central is gonna be all that great next year, so you have to at least give yourself a shot. So that’s how I start thinking about an offseason of lots of short-term, high-upside, high-risk signings. And I read Hoyer’s comments as suggesting something similar. But I do still have to actually see it play out and think through the implications before I land anywhere too firmly on whether the Cubs did the right things.

I’m still kinda just following along, a bit skeptically, and I want to see what the Cubs actually try to accomplish. Until then, Hoyer’s comments and an implied approach for the offseason really only provide so much.

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

MVC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Tuesday that feature MVC squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores.How to Bet on MVC Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Tuesday postseason college basketball schedule, the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

Marlins vs. Pirates: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

In their season opener on Friday, Andrew Jacob Puk will take the mound for the Miami Marlins against Martin Perez and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET at LoanDepot park.See how to watch the Miami-Pittsburgh...

Warriors vs. Hornets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Golden State Warriors (38-34) hit the court against the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 218 points.Dig into the best bets...

Pacers vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) are 2.5-point underdogs as they look to extend a five-game win streak when they visit the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game airs at 7:00 PM ET on...

Clippers vs. Magic Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) are slightly favored (by 1 point) to continue a three-game road win streak when they visit the Orlando Magic (42-30) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The point total in the matchup...

Wizards vs. Pistons Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are slight underdogs (by 2.5 points) to stop a five-game road losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The over/under is 229 in the matchup.Check...

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

Spencer Strider will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves when they square off against starter Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.The article below will provide you...

more cubs news