Nico Extended

[Bobson Dugnutt]

This rocks. I fuckin love Nico.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Just now, Bobson Dugnutt said:

This rocks. I fuckin love Nico.

I fuckin love outfoxing the swear filter.

[Nolansomebody]

Holy horsefeathers. Cubs have to have a higher GDP than Yemen now.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Does anyone expect Happ to get more than 2 years in free agency or 20 AAV? They might as well try to extend him too.

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Does anyone expect Happ to get more than 2 years in free agency or 20 AAV? They might as well try to extend him too.

I do. I think he's a four-year guy for some team. Him and Seiya are probably the two best OF'er on the market. 

[ILMindState]

I guess you can say this is a real turning point for Matt Shaw moving forward 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

9 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Does anyone expect Happ to get more than 2 years in free agency or 20 AAV? They might as well try to extend him too.

Nick Madrigal is a Top 5 FA hitter for next offseason*, Happ is gonna get paid

*Only a slight exaggeration

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, ILMindState said:

I guess you can say this is a real turning point for Matt Shaw moving forward 

Nice word play. 👍
Almost as good a Matt Shaw rethinking “Jews will not replace us” when Bregman signed. 

Edited March 26 by Rcal10

[Rcal10]

What is the guess on Nico. I am guessing $130M for 6 years. Anything less and Nico is giving them a discount, IMO. 

[Tryptamine]

2 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What is the guess on Nico. I am guessing $130M for 6 years. Anything less and Nico is giving them a discount, IMO. 

If it's 6/120 or less I'm thrilled, if it's 120-140 I'm cool with it, 6/150 or more and I'm not particularly happy.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

If it's 6/120 or less I'm thrilled, if it's 120-140 I'm cool with it, 6/150 or more and I'm not particularly happy.

I pretty much agree with you. But I think that had Nico went to free agency someone would have given him $150M. Which is why I feel $130M is a good deal for the Cubs and security for him. If it is $120M all the better. 

[squally1313]

Shaw for Skubal, please and thank you 

[JBears79]

Love it. I think hes gonna age really well and he deserves it. Happy our core is set for the rest of the decade. Now we fill it in in the corner OF with some power over the next couple years. 

I think we probably need to extend one of Suzuki and Happ as well if Alcantara or Conrad dont break out like we all hope they do this season.

[mk49]

Great.  Only good thing that happened today.

[Bertz]

More thoughts:

- I ultimately would not have done this.  Nico's a really good player and a really cool dude so I'm not upset at all, but just coldly I would not have done this.  I don't love locking dowm the entire non-1B infield for so long, even though I'm quite happy about each guy individually

- I wonder if there are opt out(s).  Feels like one in two years post roster cliff and post CBA would make some sense for both sides

- I wonder if Nico gets the biggest Cubs contract ever.  Probably gonna be close.  At 6 years the line to beat is $32M a year I think?

- Between PCA's ~$20M and the presumably ~$30M for Hoerner, the team will enter next offseason $50-60M under the current luxury tax (which will obviously go up).  So they've got some money next winter but honestly not a ton

- They can seriously trade every single infield prospect they have now if they want to, so expect trade(s) to be a big (primary?) route to filling holes for 2027

- Shaw either succeeds at Zobristing or he's gone.  And honestly he might still get moved even if he succeeds

- Jefferson Rojas is probably one hell of a trade chip now, but honestly hes the one infielder in the system I wonder if he might have enough bat to still be quality as a corner outfielder

- There's not really an off ramp for Swanson at shortstop before his contract runs out.  This doesn't super worry me a ton but it's not without risk

- Probably easier to go into 2027 with a question mark in one of the outfield spots now?  My mind goes to Alcantara but it doesn't have to be him necessarily

[JHBulls]

1 hour ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

I fuckin love outfoxing the swear filter.

horsefeathers (no s) doesn’t beat the swear filter. But fucks does. 
 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

11 minutes ago, Bertz said:

- Between PCA's ~$20M and the presumably ~$30M for Hoerner, the team will enter next offseason $50-60M under the current luxury tax (which will obviously go up).  So they've got some money next winter but honestly not a ton

I love Nico but if he's getting 30M AAV I'm gonna go from lukewarm on this extension to harshly negative.  

[chibears55]

9 minutes ago, Bertz said:

More thoughts:

- I ultimately would not have done this.  Nico's a really good player and a really cool dude so I'm not upset at all, but just coldly I would not have done this.  I don't love locking dowm the entire non-1B infield for so long, even though I'm quite happy about each guy individually

- I wonder if there are opt out(s).  Feels like one in two years post roster cliff and post CBA would make some sense for both sides

- I wonder if Nico gets the biggest Cubs contract ever.  Probably gonna be close.  At 6 years the line to beat is $32M a year I think?

- Between PCA's ~$20M and the presumably ~$30M for Hoerner, the team will enter next offseason $50-60M under the current luxury tax (which will obviously go up).  So they've got some money next winter but honestly not a ton

- They can seriously trade every single infield prospect they have now if they want to, so expect trade(s) to be a big (primary?) route to filling holes for 2027

- Shaw either succeeds at Zobristing or he's gone.  And honestly he might still get moved even if he succeeds

- Jefferson Rojas is probably one hell of a trade chip now, but honestly hes the one infielder in the system I wonder if he might have enough bat to still be quality as a corner outfielder

- There's not really an off ramp for Swanson at shortstop before his contract runs out.  This doesn't super worry me a ton but it's not without risk

- Probably easier to go into 2027 with a question mark in one of the outfield spots now?  My mind goes to Alcantara but it doesn't have to be him necessarily

I doubt Nico getting more than 25 per. 

Shaw could be a good trade piece in offseason for pitching.

Rojas is only 20, they dont need to push him, and if he showing signs of being ready to make that jump, they can easily trade Swanson after the 27 season or deadline in 2028.

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

I doubt Nico getting more than 25 per. 

Shaw could be a good trade piece in offseason for pitching.

Rojas is only 20, they dont need to push him, and if he showing signs of being ready to make that jump, they can easily trade Swanson after the 27 season or deadline in 2028.

How can they easily trade Swanson and his $27M contract? Do you mean give him away as a salary dump? Maybe they can trade him for another high priced player at a different position. But I wouldn’t consider it easy to trade Swanson. 
I do agree with you on Nico not getting more than $25M a year, let alone the $30M+ Bertz is suggesting. I don’t see that. If it is that, I agree with Bertz. I wouldn’t have done it. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I find it hard to believe Nico is getting more than PCA, but I guess we'll see. 

[Gjfificifjdej]

Genuinely the only good news today. 

[Rcal10]

35 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

I find it hard to believe Nico is getting more than PCA, but I guess we'll see. 

He will get more than PCA. PCA got several years of lower paid bought out. Completely different situation. 

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

What is the guess on Nico. I am guessing $130M for 6 years. Anything less and Nico is giving them a discount, IMO. 

It has to be at least 6/150.  A year from FA there's no reason for Nico to sign much if any discount from FA prices.  He's been around 4.5 WAR player, which is Bregman terrority, and he's younger, so it wouldn't surprise me if he got near Bregman/Swanson money.  He deserves it.

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, Stratos said:

It has to be at least 6/150.  A year from FA there's no reason for Nico to sign much if any discount from FA prices.  He's been around 4.5 WAR player, which is Bregman terrority, and he's younger, so it wouldn't surprise me if he got near Bregman/Swanson money.  He deserves it.

Guess we will see. IMO the Cubs wouldn’t give him that amount. I agree he is probably worth it. But I think if they had to pay him that they would let him go. 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

I love Nico but if he's getting 30M AAV I'm gonna go from lukewarm on this extension to harshly negative.  

The Cubs just gave Bregman 30m AAV and he's 3 years older.  Roughly the same fWAR.  Even at 30m AAV it would be arguably a better contract than what Bregman got based on the age.  But I don't think he gets 30m AAV, mostly because for whatever reason even a market run by FO ivy league stat geeks undervalues defense.