Chicago Cubs: Pursuing Bryce Harper this winter is a no-brainer

I don’t care what it takes or the arguments against. When a generational talent like Bryce Harper hits the market, you do what you have to do to make it happen.

In what will likely be a busy offensive season for the Chicago Cubs, all eyes have shifted to the front office to see if they will make any big splashes this offseason.

We’ve already seen hitting coach Chili Davis hit the road, and fans wonder if this is just the beginning of a flurry of moves to help this team get back into World Series contention.

Of course, at the head of all this discussion is superstar Bryce Harper. With this obviously comes a lot of speculation. Would his big attitude fit in the Cubs clubhouse? Would he be worth big money after a season hitting just .249? What happens to the rest of the outfield if the Cubs do sign him?

With all of the questions floating around, here are three reasons, aside from a financial standpoint, why the Cubs should make a strong push to sign Bryce this offseason.

Chicago Cubs: Everyone seems worried about chemistry

Sure, Bryce Harper may have a big ego and an attitude that many see as not being able to mesh with what the Cubs currently have in their clubhouse. But, in reality, Harper is one of those guys where if he’s on your team, you love him. This is a young star with an eye on the game of baseball.

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We see in his “Make Baseball Fun Again” campaign that he wants to grow the game of baseball and help the future of the sport, something admirable for baseball fans.

It’s not every day a young star with championship goals places a large emphasis on the game itself (reference Rory McIlroy and his comment to not play golf to grow it, but to win). Harper plays with a little flair, but overall, he’s going to play his heart out and give you his all.

To top it off, Harper and his wife, Kay, have a very close relationship with Kris Bryant, and his wife, Jessica.

Having two close friends play together could ultimately be great for the clubhouse vibe. Teams and players perform best when they’re having fun, so having your best friend on the same field as you would make it fun, right?

Chicago Cubs: Does this team actually need more star power?

The Cubs are obviously loaded with stars, but after the 2018 season, some of those ‘stars’ seemed to struggle. We almost see that 2016 All-Star-loaded lineup as a thing of the past.

In 2017, the Cubs sent one player to the Midsummer Classic in Wade Davis – no offensive player. This year, Javier Baez and Jon Lester joined Willson Contreras in D.C. for All-Star festivities. But then Contreras’ performance fell off the proverbial cliff.

We know Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez can carry this team. But what about the other stars? I believe Kris Bryant will return to form, but I don’t know who I’d put money on to be an offensive leader outside of those three. I do know that adding a player who hit .249 with 34 homers and 100 RBI’s in a “down year” would be a gigantic piece to the core of this team.