Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez spent the primary half of the 2021 season answering questions on their unsure futures as Chicago Cubs.
Last yr Willson Contreras was the person of the hour, dealing with questions again and again about his impending free company and the potential for being traded.
Now it’s Ian Happ’s flip.
The switch-hitting Cubs left fielder enters his stroll yr off a career-best season by which he made his first All-Star crew and received his first Gold Glove. He is fashionable with followers — albeit not on the identical scale as Rizzo, Bryant, Báez and Contreras — and has an excellent relationship with Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts.
It would appear probably the Cubs could be fascinated about signing Happ to a long-term deal, however the identical may very well be stated for the opposite 4 gamers who’re presently enjoying elsewhere. And no distinguished Cub has signed an extension since Kyle Hendricks in 2019.
Ricketts and Happ had a dialog at Cubs camp Monday, however whether or not that means an extension is on the best way is anybody’s guess.
Ricketts stated Monday he would go away these varieties of selections as much as President Jed Hoyer.
“Obviously we have a couple guys we’d love to extend, but if it doesn’t work out, that’s OK too,” Ricketts stated. “I appreciate that they would rather test the market. It’s up to Jed, but it’d be great. Not only some of the guys that we’d consider extending, we know them as players, but also as people and the kind of people you want to be around and want in the clubhouse.”
Who are these two guys?
“Ask Jed,” he stated with a smile.
Happ positively was one, and Nico Hoerner is probably going the opposite. Hoyer wouldn’t discuss extension discussions, however now could be the time to get one thing achieved.
“My preference is not to get into (talks) toward the end of spring training and get to a place where I feel like it’s affecting the preparation and mentality for the season,” Hoyer stated. “I do think that has happened, and I’ve seen it happen before. That’s something we’re aware of. We’ve talked to both camps about that. But the conversations are good.”
The truth the Cubs anticipate to contend adjustments the dynamics a bit after they entered 2021 and ‘22 with little hope of successful the division. Contreras and Happ have been rumored to be commerce bait final July and memorably hugged within the dugout after the final sport at Wrigley Field earlier than the commerce deadline. Happ was emotional a couple of good gesture from the left-field bleacher bums, who autographed a ball for him in case it was his ultimate residence sport as a Cub.
When neither one wound up traded, Happ jokingly blamed the media.
“All those stories and the cameras the last couple days at Wrigley, it’s all on you guys,” he stated.
Asked this week at camp if he’s able to undergo the identical type of media focus this summer time, Happ went into prevent-defense mode.
“Long way away,” he stated. “We’ll figure it out when we get there.”
But after watching what Rizzo, Bryant, Báez and Contreras went by means of, he needs to be prepared for the potential for being dealt on the deadline if he’s not signed by then.
“Every experience prepares you,” he stated. “It ready you for final yr by watching guys that went by means of it in ‘21. It’s a part of the sport and also you don’t actually understand how you’re going to really feel till you undergo one thing like that.
“But once you’ve been through it a couple times, you have an understanding for it.”
Would he ever speak on to Ricketts, or does he desire to depart every part to his agent?
“That’s something that, uh … however they want to deal with it,” he stated.
Happ clearly didn’t need to talk about his future firstly of spring coaching, and who may blame him? He has made it clear he desires to remain, simply as Rizzo, Bryant, Báez and Contreras did.
But Happ additionally is aware of that not speaking about it received’t finish hypothesis on whether or not he’ll re-sign or arguments over how a lot he would command as a free agent.
According to FanGraphs, Happ ranked third amongst left fielders final yr with a 3.5 WAR, behind the Houston Astros’ Yordan Álvarez (6.6) and the Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan (4.4). Just behind him was the New York Yankees’ Andrew Benintendi (2.8), who signed a five-year, $75 million take care of the White Sox.
Happ and Benintendi are each 28 and have had related profession paths. The Boston Red Sox chosen Benintendi with the No. 7 choose within the 2015 draft, and the Cubs selected Happ two picks later. Happ has 104 profession residence runs and a .798 OPS, whereas Benintendi has 73 homers and a .782 OPS. Happ is a greater defensive participant, rating sixth amongst all outfielders final season with 14 defensive runs saved.
But Benintendi signed the most important free-agent deal in White Sox historical past, whereas Happ received’t come near Jason Heyward’s Cubs-record eight-year, $184 million contract.
If he has a season similar to 2022, Happ ought to anticipate to exceed Benintendi’s deal. If he has a drop-off, it’s anybody’s guess.
Either manner, the clock is ticking.
And Wrigley’s left-field bleacher bums may need to follow their autographs, simply in case.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com