%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201092.7%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201092.7%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23293576%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23C82C2D%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%2256.8%2C78.5%2073.1%2C78.5%2085.5%2C78.5%2085.5%2C36.3%2085.5%2C0%2068.8%2C0%2064.9%2C6.2%2063.3%2C8.7%2052%2C0%2025.5%2C0%2021.8%2C3.8%20%0A%09%092%2C23.8%202%2C176.2%2025%2C200%2061.5%2C200%2085.5%2C176.2%2085.5%2C121.5%2056.8%2C121.5%2056.8%2C176.2%2039.5%2C176.2%2039.5%2C32.4%2039.5%2C23.8%2056.8%2C23.8%2056.8%2C57.2%20%0A%09%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22143.9%2C104.2%20143.9%2C48.1%20143.9%2C24.2%20152.1%2C24.2%20153.2%2C24.2%20153.2%2C0%20152.1%2C0%20106.8%2C0%2093.9%2C0%2093.9%2C24.2%20%0A%09%09106.7%2C24.2%20106.7%2C63.4%20106.7%2C116.9%20106.7%2C175.8%20130.4%2C200%20169.2%2C200%20183%2C184.8%20191.2%2C175.8%20191.2%2C146.2%20191.2%2C96.1%20191.2%2C24.2%20%0A%09%09201.4%2C24.2%20201.4%2C0%20163.7%2C0%20158.7%2C0%20158.7%2C24.2%20163.7%2C24.2%20169.2%2C24.2%20169.2%2C75.2%20169.2%2C127.8%20169.2%2C174.1%20169.2%2C175.8%20%0A%09%09143.9%2C175.8%20143.9%2C152.9%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M220.3%2C168v8.3h-10.5V200h62.1h12.7l28.5-23.8v-66l-5.2-5.1l-7.8-7.6l7.8-7.8l2.5-2.5V60V25.7%0A%09%09c0%2C0.7-8.6-7.9-25.7-25.7h-43H230h-20.2v23.8h10.5v96.7V168z%20M257.5%2C23.8h22.2v60.5h-22.2V23.8z%20M257.5%2C110.3h22.2v50.2v15.8h-22.2%0A%09%09v-29.4V110.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M331.9%2C176.2h-10.5v6V200h42.8h21.4h10.5l1-0.9l27.4-22.9v-56.9v-9.1l-13-12.8l10.3-10.2V25.7%0A%09%09c0%2C0.7-8.6-7.9-25.7-25.7h-74.8v23.8h10.5V45V176.2z%20M391.4%2C176.2h-5.8h-16.5v-66h22.2v17.9V176.2z%20M369.2%2C23.8h22.2v60.5H376h-6.9%0A%09%09v-5.6V23.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22443.3%2C175.8%20433%2C175.8%20433%2C200%20463.5%2C200%20475%2C200%20489.5%2C200%20489.5%2C175.8%20480%2C175.8%20480%2C147.6%20%0A%09%09480%2C25.5%20489.5%2C25.5%20489.5%2C0%20433%2C0%20433%2C25.5%20443.3%2C25.5%20443.3%2C130.4%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22505.6%2C175.8%20497.9%2C175.8%20497.9%2C200%20541.3%2C200%20552.9%2C200%20583.6%2C200%20595.1%2C187.7%20595.1%2C153.9%20%0A%09%09595.1%2C140.7%20566.9%2C140.7%20566.9%2C159.5%20566.9%2C175.8%20542.6%2C175.8%20542.6%2C160.5%20542.6%2C115.8%20556.6%2C115.8%20556.6%2C133%20580.1%2C133%20%0A%09%09580.1%2C67.7%20556.6%2C67.7%20556.6%2C85%20542.6%2C85%20542.6%2C25.5%20566.9%2C25.5%20566.9%2C60.8%20595.1%2C60.8%20595.1%2C0%20497.9%2C0%20497.9%2C25.5%20505.6%2C25.5%20%0A%09%09505.6%2C155.6%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st3%22%20points%3D%22682.8%2C73.5%20682.8%2C0%20669.5%2C0%20659%2C5.5%20652.7%2C0%20627.3%2C0%20603.5%2C24.2%20603.5%2C91.7%20628.1%2C116.2%20654.3%2C116.2%20%0A%09%09654.3%2C128.5%20654.3%2C176.2%20630.8%2C176.2%20630.8%2C140.6%20630.8%2C128.7%20604.5%2C128.7%20604.5%2C151%20604.5%2C200%20619.1%2C200%20625%2C200%20629.8%2C195.2%20%0A%09%09630.7%2C195.9%20637%2C200%20666.3%2C200%20687.5%2C176.2%20687.5%2C107.3%20687.5%2C106.8%20667%2C83%20635.5%2C83%20635.5%2C24.2%20656.8%2C24.2%20656.8%2C73.5%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22774%2C78.5%20774.8%2C78.5%20786.4%2C78.5%20802.8%2C78.5%20802.8%2C0.7%20802.8%2C0%20786%2C0%20780.5%2C8.7%20769.3%2C0%20742.8%2C0%20%0A%09%09719.3%2C23.8%20719.3%2C83.3%20719.3%2C176.2%20739%2C196.6%20742.3%2C200%20778.8%2C200%20802.8%2C176.2%20802.8%2C167%20802.8%2C121.5%20786.4%2C121.5%20774.8%2C121.5%20%0A%09%09774%2C121.5%20774%2C176.2%20756.8%2C176.2%20756.8%2C50.3%20756.8%2C23.8%20774%2C23.8%20774%2C33.1%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M821.4%2C176.2h-10.2V200h11.2h45.8v-23.8h-6.5h-3v-65h5.5h11.7v7.6v47.7v9.7l14.7%2C23.3l0.3%2C0.4h25.2v-19v-4.8%0A%09%09h-5.5V140v-25.6l-13.3-13.3l-0.2-0.2l2.2-1.5l11.3-7.8v-2.5V24.2L882.4%2C0h-18.2h-11.6h-41.5v24.2h10.2v132.1V176.2z%20M858.7%2C24.2%0A%09%09h5.5h12.5V87h-12.5h-5.5V24.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%22934.8%2C166.2%20934.8%2C175.8%20924.5%2C175.8%20924.5%2C200%20981%2C200%20981%2C175.8%20971.5%2C175.8%20971.5%2C133.1%20%0A%09%09971.5%2C81.9%20971.5%2C25.5%20981%2C25.5%20981%2C9.1%20981%2C0%20942%2C0%20930.5%2C0%20924.5%2C0%20924.5%2C25.5%20930.5%2C25.5%20934.8%2C25.5%20934.8%2C119%20%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M1089.9%2C87.2V25.7c0%2C0.6-6.4-5.8-19.3-19c-2-2.1-4.2-4.3-6.5-6.7h-31h-43.7v23.8h10.5v24.2v55.5v72.8h-10.5%0A%09%09V200h74.8l28.5-23.8v-66l-13-12.8L1089.9%2C87.2z%20M1059.4%2C176.2h-22.2v-66h22.2V176.2z%20M1059.4%2C84.2h-22.2V57.5V23.8h22.2V25V84.2z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Cubs News: Five to lock up with extensions right now
By Bill Quinn
Bargain contract extensions for current Cubs could be on the team’s table if they are willing and able.
After an ambiguously bizarre season that produced a successful and disappointing team, is it possible that now is the best time to approach long-term contract negotiations for several current Chicago Cubs?
The easy answer: yes. Absolutely. I’m as optimistic a fan as any, and after everything dealt with this season, I’m totally on board with running it back one more time with most of the group we all thought we knew. While there needs to be tweaks, changes, and some addition to break up this group’s core, there are several undeniable truths.
FanSided 250
Fansided250 Logo
Where do the Cubs rank?
See 2019 Rankings
One is this: 2020 is an aberration for everyone. We have no idea if what we saw out of some guys was because of the circumstances we all find ourselves under, not having fans, worrying about and being away from family, or just a general lack of focus. What we saw in 2020 doesn’t have to be what we get in 2021, even if you think it’s part of a larger trend.
There is no way that Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, and Willson Contreras all forgot how to hit in the middle of their primes. I get it- you probably think Bryant isn’t as good as promised, Baez swings at everything, and Schwarber is Rob Deer incarnate. The thing is, one of them might be on some decline or may not be as good as we thought, but all three? Nah.