How do you argue losing a MVP-caliber bat doesn't hurt our chances? Because we didn't win with him? Well, we certainly aren't positioned as well to make the playoffs without him all year, let alone win in the postseason. These are just butthurt takes over the TEAM not coming through in past years. Why don't we just trade everybody? We haven't won a postseason series with Max, Stras, Murphy, Rendon, Zimmerman...any of them either.
I didn't say trade him, I'm just not sold on keeping him without knowing what trade is available.
Before the 2017 season, Fangraphs ranked Aaron Judge the 61st overall prospect, then he hit 52 HRs. I realize that's a huge outlier, but you don't need to make the trade if no one offers what you want. I don't think it's crazy to think that someone might offer a really good prospect or two for Bryce.
I'm also not arguing that it doesn't hurt our chances. I'm arguing that (a) we'll be huge favorites in the division with or without him, and (b) people overrate our chances to win the World Series in general, and (c) people overrate what losing Bryce does to those chances. We might be have a 10% chance with him, and a 9% chance without him. I'd be willing to hurt our 2018 chances that much if it helped us in the long-run.
Of course, my preference is to sign him
