So last July, when the Chicago Cubs traded for Jose Quintana, a deal that included star outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez, I had some fun speculating how they would eventually sign Bryce Harper. At the time, it was more of a joke than a serious thought, but still it wasn’t too crazy.
Anyway, my main thought process at the time dealt with the team locking up one more starting pitcher that was under team control in Sonny Gray. The Cubs were still rumored to be interested in him even after trading for Quintana, so if that happened four of the five starters outside of Jon Lester would be making peanuts, giving the Cubs plenty of room for Harper.
That never happened, as Gray was traded to the New York Yankees and then in the offseason the Cubs signed Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood. So much for the saving money on the rotation theory.
The thing is though, none of it matters because at no point do the Cubs ever have to worry about money and that’s especially true now.
We’ve all been waiting for this moment and on Monday 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reported that the Cubs new TV network is coming after the 2019 season.
Via 670 The Score.
The Cubs will pull away from their partnership with NBC Sports Chicago — as well as the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks — and start their own television venture in October 2019, according to industry sources.
The Cubs have hired Mike McCarthy to lead the television venture moving forward, sources said. McCarthy was previously the president of the MSG Network and the CEO of the St. Louis Blues.
And what does a new TV network mean for the Cubs?
Well, richer.
So, if for whatever reason you thought the Cubs can’t “afford” Bryce Harper, that has always been incorrect and more so with this new avenue of money.
Hell, if they really wanted to, the Cubs could easily afford Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, but hey I even think that’s crazy.
But dream.
And yes, they’ll still have plenty of money to re-sign anyone they want when most of the core reaches free agency after 2021.
Some fans seem to completely ignore just how much money the Cubs make every year. Guys, it’s OK, Tom Ricketts will be fine after the Cubs make more big free agent splashes that could very easily include Bryce Harper, who by the way in his “down season” has 30 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .249/.379/.509 slash line and a 132 wRC+.
Can’t believe there are fans who would hate to add Bryce Harper to the Cubs, but that’s a story for a different day.
