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.

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.