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

Chicago Cubs: Bryant is worth every dime of his $18.6 arbitration deal

Anthony Rendon, Arenado, Manny Machado, and even Justin Turner all have deals that are more lucrative than Bryant’s $18.6 million this year.  So let’s look at Josh Donaldson.  He just signed for $23 million AAV with the Twins.

A 34-year-old just scored a deal better than 28-year-old Kris Bryant’s contract.  In 2019 Donaldson slashed .259/.379/.521 with a .900 OPS. Add in his 37 HRs and 94 RBIs, and he made it rain alright.  That got him his four-year, $92 million deal.

Bryant, who no one thinks has done a thing since 2016, slashed .282/.382/.521 with a .903 OPS.  He out hit and scored more runs than Donaldson.  Mr. Make it Rain hit just six more home runs.  Think Bryant is overpaid? Think again. He’s the best deal at third-base outside of guys named Matt Chapman, Eugenio Suárez, or Rafael Devers.

Plus, Bryant can play multiple positions (1B, either corner outfield spot) quite well.  I do not think we’ll ever see Rendon or Arenado patrolling the green grass at Angel Stadium or Coors Field.

Chicago Cubs: Trading one guy doesn’t “restock the farm”

Outside of the Bryant for Arenado insanity, this is the most foolish argument for trading Bryant.  You do not trade a player of Bryant’s caliber to “restock the farm” unless you are tearing it down to rebuild.

Again, the Cubs are not tearing down.  If they were entering a rebuild, Willson Contreras, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Hendricks, even Javy Baez, and Anthony Rizzo, besides Bryant, would all be shopped.  By now, at least one of them would be gone.  Yet, still nothing, despite all the talk of “a reckoning,” and no one being untouchable.

As for Bryant’s grievance holding up anything? Nonsense.  No one believed he would win that grievance.  Nothing stopped Theo from setting up a deal pending the decision.