The Rundown: Changing Batteries, Conflicting Bregman Reports, Christmas Movie Rankings

There are some cases in which player acquisition is as simple as making the highest contract offer, but most deals have a lot more going on below the surface. The Cubs’ world championship team was comprised of several players who actually took less money — yes, even Jason Heyward — to join a roster they felt was capable of making history. In more topical news, righty Michael King doesn’t even appear to have considered the Cubs due to his preference to be back on the East Coast.

Then there are the various business philosophies between different organizations, like how the Cubs refuse to defer large chunks of salary while the Dodgers are content to punt a billion dollars into the future. Jed Hoyer tends to treat both the offseason and the trade deadline like a duck swimming: Everything looks calm to the point of apathy on the surface, yet those webbed feet are churning furiously.

And while we can’t mistake activity for progress, a lot of folks tend to misunderstand the ease — or lack thereof — with which deals get done. It’s kind of like comparing the general concept of replacing a car battery with replacing the battery in a 2016 Ford Escape. I found that out firsthand when I popped the hood of my son’s car to discover a veritable puzzle of parts that would have to be removed just to get to the source of the problem.

It took two YouTube videos and a great deal of frustration, but I was eventually able to remove the windshield wipers, wiper cowl, water tray, and clamp in order to access the battery. After using a mixture of vinegar and lime juice to clean off the corroded negative terminal, I installed the new battery and replaced all the surrounding parts. Just as I was feeling accomplished, I learned that I would have to reset the wiper motors in order to get them working again.

I’m sure this will make me look like a complete idiot to many of you, but did you know there are alignment markings on the windshield to guide the placement of the wipers? Seeing them made me feel like Indiana Jones seeing that X on the floor of the Biblioteca di San Barnaba in The Last Crusade.

The only real issue with my overwrought analogy is that I didn’t hesitate to spend what felt like an exorbitant price for the battery. Why? Because I knew it was necessary and I had the money to buy it. If only Jed Hoyer could do the same thing this winter.

Weaver May Prefer Yankees Reunion

Luke Weaver has reportedly drawn interest from “about 10 teams,” per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, but a return to the Yankees may be his preference. Kirschner noted mutual interest between the two parties, though it could come down to the security of a multiyear deal. Relievers seem to be pulling in higher sums than expected, and Weaver is certainly not blind to that fact.

Weaver is one of the top remaining pitchers in a relief market that still includes Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks, and Seranthony Dominguez. Of that group, Keller is the only one not predicted to sign with the Cubs by any of MLB Trade Rumors’ four staff members. That’s because the big righty is penciled in for a three-year, $36 million deal that is twice as high as his three colleagues in question.

Having already signed Phil Maton to a rare multiyear deal, the Cubs might be wary of committing another significant chunk of payroll to the bullpen. Then again, they saw firsthand how having a number of different out-getters back there can aid their postseason push. This is like one of those slide puzzles where Hoyer is trying to move pieces around in the hopes of eventually forming a clear picture.

Bregman’s Spin Zone

Alex Bregman is a Scott Boras client, which means there is going to be all kinds of leaked information meant to drive up demand for his services. Boras said the Mariners were interested in his client, and now there are conflicting reports about Boston’s willingness to bring Bregman back. Jon Heyman, who has long been known as a Boras mouthpiece, recently said the third “probably still has the best chance to get [the type of deal he’s looking for] in Boston,” which is in direct conflict with a previous report about the Red Sox being unwilling to pay big for aging veterans.

That came from MassLive’s Sean McAdam, who quoted a prominent agent as saying Craig Breslow and the Red Sox “don’t believe in long-term deals.” While that was not specifically about their dealings with Pete Alonso, it’s hard to dismiss the idea that a certain prominent agent represents the new Oriole as well. It would be very fitting of Boras to talk out of both sides of his mouth in order to spur offers for his client(s).

The sense from just about anyone other than Heyman is that Boston is likely out, which some see as opening the door for the Cubs. But since we know Hoyer feels the same way as his former protege, I tend to think the stage is set for the Tigers to swoop in. They offered by far the biggest overall deal last season and might be willing to do so again. I’m not sure they’d run back the same six-year, $171.5 million deal, but doing so would almost certainly put them well ahead of their competition.

We’ll know things are coming to a head when we get reports of a mystery team being involved.

Other News and Notes

• Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami was ranked at No. 4 among MLBTR’s top 50 free agents with a salary projection of $180 million over eight years, but there’s been virtually no buzz around him with just six days before his posting window closes.
• Kazuma Okamoto is seen as a much safer bet due to his lower whiff rate, plus he’s got nearly two more weeks to negotiate
• The Cardinals signed former Dodgers righty Dustin May three days ago, but there’s been no official word from the club yet. That’s presumably because the oft-injured stuff demon has yet to complete (or pass) a physical. A litany of injuries has limited him to just 324 innings over the last seven years, and 132.1 of those came last season. This strikes me as the Cards hoping he can stay healthy enough to be flipped at the deadline.
• Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim re-signed with the Braves for one year and $20 million.
• That deal got some folks talking about Nico Hoerner‘s potential market, which probably isn’t as robust as many believe. Kim wouldn’t have gotten nearly that same AAV on a longer deal, and Hoerner’s abject lack of power hinders his earning potential. The Cubs should present him with a competitive extension offer to keep him in Chicago.

Ranking My 14 Favorite Christmas Movies

This list is certainly going to rankle some folks, so I welcome you to provide your own lists in the comments.

14. Scrooged
13. Frosty the Snowman
12. A Charlie Brown Christmas
11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
10. Gremlins
9. Elf
8. A Christmas Story
7. Home Alone
6. It’s a Wonderful Life
5. Bad Santa
4. Christmas Vacation
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original)
2. Violent Night
1. Die Hard