This MLB offseason has been dominated by the moves orchestrated by the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks. Chicago made a number of high-profile signings, but they didn't orchestrate the one trade for an established cost-controlled starter many thought they would.
Rumors suggest the team may have to wait to make such a deal. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein spoke to the media regarding the team's moves up until this point and shed light on the trade market.
Chicago inked John Lackey, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist to contracts this offseason and also traded infielder Starlin Castro for pitcher Adam Warren. The additions of Lackey and Warren perhaps weren't exactly what the team was looking for initially, but they both ended up working out very well in the wake of the David Price/Zack Greinke signings as well as the Shelby Miller trade.
"I think we were able to read the market and make some moves without falling victim to some of the changes in the market," Epstein told Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. "Usually things change when some of the big free agents come off the board ... There were a couple significant pitchers moved at a high prospect cost. We were able to wrap up our next series of moves before that happened."
Following the transactions involving Price, Greinke and Miller, the market for young, controllable starters pretty much skyrocketed. Price and Greinke set the precedent and then Miller really blew it all up when the D-Backs surrendered their top pitching prospect (Aaron Blair), the top overall pick in the 2015 draft (Dansby Swanson) and an all-around skilled outfielder (Ender Inciarte) for the right-hander.
After that flurry of moves, the asking prices for starters Tyson Ross (Padres), Carlos Carrasco (Indians), Danny Salazar (Indians) and others reportedly skyrocketed, which has apparently forced the Cubs to back off. Javier Baez and Jorge Soler were mentioned in various trade rumors, but nothing ever came to fruition - and nothing may this offseason.
Epstein might be done making the big moves for now and instead wait until the trade deadline approaches to strike, if that. Keeping their top prospects as well as Baez and Soler has given them much purchasing power in the future.
"That does allow us - whether it's this winter or the trade deadline or next offseason - to be a threat to make significant trades that can help the ballclub going forward," Epstein told Tony Andracki of CSNChicago.com. "It doesn't necessarily have to happen in the next couple months."
The Cubs have a lot of prospects and/or young players to offer, but Rogers acknowledges that teams want MLB talent in trade returns because many are looking to contend next season rather than take a step back and look toward the future (obviously with the exception of some clubs, like the Braves and Reds). There's no urgency for a majority of clubs to rebuild, or appear as if they're doing so, at this point.
The Cubs just may have to wait, which isn't a bad thing. After all, manager Joe Maddon said Baez and Soler figure to be integral aspects of the team's future and Epstein and Hoyer are not the type of executives to hastily make trades.
This 97-win team got better this offseason and there's no rush to do any more work. The Cubs are built for the present and the future, so there's very little for fans to worry about.
