Painful tweet shows the complete lack of faith Cubs fans have in Jed Hoyer

Regardless of what decision Cody Bellinger comes to regarding his opt-out, the Chicago Cubs have tens of millions of dollars coming off the books heading into the offseason. That should mean this large-market team is actively competing for the biggest free-agent names - but that's not the expectation among the fan base, despite the disappointing 2024 season.

This post on X (formerly Twitter) perfectly encapsulates the malcontent that's permeated deep into the fanbase in the post-2016 era, one where ownership and the front office push a business model that prioritizes responsible spending and turning a profit over flexing its significant financial muscle.

The above four names, technically, address four of the biggest needs facing the Chicago Cubs heading into the winter: a catcher to pair with Miguel Amaya, a power bat, a proven starting pitcher and a veteran relief arm. But they also represent the blatant penny-pinching approach that's riled up the fanbase in recent years.

Cubs have to think bigger than they have in recent offseasons

If Jed Hoyer's answer to adding a power bat to the mix is Rowdy Tellez, let's just say the reaction may be harsh. We're talking about a player completely incapable of playing the field who has eclipsed the 20-homer one time in the last five years and who may very well end the 2024 season the same way he did the 2023 campaign - with a sub-.400 slugging percentage.

A Paul Sewald signing would feel an awfully lot like last winter's Hector Neris addition. The red flags were there: an aging reliever whose stuff seemed to be diminishing quickly. Now, Neris avoided total disaster, but left much to be desired in the same way Sewald has in Arizona, where he has a mid-4.00s ERA and a hard-hit rate that isn't going to cut it in the late innings.

Thankfully, Amaya has re-established himself in the second half or the catching situation would feel even more dire than it already does. Diaz wouldn't be the worst signing in the world, but if that's the move, you're once again putting a lot of faith in Amaya - a course of action that proved wildly detrimental this year. And let's not overlook the fact that Diaz' offensive production has cratered in the second half, again making him a glove-first (only) option.

Heaney parlayed a strong 2022 showing with the Dodgers into a two-year, $25 million deal with the Rangers. He's bounced back from a disappointing 2023 to be a solid middle-of-the-rotation piece in Texas, but he's far from the stud the Cubs should be targeting to slot in alongside Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga.

The long and short of this story is simple: the Chicago Cubs - one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports - shouldn't consistently be foraging the bargain bin for their offseason upgrades. Go after the big fish, add true impact players and raise the floor of this roster, because these marginal improvements around the edge of the rosters has gotten us the same thing over and over: a .500 club left on the outside looking in come October.