Chicago Cubs: Five free agents the team needs, but can’t afford

The Chicago Cubs don’t look to be big spenders during this offseason yet again.

The funny (or not so funny for Chicago Cubs fans) thing about free agents is they aren’t free at all- in fact they can end up being some of the pricier options for any team. For a club like the Cubs that hasn’t looked to sign any big names or big contracts in the offseason since the splurge for Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood after the 2017 season, free agency has basically been a matter of waiting around and bargain shop after every other team has picked through the racks for all the latest styles, colors and sizes.

The Cubs don’t figure to be any more involved in serious free agent acquisition this winter than they have been in the past couple seasons, a fact that is very near if not dear to our hearts. Cubs fans were aware their club wasn’t really spending big money before there was a worldwide pandemic and before MLB made it public how painful the loss of revenues has been to all clubs around the league this season.

Not much is going to change until there’s a cure or vaccine, as clubs won’t be able to recoup money from tickets, concessions, advertising, etc. at pre-COVID levels until all businesses and Americans are back to work for good. Since that future is as uncertain as the clubs, who knows what kind of money the club will spend and what kind of decisions they’ll be making this offseason. It was already going to be an interesting offseason of possible trades, outright releases, and maybe even a cheapy/advantageous extension or two.

What it will be with the fiscal, political and health uncertainty we face in 2020 is anyone’s guess. That being said, however, here are five guys the Cubs could use… just don’t get too excited because they probably won’t be able to afford them this offseason.

Chicago Cubs: Springer checks a couple areas of need for Cubs

Since Dexter Fowler left following the World Series parade in 2016, the Cubs have had a pretty large void in center field. While Ian Happ took some serious steps toward holding that spot down this past season, he scuffled at the end of the year and also isn’t really a prototypical center fielder.

So, what you’re telling me is that the Cubs could use a really good right-handed-hitting centerfielder and possibly even a leadoff hitter with a high OBP to come in and push Happ to left field and allow Kyle Schwarber to  possibly DH?

Of course, but this is a total pipe dream. It just ain’t gonna happen at all.

We can all dream, but alas, Springer will probably get one of the biggest deals for position players this offseason and there’s almost no way the Cubs will go after or be able to sign someone like Springer, despite the obvious benefit to the lineup. Springer has a career .270/.361/.491 slash line that also did not seem to be affected by possible cheating, as his 2020 numbers were pretty much in line with his career stats.

Problem is, of course, FanGraphs estimates Springer to get five years and possibly upwards of $115 million, a number way too rich for the Cubs’ blood in the past few seasons and before all of the hemorrhaging of dollars caused by the pandemic.

Chicago Cubs: Bauer could make for a formidable top 3

Who wouldn’t want to see a top of the rotation with Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks and Trevor Bauer? Um, the answer is, every Cubs would definitely want to see that. Well, ok, maybe not everyone, as some would balk at the idea of bringing in the controversial Bauer to pitch for the North Siders. However, anyone focused on winning should have no problem bringing in one of the best pitchers in the game to pair with two other great pitchers.

Add in the fact that Bauer is one of the most stat-driven and new-fangled numbers for pitchers lovers around, and he could bring a lot to the table. He already seems to have at least a good virtual relationship with Darvish, who could probably learn a lot from each other. The two supposedly have talked pitching and helped each other in the past, so having them pick each other’s brains in between and during starts could only be a good thing.

True, Cubs fans and maybe some players might be put off by the outspoken and social media-driven Bauer, but it’s hard to be annoyed by someone bringing it every fifth day and helping your team to win. Besides, his behavior and affect are probably the last things hindering a Cubs courtship of Bauer at this point, given the teams last few offseasons and generally seeming malaise towards free agency right lately.

Bauer, if he does decide to do a one-year deal, could command upwards of $30 million, but will probably have to settle for something in the $20-25 million range if he does a long-term deal. Maybe a suitor will push that closer to $30 million if they’re desperate, but that would be a stretch given the uncertain financial climate most teams find themselves in at the moment, as well as the uncertainty of the 2021 CBA expiration.

If ever there were a time to roll the dice on yourself and max out the amount of money you could earn in a year, Bauer might be able to do it this offseason… and either way, the Cubs would be very unlikely to get involved at that price.

Chicago Cubs: He’s a little bit better than he was 10 years ago

The Cubs have, in recent years, gone the way of signing cheaper veteran second baseman in the decline of their career. They’ve signed guys who no longer hit, field, or run nearly as well as they used to, but then again, they haven’t paid a whole lot either. In the meantime, they’ve also jettisoned a guy who was one of the best hitters in the American League before he got hurt in 2019.

So, while the club has said goodbye to Daniel Descalso, Jason Kipnis and Tommy La Stella, perhaps they could go a different route and bring back someone who they had before he was really good. And yes, 3 AM (La Stella) may be available and has been rumored as a good fit to bring back, but I’m actually talking about another player who was with the Cubs a long time ago – namely, one DJ LeMahieu.

Many fans have lamented the loss of LeMahieu in recent years as he has gone from a glove-only second baseman to a terrific hitting guy as well at Coors Field, all the way to a bonafide superstar player with the Yankees in New York the past two seasons. The reality is though, he wasn’t what he is now as a Cub way back in 2011. It wasn’t until 2015 when he actually became a great all-around player for the Rockies, and by that time, the Cubs were doing pretty well on the infield without him.

Now that LeMahieu is back on the market as a free agent, he would be a tremendous signing to play second, maybe a little first to spell Rizzo when he needs it, and DH a bit. However, he’s gonna cost way too much for a happy reunion, as much as a possible three years and $50 something-million according to FanGraphs. As much as this would be a nice story about him coming home and holding down the keystone until Nico Hoerner is completely ready, it just doesn’t look feasible right now.

Chicago Cubs: Kim could really solidify a consistent infield

Ha-seong Kim probably isn’t a name Cubs fans have heard much about, but it’s one worth filing away for a rainy day should the Cubs (or more likely, another team they play) decide to sign the South Korean KBO star.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

Kim is a compact little firecracker who plays shortstop, runs well, has some serious pop for his size, and plays a decent shortstop with an above average arm. Now, the Cubs won’t need him to play shortstop (as long as, god forbid, they don’t move El Mago), but it’s very possible he could play second or even third if Kris Bryant gets moved somehow. Adding a shortstop anywhere else on the infield would certainly benefit the defense, and that’s an area where the Cubs already did pretty well last season.

Kim is only 25 years old, so he’s still super young for a guy looking to come over to the states for the first time. He has averaged over 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in all of his full seasons in the KBO, and even smacked 30 bombs last year to go along with 109 RBI, 75 BB and a .308/.399/.526 slash line. Now, there’s no telling how his KBO numbers will translate to MLB, but it’s clear the guy is patient, has some pop, and he’s young.

The problem, of course, is that all of those things will also price him out of the Cubs range. There’s no way the Cubs will be in on Kim, as he’s likely to get a four or five year deal at over $10 million per, along with a posting fee that will no doubt be pricey. Hey, at least we won’t have to worry about another Descalso signing, amirite?