(670 The Score) Arguably the biggest storyline hovering over the Cubs these days is whether -- or perhaps when -- they’ll trade star third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant this season.
At this time, it seems likely that the Cubs will move him, given that Bryant’s in the final year of his contract and the team has proved to be mediocre in a 17-19 start. The Cubs already began focusing on their long-term future when they dealt ace Yu Darvish to the Padres last December in a package that included four young prospects who are years away from the big leagues.
In the mind of Jon Morosi of MLB Network and Fox Sports, that’s the approach the Cubs should take again if they trade Bryant. They should search for high-ceiling prospects at the lower levels of opposing farm systems, because that’s the only place premier talent is available. As the market sits now, premier talent generally isn't for sale at the higher levels of the minors leagues, Morosi said.
“On these one-year deals, when it’s just a rental, teams have consistently been underwhelmed by what they’re offered,” Morosi said on the Parkins & Spiegel Show on Thursday afternoon. “So the Cubs are going to have adjust their expectations. If their hope is that they’re going to trade Bryant to the Mariners and get back Logan Gilbert, the kid that (made his MLB debut Thursday), it’s just not going to happen. They’re going to have to, in my view, and this is where it’s going to be tough for Cubs fans. Jed Hoyer is going to have to get up there in front of everybody when he makes these trades, and a lot of the names that you hear might be down in A-ball. They may not even have played professionally outside of (their own team’s) complexes. Because that’s where you can find your value. That’s where the Padres found (Fernando Tatis Jr.) in the White Sox’s system. And so this is where you got to trust your scouts, you’ve got to trust your people and go as low as you can. Because that’s where you get the real high-upside guys. More risk, but also possibly more reward as well.”
Morosi also argued the Cubs should trade the 29-year-old Bryant in late June or early July instead of just before the trade deadline on July 31. Bryant is having a sensational season, hitting .308 with nine homers, 22 RBIs and a 1.050 OPS in 34 games.
“If I’m the Cubs, if I’m Jed Hoyer, I would say this – ‘Listen, we’ll make the trade a little earlier,’” Morosi said. “It may be a month earlier. I think back to CC Sabathia, when the Brewers traded for him back in ’08. They got an extra month because that deal happened in early July. And those types of decisions, when you’re trying to trade a rental player, four months of Kris Bryant – I’m not saying they’re going to trade him on June 1 – but even three months of Bryant are fundamentally different than two months. It really is.
“The thing that’s going to help them the most is if they trade him on July 1 instead of July 31.”