Some Not Ruling Out the Big Transactions Yet, CBA Deets, Dodgers, Chelsea, and Other Cubs Bullets

A happy St. Paddy’s Day to you – my first since my brother’s DNA test confirmed that we are, indeed, quite Irish! So now this is MY HOLIDAY.

•   Although transactions will start to take more of a back seat now that Spring Training games are starting today, that doesn’t mean the Cubs are finished making moves. The compressed calendar means that lots moves around the league are going to bleed way into Spring Training games (if not the regular season), and the Cubs are still signing guys even as of last night. To that end, I think it’s worth underscoring that Sahadev Sharma – not known for being over the top in making bold proclamations – is still not taking anything off the table. An example section in his latest:

Still, the Cubs aren’t done. They shouldn’t be counted out of being willing to add a player like Eric Hosmer from the Padres if San Diego is also dangling a prospect. There is no doubt this front office would take on money if it meant adding another top prospect to its system. Hosmer would even fit well as a lefty bat who can play strong defense at first, even if that bat is well below average at the moment. The longer Carlos Correa lingers on the market, the more the Cubs have to be wondering whether he’ll come at that “value” price Hoyer is always searching for. The star shortstop has no obvious suitors to start a bidding war, a scenario the Cubs front office likely hoped for. Whether that matters remains to be seen. Never doubt agent Scott Boras’ ability to gin up a market for his clients.

The lack of an extension for Willson Contreras poses a dilemma. Moving him would be viewed as a step backward, but if done with other moves in mind, perhaps it could be an acceptable blow that still manages to help the team now and in the future. That’s the balancing act Hoyer faces.

Regardless, the Cubs will continue to be what they deem as intelligently aggressive. Hoyer won’t want to be financially handcuffed for years to come, but he and the front office are willing to be creative and add talent at any level. They need more pitching. They need a left-handed power bat. They just need more talent.

•   There are still a lot of ways this could go. My guess is the Cubs do find a lefty power-ish bat (though on the Moran-Hosmer tier), and add another arm or two. I think the other big things are still possible, though no one would call them likely. The Cubs’ roster on Opening Day is unlikely to be fundamentally different than it looks today. But I would say the BIG potential moves I still have my eyes on for monitoring purposes: the Hosmer-prospect trade, and a Contreras trade. I’d say maybe something like a 40% chance on the first one and a 20% chance on the second?

•   (Lotta people wonder about the lag in time between the Astros stepping things up with Correa on Monday, and then no deal since. I tend to think the most plausible explanation is simply that it’s going to be a crazy complex contract, with multiple opt outs and complicated team options, that it is taking a lot of time for the reps and lawyers to go back and forth to hammer out precisely what it should look like. I still expect him to wind up back with the Astros when all is said and done, but, hey, if Sharma isn’t yet ruling it out entirely, then neither am I.)

•   As for the incoming stream of arms, just a general reminder note:

•   We will get more drip-drip of the particulars from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement over the coming months, until the full text is finalized and made available for publication. Evan Drellich has a comprehensive breakdown at The Athletic of some of the less-discussed, nerdy terms if you want to dig in. One section in there to highlight: the new limit on options in a season reads, to me, like a player has to hit waivers the fifth time he’s optioned, not after the fifth time. So that would mean a team can option a player only four times before they risk losing him. That doesn’t quite sound right to me based on the reporting, but I suppose we’ll find out soon enough. In any case, when the player is optioned that final time, he hits waivers, and if claimed, his new team gets to send him to the minors just that one time.

•   Oh, one other rule of note for this time of year: retention bonuses for minor league free agents are gone. Instead, those players get three opt-out dates if they aren’t on the 40-man roster yet: five days before Opening Day, May 1, and June 1. So at any of those dates, a veteran player who signs a new minor league deal can head back into free agency if his team hasn’t put him on the 40-man roster.

•   The Dodgers, man:

•   Some Chelsea fans are not keen to have the Ricketts family owning their favorite team:

•   A particular concern for them is the financial side of things – I was not aware it was like this:

Though the Ricketts have been successful in American professional sports, Chelsea fans noted that European soccer is a much different environment. There is no salary cap or luxury tax, and the best teams generally spend the most, often to the point of losing astounding amounts of money.

Chelsea, under Abramovich, has been especially profligate: Last season, in which they won the Champions League title, the ultimate prize in European club soccer, the organization lost more than $200 million, by far the most in England.

•   To be sure, the teams are still appreciating like wild, so you might make up in the long-term anything you “lose” on an annual basis, but I’m not sure stateside MLB owners are the types that are itching to go hundreds of millions out of pocket on payroll.

•   The Tampa Bay Rays are very smart about reclaimed pitching, and they just gave former Cubs pitcher Jason Adam a big league deal. I think they’re going to be very happy about that. All the best to Adam.

•   If you are looking for the best NCAA March Madness promos, we’ve collected them right there for the sports bettors among you.

•   Let’s hope this changes this year:

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

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

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...

Latest News

Best NBA Prop Bets Today – Friday, March 29, 2024

Today's NBA schedule has 12 quality competitions in store. Among those games is the Minnesota Timberwolves playing the Denver Nuggets.NBA prop bets for today's games are available, so if you're interested in placing a bet or building a parlay, you'll...

Updated Elite 8 Odds: UConn Betting Favorite To Win March Madness

There were some great performances last night including a 30-point win by the UConn Huskies sending them to the Elite Eight. Are they the betting favorite to win March Madness? What team is sitting on top of the odds to...

UConn vs. Illinois Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) are 8.5-point favorites to advance to the Final Four when they play the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on...

Alabama vs. Clemson Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

The No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11) and No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (24-11) will both be vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Final Four when they meet on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, tipping off at 8:49...

How to Watch UConn Huskies vs. Illinois Fighting Illini: Live Stream or on TV

The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) will take on the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on TBS starting at 6:09 PM ET.UConn won its previous...

Alabama vs. Clemson: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (24-11) will take the court for an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup with the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11) on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, airing on TBS beginning at 8:49 PM ET,...

Today’s March Madness Schedule: Updated Bracket, TV Channels for Every Game

We saw some wild games last night as the Sweet 16 started hot as March Madness continues. There are great matchups tonight worth checking out. Take a look at today's March Madness schedule for Friday, March 29. The Sweet 16...

Big Ten Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 29

There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Friday that feature Big Ten squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Gonzaga Bulldogs versus the Purdue Boilermakers.How to Bet on Big Ten Games[lasso ref="draftkings-promo-1"...

SEC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 30

The Friday postseason college basketball slate includes two games featuring an SEC team in action. Among those games is the Creighton Bluejays playing the Tennessee Volunteers. Here are our recomendations for the best bets on action throughout the conference.How to...

Big 12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 30

There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Friday that feature Big 12 squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Duke Blue Devils versus the Houston Cougars.How to Bet on Big 12 Games[lasso...

more cubs news