Bummer, Dunning and Lopez would be the ask, but it still doesn’t make sense for the Cubs going into Marquee Network.
With Zobrist gone and Russell on his very last legs...they need Happ and Schwarber more than ever.
That doesn’t count the regression from Almora (a good hedge there would be JBJr) and covering predictable Bryant/Rizzo/Contreras injuries in terms of offensive impact.
Finally, Bote took a step back as well.
They can just go out and buy most of their needs with financial capital. Unless Hahn was dumb enough to take on Heyward’s contract to get one of those players included, but not both. Then they could keep Castellanos, sign JBJ and supplement their bullpen that was decimated by injuries and non-performance at the back end.
So Bummer and Lopez for Heyward and Happ...OR just Bummer for Heyward and Schwarber, which would give the Cubs the flexibility to fix their most pressing issues/financial inflexibility with Castellanos, JBJ and 2-3 pitchers.
"In Chicago, it’s just a mess. Chicago area Cable TV fans of the Bulls, Blackhawks and the Laundry (White Sox) are already paying NBC Sports Chicago a line item fee of nearly $9 for the service in their cable bill which used to include the Cubs. Do you know that small increase in your bill? Hmmmmm. Marquee wants to charge the same amount, $9, for dare I say, just the Chicago Cubs channel and it’s going to happen! "
Feel like the Cubs will come in around $4.50-$6 if they’re smart, don’t see NBC Sports Chicago discounting their 3 team package by much, if anything. Unfortunately, the Bulls and Blackhawks are both down, so that removes their leverage...but so are the Cubs. It’s yet another argument for the White Sox not making incremental changes but spending $45-60 million instead of the expected/predicted $30 million (not including Abreu and raises/escalators.) We’ll find out soon enough who’s right.
Old rumors. The Cubs are going to be charging $4 a month to cable companies and the NBC Sports price will come down as they have to negotiate all new cable deals without having the Cubs.