Cubs: Extreme caution must be exercised when it comes to Carlos Correa

Chicago Cubs: There are more efficient ways to spend money this winter

Offensively? Correa’s projected slash line is just that, a projection. It’s not written in the stars that he will hit .269/.349/.464. However, those are far from MVP numbers offensively. For reference, a player such as Nelson Cruz who has consistently been raking in only around $13-14 million range on average for the past seven years, is projected to slash .263/.339/.504 with 31 home runs and 82 RBIs (seems like a pretty legit DH candidate, no?). Another guy, Eddie Rosario for example, who potentially might only net around $10 million a year as some have him pegged, is projected to slash .258/.303/.452, just 11 points lower in batting average to go along with 20 HR and 73 RBI.

Fun fact: Rosario’s slash over the past five years is .278/.315/.484. He averages 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in per 162 games. Correa for reference? Over the past five years, .277/.357/.484 with 29 home runs and 105 RBIs per 162 game average. Aside from a nod to Correa in the on base percentage department, they have literally been just about identical at the plate since 2017.

Elsewhere, Father Time himself, Cruz, has continued to mash at least 32 home runs for seven years in a row, excluding 2020 due to it being a shortened season. Just as impressively, until last year, when Cruz still had a very respectable 86 runs batted in, he put together a string from 2014 to 2019 where he had no fewer than 93 RBI, breaking the 100 plateau four times in that six-season span.

This is one simple example of how the Cubs can produce much more at the plate. Using the Cruz/Rosario scenario, if contract predictions are at all accurate, you’re essentially getting two guys who combined cost $10 million less than Correa annually and will add an extra 74 runs batted in a year to your lineup, while also giving you even more financial flexibility to sign a closer or a backend starter – all for the price of what just Correa could end up costing alone.

Again, not that you’re sad if you land Correa, there are just so many situations to think about in how that type of money can patch up several areas of the team’s biggest needs. For the type of contract Correa will command, I’m willing to sacrifice some defensive production for a lot more offensive production. You may occasionally have a SportsCenter top 10 web gem. You may even save a game due to a great play. However, you’re simply in a better position to win more games the more runs you score.