Jason Heyward a good get for Cubs, but NL Central far from a done deal

Bob Nightengale | USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs’ next move clearly should be bringing in the folks from Jewelers Row in the Loop, and getting their fingers sized for their 2016 World Series championship rings.

Hey, why waste time, right?

Now that the Cubs landed Gold Glove right fielder Jason Heyward to a franchise-record eight-year, $184 million contract, just three days after signing second baseman Ben Zobrist to a four-year, $56 million contract, and a week after signing starter John Lackey to a two-year, $32 million contract, might as well save a few bucks and get the early-bird special on those rings.

The Cubs will be the most overwhelming pick by the media and fans to win the World Series since, uh, the 2015 Washington Nationals.

Yes, and we know what happened to those guys.

Still, there’s a different sense about this Cubs team.

They won 97 games last year. They knocked off their hated rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the playoffs. And now, after spending $272 million in the biggest free-agent outlay by any National League team, they managed to pull off a double-whammy.

They stole away Heyward and Lackey, who spent all season with the Cardinals, and were badly wanted back. The two were the Cardinals’ top two players in Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.

"This is the way it used to be in Boston," Cubs president Theo Epstein told USA TODAY Sports this week." It’s starting to feel that way now, too with us now that we're getting more active in the free-agent and offseason hunts. You try not go get too wrapped up in the Cardinals-Cubs thing, but you always hear from agents, 'Well, if you don’t step up, he’s going to the Cardinals.' "

The Cubs made sure of that, with the second punch to the Cardinals’ gut after losing out on David Price to the Boston Red Sox.

The Cardinals’ fanbase was furious, particularly after it was known he rejected a $200 million deal over 10 years from St. Louis and the Washington Nationals. One fan burned a Heyward jersey and posted the video to Twitter. Another was shown flushing his jersey down the toilet. As you’ve guessed, they’re sure not taking this well.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, one of the best in the business, refuses to panic. They’ve reached the postseason the last four years, coming away with a World Series title and two pennants. And they did win 100 games.

Their first point of attack is coming back with another outfielder, and they’ve got their sights set on Alex Gordon, like Heyward a deluxe defensive corner outfielder. And he can be acquired at half the price with a five-year deal for about $75 to $80 million.

And if they can’t get Gordon, they’ll grab power-hitting right fielder Justin Upton or outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

There are plenty of options, and although the premier pitching market has evaporated, Mike Leake, Wei-Yin Chin and Yovani Gallardo has drawn their attention. Johnny Cueto is the best starter left on the market, but the fan base may not be able to stomach Cueto after the infamous Reds-Cardinals 2010 brawl when Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue suffered a career-ending concussion as a result of a Cueto kick.

The Cardinals may be nervous about their neighbors up north right about now, but certainly they won’t be about to panic.

But check back in September if they happen to be trailing the Cubs by 10 games in the standings.

The Cubs will be good, awfully good, particularly considering the signing of Heyward gives them more flexibility. Now, they can pick up another starter by trading away power-hitting right fielder Jorge Soler for a prized young pitcher, slide Heyward to right, and grab a cheap center fielder. If not, they’ll simply keep Heyward in center field, where he has played only 30 games.

Still, before we crown the Cubs as the next ’27 Yankees, let’s not forget that the Cubs didn’t land Mike Trout or Bryce Harper.

This is Heyward, who hit just 13 home runs and drove in 60 runs last year. He’s the first outfielder in baseball history to receive a contract exceeding $100 million who never drove in or scored 100 runs, according to Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci. Sure, he’s a great defensive player, but as far as an imposing threat in the lineup, he may only be the sixth-most dangerous hitter in the lineup.

He plays the game hard. He plays the game right. He’s a solid teammate. And he’s only 26.

Still, if the Cardinals were that enamored about Heyward, he would have been their first priority. Instead, it was Price. And for good reason. Price would have made the Cardinals the prohibitive favorite, no matter what happened to Heyward.

You look at Heyward's numbers, and as Verducci pointed out, his best comp is new New York Mets second basemen Neil Walker. He’s hit only four home runs more than Walker, driven in less than 66 runs, and had the identical 114 OPS-plus in their last six seasons.

If you look over the past season, his numbers are even eclipsed by the center fielder on the other side of town, Adam Eaton. Eaton scored more 19 more runs, hit one more homer, had a higher on-base percentage, and his .792 OPS was just slightly lower than Heyward’s .797.

Sure, Heyward is a welcome addition to the Cubs, and should certainly help cover the ground that left fielder Kyle Schwarber and Soler can’t get to with their limited range. And maybe we should start making our Chicago hotel reservations for the World Series, and stay a few days longer to watch their first championship parade since 1908.

Still, it’s time for everyone to calm themselves a little bit.

Not only in Chicago. But St. Louis, too.

Follow columnist Bob Nightengale on Twitter @BNightengale.

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