Chicago Cubs: Is this a re-tool or just more smoke and mirrors?

Chicago Cubs: Fans expect high quality if they’re paying high prices

Hoyer can only offer a number that has been approved to be offered via his boss. There’s too much blame game in this organization right now regarding why things are they way they are. For one, Hoyer can’t openly come out and say “Yeah.. I’d like to pay Bryant what he wants but my boss is being cheap!” Unfortunately, Hoyer has the impossible task of rationalizing the actions of the front office even if deep down he knows it all sounds like a bunch of nonsensical justification.

When you’re not playing up to your level of expectation, no, I do not believe ownership should just conform and pay you based on your past success. That is why I understand the ideology of just parting ways with the core the Cubs had and starting fresh. If you plan to actually start fresh right away.

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To come out with the understanding of not paying your players based on their lacking level of production, that’s fine. Looking at the situation now, since you want to have a winning ball club so bad and it was the players’ fault for underperforming and not earning the extension they were seeking, now is the time to show the fans It’s not all just smoke and mirrors.

Allow me to be the epitome of every voice in the stands when I say, when you’re the fourth-most valued franchise in all of baseball with a net worth north of $4 billion, there’s no excuse why you can’t spend a few bucks to keep your team in permanent contention like the Dodgers and Yankees manage to do every year. Even the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place with the best farm system in baseball on top of it and somehow they are the second-smallest market team in the big leagues. Nobody wants to pay $150 a seat to watch their favorite team get blown out by the Miami Marlins. We already pay for the Marquee Network which also brings in boat loads, so we can’t even watch them lose for free anymore.

Nevertheless, all fingers will point to Ricketts in the offseason if he doesn’t spend. Minus the Heyward contract, the big “overpaid and underperforming” contracts of Rizzo, Baez and Bryant are gone. Even Kimbrel’s $16 million dollar option won’t be picked up. Now, the time for excuses is over. Ownership got what it wanted. Payroll is off the books.

If the Ricketts are serious about wanting to own a winning baseball team, they need to show a sign of good faith. Chicago Cubs fans have been some of the most loyal fans in sports over the years and they deserve much, much more than this.