Chicago Cubs: What does Theo Epstein want this holiday season?

Chicago Cubs: It’s all in the budget

The last thing on Epstein’s wish list is more under his control than his other asks – the payroll. Fans think the Cubs are being dodgy this offseason because they don’t want to go over the luxury tax rate when in truth most teams are being frugal over this winter. Epstein is talking about keeping the current stable of players, getting more out of what they have and improving coaching.

The perception is the Cubs are watching their money this year when fans are screaming for them to spend for big names like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.  Only two teams blew the luxury cap last year: the Washington Nationals and the Boston Red Sox.

In Boston’s case, it paid off well with another title, but this year the Yankees, Phillies and Cubs are all watching their budget and trying to make the most fiscally sound deals possible. If Santa can drop Epstein a financial plan for the rest of the offseason that includes ‘some’ acquisitions, Epstein will be smiling all the way to Mesa, AZ in the spring.

Epstein came out of the 2018 season with raw emotion over a Cubs team that did not realize their dream to go back to the World Series. His reputation as the man with the golden touch in baseball, especially after his previous successful years in Boston, only makes this season all the more important for the young Epstein.

Santa may have given the Cubs’ leader all he asked for under the tree back in 2016 but he’s now extending his line of credit at the North Pole hoping he has enough to get Santa box seats for another Fall Classic at Wrigley Field in 2019.