Chicago Cubs: Paying players to play for other teams

The Cubs are currently facing many questions in the bullpen. Fans and pundits alike are calling for the Cubs to sign some free agent relievers to bolster the bullpen. But the Cubs already have a full bullpen. If the Cubs add to their bullpen, what are they going to do with pitchers such as Chatwood, Brian Duensing and Brandon Kintzler?

Kintzler enacted his one-year player option that pays him $5 million after the Cubs declined his $10 million team option. Duensing signed a two-year, $7 million deal last offseason. So he has one year left at $3.5 million.

If the Cubs release these pitchers, they will have to pay them their full salaries. That’s what the Cubs had to do with Edwin Jackson in 2015.

That leaves making the kind of trades where the Cubs agree to pay part or most of their salary. If they do that, not only will the Cubs be paying their own players more than ever before in team history; the Cubs will also be paying players to play for other teams. And don’t forget, the Cubs would still need to turn right around and pay the player who is going to replace the player with the bad contract. At that point, you have to ask yourself if the Cubs would be improving what they put out on the field.