Chicago Cubs analysis: Pause and think before signing Arrieta to a multi-year extension
By Paul Steeno
Oct 18, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning in game two of the NLCS at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
When a player performs well, they expect their team to pay them accordingly. Arrieta’s 2015 season was certainly worthy of top dollars. The question becomes whether or not his performance across the life of the contract will remain worthy of a large amount of money.
The Chicago Cubs are fortunate to have Jake Arrieta locked up for two more years before they have to decide on a contract extension. The next two years will give them a more representative sample of what Jake Arrieta is likely to do in the future. If he is able to reciprocate his performance this season (or come close within reason), then the Chicago Cubs shouldn’t hesitate to sign him to a large extension. The point of this article is to emphasize that the Chicago Cubs front office shouldn’t prematurely throw large amounts of money at Arrieta on a long-term deal based on the results of the one season. Even during his historic 2015 season, Jake Arrieta showed a number of red flags that must be addressed and resolved before a new long-term contract is signed.
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