Ladies and gentlemen, Cubs ownership has had enough of fans calling them cheap. They are on a full-court press through the media, pointing all of your frustrations directly at Jed Hoyer and the rest of the front office.
On Monday night and then Tuesday, two separate reports came out from the Winter Meetings, relaying to fans that the Cubs are opening up the checkbook this offseason after underwhelming offseasons and flat out failing to add premier talent in other years. The point was the ball was in Hoyer's court and money isn't in issue to get the Cubs back to being a serious contender as soon as 2023.
The Cubs signed Cody Bellinger, taking a $17 million gamble on the 2019 MVP, who has been bad offensively the past two years. Hoyer also signed Jameson Taillon to a four-year deal, not shying away from the healthy starting pitching market, as he committed $68 million for the right-hander.
Solid moves early in the offseason for the Cubs, who have many needs to address, but this team has to be aggressive at the top of the market. Right now, Carlos Correa remains unsigned and the Cubs are trying to sign him.
Crane Kenney, Cubs president of business operations, went on 670 The Score Friday morning and once again told fans that Hoyer has the resources to spend this offseason. He didn't go as far to say that there's a mandate from the Ricketts' family, but he pretty much said Hoyer didn't use all the money the Cubs could have spent last year, so there's extra money available now to do something.
Via 670 The Score.
“The business is still healthy, and that left Jed (Hoyer) with a lot of money to spend this year – like last year, where he didn’t spend all the money he had last year because he didn’t see transactions that made sense to him. I hope there are transactions that make sense to us this year to spend all the money that he has. He’s gotten off to a good start. The goal is always the same – it’s to win another championship. If a player can help us get closer to that goal, I think you’re going to see him be very aggressive.”
I mean, that was Kenney pointing the finger at Hoyer, being like we had the money to spend, but Jed didn't like some of the deals out there last offseason. Not our fault guys.
Oh baby!
Anyway, I'm not in full panic-mode like some Cubs fans are right now. It is only Dec. 9, and their number one target in Correa is still on the board. The Cubs are also in on Dansby Swanson and I'll say it again, they still have to add two more quality bats in addition to a shortstop. That can come either at 1B/DH, catcher or a third baseman. Those deals don't have to be necessarily huge in terms of years, but regardless money shouldn't be an issue, right?
The pressure is on Hoyer and I'd love to see him truly call the team's bluff. Go crazy Jed. Spend that Ricketts' money! You know, act like you want to get better because other teams aren't having problems making transactions make sense.
We talked about the Cubs pursuit of Correa and how we feel if they end up with Swanson instead, while also looking at some options for the other areas of need the team also needs to improve on. That and much more on this week's Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast.
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