Jon Heyman: Cubs one of teams interested in Bo Bichette.

[Jason Ross]

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[Jason Ross]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

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Three unreported teams have checked in on Bo Bichette: Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs 

This is a pretty light connection, but Heyman isn't a nobody and this is a new one. Maybe something to keep an eye out; if they're interested in Bregman, Bichette makes sense. 

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

This is a pretty light connection, but Heyman isn't a nobody and this is a new one. Maybe something to keep an eye out; if they're interested in Bregman, Bichette makes sense. 

He also listed the Yankees and Dodgers. I don’t like our chances. 

[TarzanJoeWallis]

“Checked in” in Cubs language means they are letting them know if they don’t get what they are looking for the Cubs will be happy to do a short deal with high AAV and multiple opt outs. In the meantime, good luck with your negotiations with other teams and give us a call if you start to feel desperate. 

[Geographyhater8888]

Bluejays Dodgers or Yankees will be lucky to have him. 

Edited January 2 by Geographyhater8888

[ILMindState]

17 minutes ago, TarzanJoeWallis said:

“Checked in” in Cubs language means they are letting them know if they don’t get what they are looking for the Cubs will be happy to do a short deal with high AAV and multiple opt outs. In the meantime, good luck with your negotiations with other teams and give us a call if you start to feel desperate. 

As long as its not a 1 year opt out

[CubUgly]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

This is a pretty light connection, but Heyman isn't a nobody and this is a new one. Maybe something to keep an eye out; if they're interested in Bregman, Bichette makes sense. 

Yeah, but interested and serious are two different things. 

[Jason Ross]

13 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

Yeah, but interested and serious are two different things. 

I think the Cubs get a little bit of a bad wrap on the "interest". I don't think the Cubs are hitting up agents with embarrassing contract offers. 

I would expect that if the Cubs are getting connected to players they are serious. The issue is that Cubs rarely go the extra yard, but that isn't un-serious, either...if that makes sense. 

So I'd probably say it like this: the Cubs, if this is accurate, probably are serious. But they probably aren't prepared to be irrational and that probably isn't going to be enough. 

That said, this does feel a bit more like the Cubs are just peeping in on someone who has a slow market, so who knows? 

[CubUgly]

5 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I think the Cubs get a little bit of a bad wrap on the "interest". I don't think the Cubs are hitting up agents with embarrassing contract offers. 

I would expect that if the Cubs are getting connected to players they are serious. The issue is that Cubs rarely go the extra yard, but that isn't un-serious, either...if that makes sense. 

So I'd probably say it like this: the Cubs, if this is accurate, probably are serious. But they probably aren't prepared to be irrational and that probably isn't going to be enough. 

I guess we are splitting hairs a bit on terminology and language, but to me serious is making an offer that is market competitive and not just what we (meaning our front office) think market competitive should be.   I would be floored if we make an offer Bichette's folks seriously consider and to me that would be "serious". 

[Jason Ross]

4 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

I guess we are splitting hairs a bit on terminology and language, but to me serious is making an offer that is market competitive and not just what we (meaning our front office) think market competitive should be.   I would be floored if we make an offer Bichette's folks seriously consider and to me that would be "serious". 

I don't think the Cubs do that. The offers, for example, to both Bregman and Scott last year were competitive and considered. They lost because they don't go above that point. 

This is more than terminology because I don't think the Cubs are in the business of just dumping offers in inboxes the way someone in your fantasy football league does where they offer a backup QB for a WR1. 

If the Cubs are actually interested, I suspect the offer for Bichette would be one someone would consider. I also expect the team who signs Bichette to go above that point, and that the team wouldn't be the Cubs. 

Now, this report could be just "Hey Bo, noticed your market was weak, what are ya thinking?" stuff and they never get to more then that, but I get the feeling many people think the Cubs are just dropping in random, lowball offers to these guys and I don't buy that. 

[CubUgly]

43 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I

Now, this report could be just "Hey Bo, noticed your market was weak, what are ya thinking?" stuff and they never get to more then that. 

This is more what I think the Cubs interest in Bichette is like.   Would love to be wrong. 

[Jason Ross]

11 minutes ago, CubUgly said:

This is more what I think the Cubs interest in Bichette is like.   Would love to be wrong. 

That makes sense. Yeah, I feel that's the case too right now. 

[Tryptamine]

I'm sure Jed did what Jed does. 

" I know just about everyone is expecting you to get a 6 or 7 year deal but I can offer you a 3 year deal with slightly higher AAV and an opt out after the 2 year. How about that?"

[thawv]

I feel very confident that he goes back to Toronto. 

[Tryptamine]

I don't know, Toronto seems like the front runners on Tucker, there's no way they could do Tucker and Bichette right?

[Hot Sauce]

"Bo, if somehow you can't find work here in the ML among those 29 other teams, we just want you to know we might have a job for ya!" - Cubs

[CubUgly]

32 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I don't know, Toronto seems like the front runners on Tucker, there's no way they could do Tucker and Bichette right?

There are only about 4 or 5 teams right now willing to do something like that, but Toronto seems to maybe want to be one of those 4 or 5 now.   

[thawv]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

I think the Cubs get a little bit of a bad wrap on the "interest". I don't think the Cubs are hitting up agents with embarrassing contract offers. 

I would expect that if the Cubs are getting connected to players they are serious. The issue is that Cubs rarely go the extra yard, but that isn't un-serious, either...if that makes sense. 

So I'd probably say it like this: the Cubs, if this is accurate, probably are serious. But they probably aren't prepared to be irrational and that probably isn't going to be enough. 

That said, this does feel a bit more like the Cubs are just peeping in on someone who has a slow market, so who knows? 

I think being "connected" or "linked to," or "in on," is based on the media and fans only.  Any buffoon can tie a player to a team that has a need, is a major market, and has plenty of money to spend.  Other than that, I think they are "in on" very very few guys. 

[Jason Ross]

14 minutes ago, thawv said:

I think being "connected" or "linked to," or "in on," is based on the media and fans only.  Any buffoon can tie a player to a team that has a need, is a major market, and has plenty of money to spend.  Other than that, I think they are "in on" very very few guys. 

Any buffoon can, but this is Jon Heyman, not "any" buffoon. Heyman has a reputation and in journalism, that's what matters. There is a reason Nightengale gets a nickname like Boob, but no one makes fun of Jeff Passan (it wouldn't be hard to drop the P there like adding an O to Bob). 

There was a very good podcast recently where Sharma and Mooney discussed how they go about reporting something when they discussed what the level is for it to pass being post worthy. 

We can debate how likely the Cubs are to meet what it will take to sign Bichette, and we can debate who has something to gain with this information getting out, but there's probably far more to this than "any buffoon posting something". This is likely a legitimate check in. This is not like what you or I "think"; let's not make silly comparisons like that. 

[BKHoo]

The Cubs should officially be known as the big market "bargain" team. 

[Bertz]

It's just another game of musical chairs:

- Red Sox definitely want to add an impact infielder

- Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers. and Mets have resources to use on a big move, but TBD if the infield is where they're going to use their bullet(s)

- Giants, Angels, Pirates, Padres, and Mariners each want to add another infielder, but each seem fairly resource constrained already

- Dbacks might be in the market, but they'd move Ketel Marte in the process so it'd be net 0

And then you look at the options available: Bichette, Bregman, Okamoto, Geno Suarez as first division types in FA.  Marte, Paredes, Arenado, Donavan in trade.  Andujar, Castro, Moncada as more 2nd division types available in FA.

With a couple exceptions (e.g. the Pirates with Bichette) all of these teams should be and almost certainly are talking to all of these players. 

[thawv]

52 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Any buffoon can, but this is Jon Heyman, not "any" buffoon. Heyman has a reputation and in journalism, that's what matters. There is a reason Nightengale gets a nickname like Boob, but no one makes fun of Jeff Passan (it wouldn't be hard to drop the P there like adding an O to Bob). 

There was a very good podcast recently where Sharma and Mooney discussed how they go about reporting something when they discussed what the level is for it to pass being post worthy. 

We can debate how likely the Cubs are to meet what it will take to sign Bichette, and we can debate who has something to gain with this information getting out, but there's probably far more to this than "any buffoon posting something". This is likely a legitimate check in. This is not like what you or I "think"; let's not make silly comparisons like that. 

Dude, every year we are "linked to" every top FA's based on our money and need.  It's all BS.  I don't care who says we're tied to this guy and that guy.  They need something to talk about.  You know why we never here the Royals are in on this guy or that guy?  They don't have the money.  That's why the Cubs and other major market teams get discussed.  The Cubs are rarely in on a top FA.  And just about never sign a top FA. 

Checking in on a guy....being linked to a guy...tied to a guy, etc means zero.  Making an offer actually means something.  But that's where it ends with the Cubs and the top FA's. 

Edited January 2 by thawv

[Gjfificifjdej]

Bo would be pretty foolish to leave Toronto, especially for a market like NY. On the Jays he’s a god, in NY the SS is just flamed for not being Jeter

[Petrey10]

Love this…. Bo is our best option at 3B currently. 

[Backtobanks]

5 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

I don't think the Cubs do that. The offers, for example, to both Bregman and Scott last year were competitive and considered. They lost because they don't go above that point. 

This is more than terminology because I don't think the Cubs are in the business of just dumping offers in inboxes the way someone in your fantasy football league does where they offer a backup QB for a WR1. 

If the Cubs are actually interested, I suspect the offer for Bichette would be one someone would consider. I also expect the team who signs Bichette to go above that point, and that the team wouldn't be the Cubs. 

Now, this report could be just "Hey Bo, noticed your market was weak, what are ya thinking?" stuff and they never get to more then that, but I get the feeling many people think the Cubs are just dropping in random, lowball offers to these guys and I don't buy that. 

I'll repeat what I've said before.  How do we know what the Cubs offered last year?  The only numbers that are officially noted are when the player signs a contract.  My guess is that the FO leaks the information that their offer was "competitive and considered" to appease the fans.