I'm not in favor of blowing it up but at the same time I think if they don't perform significantly better they are going to be in an odd position. At a current .542 winning percent they are a fringe playoff team who's buoyed by a weak division. And it turns into one of those things where yeah they can probably make the playoffs but are they really going to do anything in them?
If this were last year i'd say just ride it out and don't sell. But this year is a bit different with so many 1 year pieces left. With the current state of things I think you either have to re-sign Bryant(unlikely) or at least entertain offers for him. Rizzo I believe they eventually will find common ground on. Baez is tough because he's such a weird player. Kimbrel however i sorta feel like is gone if you look to move Bryant.
I'd sorta love to see the cubs move Bryant for a package centered around CJ Abrams and then move Abrams to CF. SD isn't getting a ton out of their corner outfielders right now and with Tatis Grisham and Kim/Cronenworth they are pretty deep at anywhere they would otherwise need Abrams. Hell maybe you make the trade a true block buster and throw in Kimbrel and maybe take on Myers to make the money work for a huge haul.
Meyers: 22M in 2022 with a 20M team option in 2023. To offset some cash it would be fine. But I see this move in another light for the Cubs.
CJ Abrams SS AA playing on San Antonio. Hitting .303/.387/.470
I would call that dominating a league and needing a challenge. Pad's are holding him back right now.
So if the Cubs sent Kimbrel and Bryant over for Meyers and Abrams.
Abrams would go to Iowa and most likely be the starting SS in 2022.
Meyers would become the starting 1B in 2022.
At this point I would sell my glut of depth in SS in the system to build a team. SS/2B would be set going forward in CJ and Nico. I would push up Davis' time line. I would promote him to Tenn in June. He is toying with A+ and it would be better to challenge him at AA for the Summer vs wrecking lesser pitching.
Marquez was delayed by Covid and has been in a throwing program to build arm strength. I could see them putting both Marquez and Davis at AA at the same time.
So with Meyers and CJ Baez and Rizzo are gone. Heyward most likely cut after Davis promotes. Guys like Howard and the Pad infield prospects traded for SP with Control.
We could see Hendricks, Alzolay, Thompson, Steel, incoming pitcher via trade.
This team would be far worse than this year but with Davis and Marquez pending and a larger payroll to add and lock up players early. Well it hastens the time line.
I would be fine with it as it is heading in the right direction and if done right like other teams are doing. Lock up their young stars in 13 year deals so we don't have to see a trainwreck in 7 pending.