CHICAGO -- Last offseason, the Cubs chose their lane. By parting ways with several talent evaluators and changing the structure of their pro scouting department, they were staking their claim as a model-based organization. In-person scouting was being minimized in favor of data, analytics and video. It's a direction many front offices have taken and one the Cubs have leaned into heavily over the years.
This is a description no one in the front office would deny. But some bristled at the idea that it meant they would be a robotic group -- slaves to the model, with the human element removed from all decisions. The Alex Bregman signing proves the Cubs are willing to look beyond the numbers when spending big money.
Make no mistake about it, Bregman was primarily signed for what he can do on the field.
"To me, the other stuff is additive," team president Jed Hoyer said when speaking to members of the media Thursday morning at the Wrigley Field offices after Alex Bregman's introductory press conference. "It was a big part of the process, but I wouldn't do deals just based on hope and intangibles. From a talent and performance standpoint, this deal models out for us."
The Cubs' projection system -- there are those pesky numbers again -- sees Bregman aging well. It's believed that he can produce at a high level for years as a contact hitter who controls the strike zone. Bregman is also a pull hitter who can take advantage of the Cubs' shallow left-center gap.
But Hoyer was among those in the front office who became infatuated with Bregman's off-the-field value as well. It was something he'd heard about for years: "I always admired him from afar because of how he plays the game; not only how he prepared but how people around him talk about him," Hoyer said.
The model agreed that Bregman was great. But giving out a five-year, $175 million deal that includes deferred money, a practice the Cubs had avoided since they signed Jason Heyward a decade ago, and a no-trade contract takes more.
Before he was even asked a question about Bregman, Hoyer made sure to highlight what the player can bring to the organization beyond his performance on the field.
"Whenever you're going to make a significant commitment in years and dollars to a player, you have to feel great about the person, the human that you're investing in," Hoyer said. "I couldn't feel better about that with Alex. People who have spent time with Alex (know) he's obsessed with hitting, obsessed with winning. If that focus was just on Alex's performance, that would be impressive. But where Alex takes it to another level is his focus on his teammates, his focus on the organization and how we can all do things the right way towards winning."
Production is what everyone sees and ultimately what matters most. But the Cubs clearly still value other aspects of the game than what can be measured. Investing long-term in a player means they have to believe in the person, too.
Bregman explained what the Cubs presented to him when it came to the intangible aspects of the team and what he could provide to the group.
"We talked about all the players in the clubhouse and how focused on winning they are," Bregman said. "Just a good group of guys. Combination of veteran players and young players. Guys that want to win and are pulling on the same end of the rope."
Being around the team after their loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, it was hard not to see how much winning mattered to them. Players like Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson tried not to dwell too much on what went wrong, but the pain of the season ending was clear. Bregman will only add to the intensity and sense of urgency.
"When it comes to leadership," Bregman said,"you need to find out what makes people tick, what makes people get the best out of themselves and hold them accountable to it every day."
The Cubs' new third baseman isn't one to toot his own horn. The best let their work speak for them. Bregman seems understated when speaking to the media. But Hoyer was clear that Bregman was just being humble.
"Within two days of signing, he had asked for reports on every player and what they're working on to make sure he was talking about the right things with those players," Hoyer said. "He asked for a meeting with all the staff in Arizona to talk about our hitting philosophy to make sure he was talking about the right things. He'd already called almost all our players to talk to them.
"He came to my office yesterday and said, 'I committed to the WBC to play, I hope you're ok with that. Don't worry, I'll come in in the morning before we have workouts and make sure I'm with the guys.' In the four or five days that he's been a Cub, there's countless examples of things he's working on that no one has asked him to do. But that's how he thinks about hisrole. It's not just about getting his workouts in; it's about making sure he's integrated withthe entire team."
In Boston, a younger team with fewer proven veterans, Bregman spoke up about team preparation. He took players under his wing and they quickly learned to listen when he spoke. He advised on hitting, on how to develop a routine, how to prepare for that day's pitchers and so much more. He's worked hard to learn Spanish because he understands that being able to communicate with all his teammates is essential.
The on-field production will be important. That's the bottom line, of course. Bregman gets that and usually delivers. Since 2022, he's tied for 18th -- with Hoerner -- in all of baseball with 17.5 WAR (according to FanGraphs). There are very few players in the game who are as balanced as Bregman, who brings tremendous value with both his glove and bat.
But the Cubs see more with Bregman. That's why they were willing to go out of what had been their comfort zone and bring in a player they've coveted for a long time.
"Throughout this free-agent process, I saw really quickly what the Cubs value," Bregman said."They made that very clear right away."