Chapter 1: What is the significance of Nico Hoerner's six-year contract extension with the Cubs?
It's now the Cubs 6, Nationals 2 here in the 5th.
That is Zach Zaidman on the call. This is Rahimi Harrison-Grody on 104.3 The Score. That was Nico Horner's two-run double from Saturday in the Cubs win that they did have where things looked like I think we expected. Cade Horton showed out. The offense showed up in that game scoring 10 runs, but they end up dropping two of three to the Nationals.
It wasn't the biggest news, though, over the weekend. that the Cubs had. They had a lot of news, whether it was Pete Crow Armstrong officially talking on Friday about his extension to the tune of $115 million, and then Sunday morning before the game, we got the news about Nico. The Cubs gave Nico the graphic treatment.
Chapter 2: How does Nico Horner's performance impact the Cubs' defensive strategy?
They posted the official Nico Horner extension at six years, $141 million. Given all of the other spending the Cubs had in the offseason, It is a total of $488 million. That's a big deal, especially for this team.
And Nico, now that center of the defense, the spine of the defense that we talk about, Dansby Swanson, Nico Horner, and then Pekor Armstrong backing it up in center, I think the Cubs had a pretty defined direction that they wanted to go in, and they continue to do so with the, I think, extension and making Nico a career Cub, essentially, for the terms of the contract.
For so many years, as we watch so many teams, we see fan bases beg ownerships and front offices to pick a direction. Like, that's been a thing. You can look around town right now and be like, hey, y'all want to pick a direction? The Cubs have finally, it seems like, picked a very specific direction they want to go.
And we were coming to a crossroads after this season before we got this extension with Pete Corarmstrong, who we assumed would get an extension beyond his arbitration years.
Chapter 3: What does the no-trade clause in Horner's contract mean for his future with the Cubs?
But now knowing that Nico Horner, not only is he not getting traded, but he's basically a Cub for life because of the no trade clause that's in this contract. They have picked a very, very clear direction now. And with some other contracts coming off the books at the end of the season, most notably Ian Happ showed him a Naga. They're going to have money to be able to,
have other players that kind of complement this new core for the Cubs. And I'm here for it. I love it. I think they've done the right thing with these players that they have selected to be their core going forward. And I'm very interested to see where it goes this season specifically because of the work stoppage that we're all assuming is going to happen next season.
But for years beyond, at least you know who are strong, as Layla said, up the middle, which is so important defensively.
Chapter 4: How does Nico Horner compare to other second basemen in terms of contract value?
And although Nico Horner handled the questions about potentially being traded over the last year and change very professionally when asked here on The Score, when asked by other reporters out of Wrigley Field, tells me he hated that. He hated the idea of not having control. And no player, every player would love a no-trade clause in Major League Baseball.
But it's pretty cool that it was important to him. to be here in Chicago to be one of us he's earning bears very quickly by the way for his desires to be here and it's such a unique situation I was very curious to see what a guy in the modern era who does not have slug would get in this era but 36 home runs in six plus years. Forget that.
Two gold gloves, 282 career average, which is above average in this day and age, as we know. And he's always hovering around four as his war. That was above that last year.
Chapter 5: What are the implications of the Cubs' spending strategy this offseason?
I think it was what? So around six or so. Over six. So you do have to look a little bit more deeply into the numbers to see where Nico's value is. But general managers take that very seriously.
Well,
What you mentioned is unconventional, Mark. What you mentioned is Nico's a bit of a throwback. Yes. Here's a guy hitting for average.
Chapter 6: How does Nico Horner's playing style reflect the evolving nature of baseball?
Here's a guy whose value is also courtesy of his glove. It is up the middle. Second base is a position that we've seen some teams mix and match at, but the Cubs didn't want to do that. And they sent a message to the rest of the team, too. He is a homegrown talent. When they drafted, when they developed, and as a hitter, a very good thing. So he's a bit of a throwback in a good way.
And, you know, I've often said he lengthens the lineup. And I think that that is important, too. And he did talk about how he is a bit unconventional when it came to that.
Chapter 7: What role does player loyalty play in the Cubs' organization culture?
I think it was you pointed this out, Mark, the question from our friend Bruce Levine, asking him about that very thing. Yeah. Being unconventional in that he's not, you know, this slugger bopper guy still getting a six years, $141 million extension.
there's so many ways to create value in our sport and, you know, there are more consistent ways that you see people getting paid a lot of money, I think, but I'm very proud of getting to this point by, by being myself. You know, I still want to improve. I want to add to my game.
I want to be the best version of myself, but I'm also proud that, you know, my game in a lot of ways hasn't changed that much since I was in high school and in college and you're always improving around the edges, but I feel like I've stayed pretty true to myself and I'm really grateful that, um, That's valued in this game, and I just want to improve and keep running that out there.
The establishment of what he is and understanding what he's not is what's intriguing about getting them many years for that many months. Understand, it's the fourth largest contract for a second baseman ever.
Chapter 8: Why is there optimism about the Cubs' offensive potential this season?
And if you look at the other guys who are above him on that list, and you see names like Robinson Cano, Marcus Simeon, Jose Altuve, they all slug. To a much higher degree than Nico Horner and his lifetime slugging percentage of .383. They're all well over .400 in the slug department. But it doesn't matter when you're getting as much as you're getting from him.
Not only from a fielding standpoint, but a solid bat to ball, contact-wise. And also... The havoc that he can create on the base pass as well with his speed. I would like to see him hit more homers, though.
I would. How many more homers? What's the number? He doesn't have to sell out and hit. And Nico probably wants to hit more home runs, too. 15? 12 to 15? How about 12 to 15? How about 12?
His career high is 10.
Okay, let's go 12 to 15.
15 is a 50% improvement.
Off his career high. Yeah. I understand. That would be a 200% improvement off each of the last two years.
Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. That's a tough call because you don't want him to change things, to swing for the downs. But I think there's certain adjustments on certain pitches that he could make instead of hitting it off the wall or hitting it in the gap, maybe hit it over the wall. So I kind of want it both ways here with Nico. Yeah, you can't have it both ways. Good job.
Hey, man, I'll give you guys a dirty little secret about me, Mark Rohde. Oh, I like dirty secrets. My favorite Cubs player growing up, and probably I'd still say he's number one. There's probably a 2016 Cub, but I covered that team too closely. I probably called one of those guys my favorite. Well, Schwarber. But my favorite Cub.
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