There haven't been any new developments regarding the contract negotiations between David Price and the Detroit Tigers. As of right now, the assumption is that the left-hander will hit free agency after 2015. Are the Chicago Cubs going to pursue the veteran?
President of baseball operations Theo Epstein made it clear the club was going to pursue talent outside the organization, and it's likely they're interested in Price, but it's unknown if they'd be willing to shell out another contract in excess of $150 million for another aging starting pitcher.
Price is expected to command a $200 million deal if he keeps pitching at the level he is now. Chicago already signed Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million deal this past offseason and are still waiting for that investment to pay its dividends. Lester is 4-5 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in his first 12 starts with the Cubs.
Chicago's starting rotation needs an upgrade and they have the money to go after a top-tier arm because of their cost-effective position players, who are performing well offensively. First baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro are under team-friendly contracts, while third baseman Kris Bryant and second baseman Addison Russell are under club control for years to come. The club also has a number of prospects in the pipeline they expect to contribute at the MLB level within the next season or two.
Price told FOX Sports' Jon Morosi last week that he's not thinking about free agency right now, but whatever team he joins next needs to put him in a good position to win, because that "takes precedent over everything else," and it needs to have a "good culture" or at least be "open for change."
Well, he played under current Cubs' manager Joe Maddon from 2008-2014 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays and never complained about the atmosphere surrounding the Rays' clubhouse over that span.
"He's a very unique manager, and I think he was perfect for our team in Tampa," Price said of Maddon, via Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. "It's kind of the same way in Chicago right now. We were an extremely young team. We had a ton of talent when Joe came to the Rays. He does a really good job of just making sure that everybody in that clubhouse is comfortable and loose and relaxed."
Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com says Price is an "easy fit" for the Cubs for three reasons: he has much experience with Maddon; his former pitching coach at Vanderbilt is now the Cubs' minor league pitching coordinator; and he "wants to win and have fun doing it." Chicago is clearly having a ton of fun and has maintained a winning record, in case you haven't noticed.
The Cubs will likely consider the left-hander if he reaches free agency, but there's a chance they could be hesitant.
"It's going to take more than $100 million to get Price, that much we know. Whether the Cubs should invest in another 30 year-old with plenty of miles on his arm is another question," writes Rogers. "There are several pitchers this offseason that could command that kind of money and the Cubs should be in the mix for all of them as they move into their more serious years of contending."
They're making a case for contention right now, so we'll see if they pursue any endeavors before the trade deadline. If not, keep an eye on Price to be one of their main targets in the offseason.
