Chicago Cubs breakup is getting messier by the minute
The Chicago Cubs quickly became the team to watch at the trade deadline. By sending out Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Craig Kimbrel, amongst other bit players, the Cubs marked an end of an era, completely revamping their farm system as they looked towards creating their future.
It did not have to be that way. General manager Jed Hoyer claimed that the Cubs made competitive offers to extend their core players, but those talks did not go anywhere. Former Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo, however, disagrees with that assessment.
Rizzo to @thekapman on Hoyer comment on making fair offers to Cubs players: “There’s a common denominator that no one signed.” The breakup is getting ugly.
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) August 3, 2021
Chicago Cubs breakup is heading for Divorce Court
There are two possible explanations. The first, and what the Cubs would like to have their fans believe, is that the players have an overly inflated sense of their own values. The other explanation, as put forward by Rizzo, is that the Cubs did make offers, but they were so low that it did not make sense to further engage in conversation.
More Cubs. Team attempted extensions before trades. light
Given how quickly the relationship soured, it is unlikely that any of these players will be heading back to the Cubs. They may have wonderful memories of their time in the organization, and leaving may have hit hard, but the economics of the game matter. Players do not want to be a part of an organization that, whether fairly or not, they feel do not value them appropriately.
In the end, both sides are likely telling their version of the truth. The Cubs made what they felt were fair offers to keep their core intact. Those players found the offers insulting and not even close to a starting point. It is what it is.
There is also no point in bringing that difference to light. Hoyer likely did so to get in front of any backlash towards the organization, pointing the finger at the players for being unreasonable. Now, the players, and Rizzo in particular, are firing back. This is not going to be pretty.
Next. Cubs are Jed Hoyer's team now. dark
Former Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is essentially saying the extension offers were not good enough. This divorce is getting ugly.