All the dominoes are falling in the Chicago Cubs hot stove, but there will still likely be more to come yet.
It’s also having ripple effects on the south side of town, as the White Sox have been extremely active. You knew the Jon Jay signing would lead to at least Cubs outfielder, if not two, being shipped out of town. We’re still awaiting the departure of Dexter Fowler to become official, but Jay’s arrival makes it seem even more inevitable.
Across town earlier today, the Chicago White Sox absolutely fleeced the Washington Nationals in their deal for Adam Eaton, and when you saw the price the Nats paid, you can bet that Fowler is going to get way overpaid as well.
Getting back to Jorge Soler though, he was moved for Wade Davis late last night, with the ink drying on the trade this morning.
New #Cubs closer Wade Davis career postseason stats:
32.1 IP, 0.84 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 46 Ks, 9 BBs
Only 1 ER in his last 27.1 playoff innings.— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) December 7, 2016
Davis, 31, is a two-time All-Star (2015 and 2016) who has gone 55-37 with 47 saves and a 3.53 ERA (305 ER/776.2 IP) in 334 major league appearances (246 relief outings, 88 starts) covering eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2009-12) and Kansas City (2013-16).
Since moving exclusively to a relief role in 2014, Davis has gone 19-4 with 47 saves and a 1.18 ERA (24 ER/182.2 IP) in 185 appearances, limiting opponents to a .163 batting average and allowing only three home runs in 182.2 innings. Davis has held opponents to a .216 slugging percentage and .239 on-base percentage in that span, good for a .456 OPS.
The Jorge Soler for Wade Davis deal means that current closer Aroldis Chapman is expendable, and thus…..he’s gone, in a New York minute.
Chapman reportedly inks a five-year deal worth $86 million to return to New Yorkhttps://t.co/0arWIDJe6P
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 8, 2016
John Jay to Jorge Soler to Wade Davis to Aroldis Chapman to whoever is next- Fowler?
So how do Jorge Soler and company relate back to the White Sox? Well, we’ve seen the Pale Hose finally deal Chris Sale and then Eaton, so they’re moving their biggest pieces in what is a total tear down to then prelude a complete rebuild. Sound familiar?
Yes! It’s exactly clear where they got inspiration as Rick Hahn is going the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer route, but doing a total sell off in order to lay the ground work for a massive reconstruction. It’s the right way to go. Build through the farm system up with super-prospects and do this the right way.
Slowly but surely. Here’s the straight edge take on this…
White Sox are about to add the No. 1 (Moncada), No. 3 (Giolito), No. 30 (Kopech) and No. 38 (Lopez) prospects per https://t.co/6rgaX7Ci4V
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) December 7, 2016
And then of course, the comical perspective on all of today’s wheelings and dealings.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.