Chicago Cubs: Will recent extensions affect young core?

Chicago Cubs: How great would it be to extend the city’s love affair with this guy?

While Hendricks is the pitcher the Cubs would be most likely to lock up, Javier Baez would seem to be the most likely candidate for an extension on the position player side of the diamond.  Making only $5 million this season in his age 26 season, Javier Baez could sign a deal similar to Nola or Severino as well to guarantee him in excess of $10 million per year over the next five to six years. Furthermore, Baez is only in his first year of arbitration, so the Cubs would be buying out three years and guaranteeing “El Mago” millions in the same way the Phillies and Yankees did with Nola and Severin

One hindrance to a potential Baez signing would have to be his breakout season last year and his limitless potential.  Baez, who is always ultra-confident and self-aware on the field, might want to bet on himself by playing out his contract all the way to free agency.

Or, he could see the same value some of these other young stars have seen in continuity and comfortability with the same franchise, choosing to sign an extension with the team who originally drafted him and stuck with him through injuries and rough patches.

While it would seem Baez would be leaving money on the table by signing an extension right now, the same could certainly be said for teammate Anthony Rizzo and the guys who extended this past week; anything can happen, and cold, hard, guaranteed cash trumps hope any day.