Dear God: Please Don't Let Things Get Awkward Between David Ross & Anthony Rizzo

 I'm still actively working through the Anthony-Rizzo-will-be-a-free-agent news and it's not easy guys. I'll be blunt and straight up with you guys. This situation absolutely fucking blows top to bottom. We're days away from beginning the season at home and we're still bitching at one another about offseason drama. Arguably the longest and most turbulent winters of my life and this shit won't end. Now we're at odds about one of the most impactful Cubs of my lifetime and whether the Cubs lowballed him at 5-years and $70M. 

I've got lineup previews to post and bars to post up at. I've got overs to pound and buckets of GTLF to down. There's nothing that should be on my mind right now other than somewhat-normal baseball returning to Wrigley Field. And even so we're going to sit here and debate the merits of Jed Hoyer riding Anthony Rizzo's success for the last decade then offering him less money than Yasmani Grandal. What planet am I on?

The same one where both Brandon Belt and Eric Hosmer will earn more than what the Cubs offered Rizzo. BRANDON BELT AND ERIC HOSMER. Great players in their own right, but an objective measure below Anthony Rizzo. You can use whatever stats you want but there's no arguing about the 3 of these players. And the Cubs legitimately checked in below their AAV. I'm not saying give Rizzo the biggest bag in the National League but could we ONE TIME treat our Superstars like such. Can this be a place where players and fans and leadership are all mutually happy at the same time? 

HUGE season inbound for David Ross. He knew he was walking into a circus when he replaced Joe Maddon but nobody could have predicted where things have gone from there. I wonder if he interviews as passionately knowing that the core is up for grabs or that the 2021 offseason would be filled with such substantial change. And not to mention his first 162 as the skipper. Talk about an adjustment period from last season. 

I think Ross has the stones to be the guy. I really do mean that inside and out. He could legitimately be one of the best managers in baseball. But to be fair you have to wonder if this is what he signed up for? You know there's obstacles but this seems above and beyond for a 2nd year manager. 

End of the day I'm still optimistic there's 86 wins on the schedule. I'm optimistic we get 110 starts from Arrieta+Hendricks+Davies+Mills and I'm furthermore VERY optimistic this club pounds more Yabos than 2019. There's going to be thunder up and down the lineup card and I think we ride these contract years to some big scores. 

Personally, that means taking nearly every team total over, game over and of course, season win total over. This is how I'll survive what could be everyone's last season. Worst case scenario I lose a couple bucks so what.