12-18-2024, 05:05 PM
(12-17-2024, 07:06 PM)1060Ivy Wrote: Hope all is well Straw and you’re enjoying your baseball-lite life
Belli trade is a variation of a salary dump.
Given the budget, Cubs didn’t have room for an expensive a part time outfielder / infielder / DH / insurance policy
Yeah, I'm guessing if the Cubs were willing to eat more of his salary, they could have gotten a decent prospect from NYY, but they preferred to have the money. Now, could/should they have traded Belli at the deadline last year to get someone real in return is another question. Not sure what offers they had, can't recall if he was healthy then, etc. But this was pretty clearly all about freeing up money, the trade will be defined but what they now do with the money. They wanted Belli to opt out, would have to pay a little if he did, and are now basically where they wanted to be, plus an extra arm with some options for the pen. I don't mind this at all.