3 Mistakes Cubs Have Already Made This Offseason

The Chicago Cubs' offseason has been forgettable in every sense of the word. After failing to make the playoffs last year, they've angered their fans with weak statements about the state of the team, and their future looks incredibly uncertain heading into the 2020 campaign.

But in the midst of their struggles, these three mistakes stand out from the vast amount of missteps they've made.

3. Waiting to Extend Javier Baez

The Cubs could have at least slightly endeared themselves to the fans with a Javier Baez extension early in the offseason, but for some odd reason, they've held off on locking up their star infielder. He's one of the franchise's best homegrown stars, and is worthy of a new deal. The longer they wait to give him a new deal, the more expensive he's going to be come free agency after the 2021 season.

2. Passing on Steve Cishek

The bullpen was Chicago's ultimate undoing last year. They had practically no reliable options, save for veteran reliever Steve Cishek. He and his 2.95 ERA stabilized that relief core in 2019. But instead of bringing him back, the Cubs let him walk in free agency to the cross-town White Sox for a pathetically affordable $6 million. They had the chance to keep a strong bullpen arm, but they just let him go to one of their biggest rivals.

1. Keeping Fans in the Dark

All of the Cubs' problems stem from the fact that they flat out refuse to keep the fans up to date on what they're doing and why they're doing it. The front office hasn't been transparent on the potential shape of the payroll moving forward, and they've made worrisome comments about the future of the team's core. Why does a Kris Bryant trade even need to be entertained?! Fans are up in arms because they're sick of having the wool pulled over their eyes. The primary reason that this offseason has been so lousy is because of this unwillingness to communicate with the fans.