David Price Signs w/ Boston - 7/$217M

[David]

This was going to happen. Might as well start now, especially with FA starting tonight.

 

As Gilby pointed out last night in that other thread:

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/insider/post?id=11545

 

1. David Price (obviously): He is the best available starting pitcher, will probably get the most significant contract of the winter, and some rival evaluators consider the Cubs to be the heavy, heavy favorites to sign him.

 

 

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/hot-stove-league-free-agents-trade-candidates-david-price-zack-greinke-cespedes-heyward-110615

 

David Price: Two agents for free-agent starting pitchers predict that Price will sign with the Cubs. An executive who knows Price says that the Cubs are his first choice. It’s all talk until the contract is signed, particularly when the Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals and Red Sox all could be in the mix.

[jersey cubs fan]

please please please please please

[Guest]

Price is definitely the one I would like to see signed. It would also be nice if everyone else just assumes it's a forgone conclusion that Price will sign with the Cubs, and not bother upping the price anymore than it needs to be. Fat chance.

[Guest]

Price is definitely the one I would like to see signed. It would also be nice if everyone else just assumes it's a forgone conclusion that Price will sign with the Cubs, and not bother upping the price anymore than it needs to be. Fat chance.

 

if i could only have one of the big big guys, i think i'd rather it be heyward (because pitchers, because age, etc.) but i'm definitely not gonna not be ecstatic if we get price.

[Guest]

While I hope they do not sign Price, I will be really excited if they do.

 

That even sounds weird to me.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Price + Fowler would be fine by me. The offense should be good enough without Heyward, but the starting pitching needs to improve.

[jersey cubs fan]

Price is definitely the one I would like to see signed. It would also be nice if everyone else just assumes it's a forgone conclusion that Price will sign with the Cubs, and not bother upping the price anymore than it needs to be. Fat chance.

 

if i could only have one of the big big guys, i think i'd rather it be heyward (because pitchers, because age, etc.) but i'm definitely not gonna not be ecstatic if we get price.

"Because pitchers" is why you spend your top draft picks on the best college bats instead of arms. It's not a reason to avoid free agent pitchers.

[Guest]

Price is definitely the one I would like to see signed. It would also be nice if everyone else just assumes it's a forgone conclusion that Price will sign with the Cubs, and not bother upping the price anymore than it needs to be. Fat chance.

 

if i could only have one of the big big guys, i think i'd rather it be heyward (because pitchers, because age, etc.) but i'm definitely not gonna not be ecstatic if we get price.

"Because pitchers" is why you spend your top draft picks on the best college bats instead of arms. It's not a reason to avoid free agent pitchers.

 

i'm not saying i'd avoid him

 

i'm saying i feel better about a $200M investment in heyward than price

[SouthSideRyan]

Arrieta/Price/Lester.

 

http://www.pride.com/sites/pride.com/files/schmittsgay-thankyou.gif

[XZero771679666304]

Price + Fowler would be fine by me. The offense should be good enough without Heyward, but the starting pitching needs to improve.

 

And a bullpen addition or two. I think of the potential big money signings being attached to the Cubs, Price is by far the most likely to happen.

 

The writing has been on the wall with regards to the Cubs pursuing Price for a couple of years now, and Maddon coming on board has only made it more likely. While adding another big money/years pitcher is a scary proposition, I won't be particularly perturbed if/when it happens. It feels even more pre-ordained than Lester did.

[Guest]

Price is definitely the one I would like to see signed. It would also be nice if everyone else just assumes it's a forgone conclusion that Price will sign with the Cubs, and not bother upping the price anymore than it needs to be. Fat chance.

 

if i could only have one of the big big guys, i think i'd rather it be heyward (because pitchers, because age, etc.) but i'm definitely not gonna not be ecstatic if we get price.

"Because pitchers" is why you spend your top draft picks on the best college bats instead of arms. It's not a reason to avoid free agent pitchers.

 

i'm not saying i'd avoid him

 

i'm saying i feel better about a $200M investment in heyward than price

 

If you are building a brand new team, the $200m would probably be better spent on Heyward long term. But, with a team that's nearly completely built, fitting the missing pieces makes me lean towards the pitcher instead of the CF. I don't think they would doing wrong going either way, and that's what will probably make this a pretty exciting offseason. Of all the possibilities, I doubt Epstein disappoints with whatever offseason decision he makes.

[Cubswin11]

[UMFan83]

My read on this is that the Cubs are going to be heavy favorites until the price goes over $200m then they will quickly snatch up someone like Cueto at a relative bargain. My hope is that an iffy postseason keeps the offers down just enough for the Cubs to get him.

[Guest]

My read on this is that the Cubs are going to be heavy favorites until the price goes over $200m then they will quickly snatch up someone like Cueto at a relative bargain. My hope is that an iffy postseason keeps the offers down just enough for the Cubs to get him.

 

why is that your read on this?

 

it's not as if the people saying these things don't know what price's price tag is going to be.

[UMFan83]

My read on this is that the Cubs are going to be heavy favorites until the price goes over $200m then they will quickly snatch up someone like Cueto at a relative bargain. My hope is that an iffy postseason keeps the offers down just enough for the Cubs to get him.

 

why is that your read on this?

 

it's not as if the people saying these things don't know what price's price tag is going to be.

 

Fangraphs crowd sourcing thing had him at 7/190, but with teams like the Giants and Red Sox needing starting pitching, I could see them bidding outside of the Cubs price range. I just think there's a limit the Cubs won't go over. Until it gets to that point the Cubs will be the favorites to sign him.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It still blows my mind that we're talking about really big pieces to add to a young team that just won 97 games.

[Guest]

Does it HAVE to be Price OR Heyward? If there's an offseason to go all out in FA, this would be this year. Those two guys on the roster sets them up for a huge run over the next 3-5, which means more $$$$ come time to cash in on media rights.

 

No one is getting Price and Heyward. There's too many teams that want to make big upgrades that game theory will ensure they're going to pay more for the 2nd guy than you want to after you've already added the first guy. Especially since neither plays on the infield where positional scarcity comes into play.

 

Also the Cubs aren't going to push the payroll that high, but you know that.

[Sammy Sofa]

It still blows my mind that we're talking about really big pieces to add to a young team that just won 97 games.

 

NOT ME.

 

[Guest]

As for Price, he's an even better candidate for a huge deal than Lester was, so I'll be really stoked if they get him. There's definitely reasons not to(having 55 of 150 and later ~80 of 180 million tied up in SPs over 30 is a big risk, Price's AAV likely limits the other immediate upgrades they can make, the Cubs don't *need* a star compared to other teams) so I'm not gonna be upset if he's not the guy either, but Arrieta, Lester, and Price making 90ish starts with this offense is a recipe for a lot of wins.

[UMFan83]

Does it HAVE to be Price OR Heyward? If there's an offseason to go all out in FA, this would be this year. Those two guys on the roster sets them up for a huge run over the next 3-5, which means more $$$$ come time to cash in on media rights.

 

lol I don't think it will happen but adding 12 WAR to a team that won 97 games while only losing Fowler would be the greatest thing ever.

[KingCubsFan]

It's pretty rare to have a player like Price communicate such a clear preference for a team, and I think the Cubs need to capitalize on it. In a vacuum, I'd prefer Heyward, but if Price's preferences means the Cubs won't have to get into a bidding war with other teams for Price, they have to jump on it.

[SouthSideRyan]

Has Price communicated a clear preference for the Cubs?

[Guest]

Has Price communicated a clear preference for the Cubs?

 

The first post has a quote from an anonymous exec who thinks so, but Nightengale has basically said the same thing about Price preferring the Cardinals, so I don't think there's a ton that can be read into it.

[KingCubsFan]

Has Price communicated a clear preference for the Cubs?

It's obviously an assumption on my part, but when several national guys are reporting it, I tend to believe there's some truth to it.

[davell]

“There’s probably not another city that’s dying for a World Series more than Chicago. I think everybody would probably agree with me on that. That’s special. It’s absolutely special.” – David Price, sounding like the Cy Young Award winner already had a free-agent destination in mind, June 10.