Another Example Of Free Agents Turning Down More Money To Sign With The Cubs

The haters can make fun of Wrigley Field or Chicago Cubs fans as much as they want, but once again we have another example of just how appealing everything surrounding the team that plays at the corner of Clark and Addison really is. Despite a slow-moving free agent market this offseason, the Cubs have quietly re-tooled their bullpen with a few new weapons and on Wednesday the team brought back left-handed reliever Brian Duensing. The 34-year-old pitcher signed a two-year deal worth $7 million.

The Cubs made it official.

However, there's more to the signing than the Cubs simply adding more depth to the bullpen and giving Joe Maddon more flexibility with Mike Montgomery, who can easily be inserted into the rotation with Duensing being another lefty reliever. See, whether it's the team itself, the city, the fans, or the field he gets to call home, Duensing turned down bigger contracts to return to the Cubs.

The Cubs have seemingly always had a certain appeal for players, as Chicago provides them with a great place to be in for most of the year. Yet, ever since Theo Epstein went after Maddon and plucked him away from the Tampa Bay Rays, the winning culture and fun atmosphere has been added to entice free agents. It's not the first time players have come to the Cubs despite getting bigger offers in the past few years. Ben Zobrist, who won the 2016 World Series MVP, reportedly turned down more money from at least two teams. According to the Washington Post, the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals offered Zobrist at least $60 million. The switch hitter ended up signing with the Cubs for $56 million. And of course there was that crazy, last-minute re-signing of Dexter Fowler prior to the 2016 season. After one year with the Cubs, the center fielder hit free agency and although the offers weren't significant, he did turn down a bigger deal from the Baltimore Orioles. Via NBC Sports Chicago:

Fowler confirmed he turned down a three-year guaranteed offer, leaving all that money on the table to ink a one-year pact with the Cubs for $13 million guaranteed ($8 million base salary in 2016 plus a $5 million buyout for a $9 million mutual 2017 option). But why? "My heart's here," Fowler said. "The Cubs, they treat me with the utmost respect. With the offseason moves they've made, you've gotta go with what's comfortable. "My family loves it here. It was good to get back."

Although Jason Heyward signed the biggest contract in Cubs history, eight years, $184 million, he did leave more guaranteed money on the table. The St. Louis Cardinals reportedly offered Heyward close to $200 million, but the gold glove right fielder picked the Cubs instead.

"As everyone may have seen from the numbers that came out, I didn't take the highest offer," Heyward said in his introductory press conference in Chicago Tuesday afternoon. "But for me, a winning attitude and culture and the fact that this was such a young group that I could grow myself with and be 26 years old. "I would rather grow up with a bunch of guys and make them family and be able to cherish that for the rest of the day without feeling like I had to restart." (Jason Heyward)

So, Duensing is just another example of how the most money isn't necessarily guaranteed to bring in the best free agents. That factor can continue to benefit the Cubs, who would still like to add a starting pitcher this offseason and looking ahead to next year, maybe Bryce Harper doesn't just go for the most money. He's already expressed his love for playing at Wrigley Field and his best friend just happens to be Kris Bryant. Maybe Bryce Harper to the Cubs is actually a better fit than we all think, if money isn't the top priority. There's a reason players keep taking less money to play for the Cubs.