Jed Hoyer Fooled Us All

Maybe some apologies are due to Jed Hoyer. After 2021, fans rightfully doubted the team's willingness to spend. All of the franchise's pillars were gone, and the team had to rebuild from scratch. Clearly, the Cubs were going to behave like a mid-market franchise going forward.

That skepticism turned out to be unwarranted. The Cubs and Tom Ricketts opened up their checkbooks, locking up Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner for the next six seasons. They're actively extending a window of contention. Who would have guessed that five years ago?

Takeaway 1: The Cubs are Channeling the 1970s Dodgers.
Steve Garvey. Ron Cey. Davey Lopes. Bill Russell. This group took the field for the Dodgers on Jun. 23, 1973 and went unchanged until after the World Series in 1981. It was eight and a half years of the same players. 

Michael Busch. Alex Bregman. Nico Hoerner. Dansby Swanson. The Cubs' group mirrors the Dodgers' era. Jed Hoyer has locked this group up through at least 2029. Cubs fans can look forward to an outstanding defensive infield for this time frame, and the front office moves forward with some cost certainty.

In an era marked by roster churn, the Cubs are banking on continuity to maintain their playoff status. It's a bet on health and the infield aging gracefully, and if not, they have the financial wiggle room to pivot. Admittedly, it won't be quite the same as what the Dodgers did, or even as the glory days of Ron Santo, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, who started over 1,300 games together for the Cubs. By modern standards, though, it's not that far off.

Takeaway 2: The Bank is Open
Fine, Tom. You've proved yourself. The Cubs spent at an insanely high level this offseason. In total, they splashed $30 million on the bullpen. They spent $22 million to bring back Shota Imanaga. They shelled out $175 million in guaranteed cash to Alex Bregman. Six-year extensions to Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner put the capstone on it all.

This isn't just selective spending. This was a cash outlay to address specific needs. The roster is, on paper, a top-to-bottom contender. Hoyer identified what needed to be done, balanced the present with the future, and aggressively pursued his targets.

In retrospect, there were signs. The Cubs have added major pieces every season since 2022, when Seiya Suzuki was brought into the fold. Based on this offseason and last (bringing in Kyle Tucker), Hoyer is well on his way to shedding his conservative reputation.

What's Happ-ening next?
The last time Hoerner signed an extension, Ian Happ was announced at around the same time. With his contract up at the end of the year, the switch-hitting left fielder is the next logical extension.

Thanks to the Owen Caissie-for-Edward Cabrera trade, the Cubs don't have a replacement waiting in the minor leagues, and if Happ and fellow free agent-to-be Seiya Suzuki leave, the outfield is uncertain. Happ also fits the clubhouse ethos and in many ways is a leader of the team. The contract wouldn't require a six-year deal, and he's already taken a team-friendly approach to negotiations based on his ties to the area. Would another three-year deal satisfy him? If not, he's probably gone, but if so, something could be hammered out.

If the Cubs are serious about maintaining this window, Happ is the next step to take. For now, though, we have to admit it: Hoyer did what we thought was beyond him.