Chicago Cubs: As the baseball turns in the ongoing Kris Bryant saga

The Chicago Cubs Kris Bryant is the most traded player who won’t be traded.  Here are five reasons why and let’s move on, please.

But first, the Chicago Cubs Kris Bryant for Nolan Arenado? That’s the biggest laugh of the offseason, and there have been plenty in the soap opera that is the Kris Bryant saga.

On that one, the Hot Stove blew up, the MLB Trade Rumors site crashed, and it made my head hurt like an ice cream headache just listening to all pundits and fans rave about the possibility.

Maybe you’ve heard, or perhaps not so I’ll reiterate, the Cubs are not going over the 2020 threshold.  They are not doing it.  So Arenado and his massive contract would add AFTER you subtract Bryant’s $18.6 million contract, $14.0 million to the 2020 payroll on top of the $4.0 million to $6.0 million already in excess of the threshold right now. That’s $18-$20 million over. It is not happening.

Chicago Cubs: There is no one to play third

There is no one on the current roster or down on the farm to play third.  Say David Bote, and I’ll curse you a White Sox fan.  According to FanGraphs, Bote’s career fielding percentage at third base is .945, and he chalked up a -4.7 UZR-150 in 2019.  The only position he’s worse at is shortstop.  A season of Bote clanking plays at third, and you’ll be screaming at Theo for trading Bryant.

That’s not to mention the decline in offensive production.  Trading Bryant to play Bote at third is a teardown move, and the Cubs are not tearing down.