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Everyone (especially the Cubs) wants David Price

Thursday morning's baseball includes the Cubs wanting to reunite David Price and Joe Maddon, the top farm systems in baseball and why the Tigers might buy at the deadline. Subscribe for your daily Say Hey!

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David Price is not on the trade block because the Tigers are not yet selling. If they do decide to sell, though, there will be no lack of suitors for the pitcher who just might be this winter's Max Scherzer, a free agent capable of pulling in over $200 million. Sure, he's a rental, but he's also David Price: a team that hopes to be heading to the playoffs has a much better chance of succeeding within them if they can add Price to their staff. The Cubs are currently fighting for an NL Wild Card spot, and have talked to the Tigers about Price already, but they are far from alone in wanting him.

At least eight different teams -- eight! -- are expected to be interested in Price. The Cubs, if they are willing to, certainly have the young pieces to acquire him. Bringing Price to Chicago would mean reuniting him with Joe Maddon, the only other manager he's known in his career besides Tigers' Brad Ausmus -- and also with longtime Rays' bench coach Dave Martinez, who came to the Cubs along with Maddon this past winter. It would also put him on a team who could afford him as a free agent, and the Maddon connection might give them a leg up on other suitors, so long as they're willing to pay up like anyone else.

The major concern is that Price is a rental, while someone like Cole Hamels is not. Not only that, but Price will surely sign a deal for at least six or seven years, whereas Hamels is under contract for three and a half more, plus an option for 2019. Both will cost prospects, especially if the Tigers need to be convinced to trade Price rather than give him a qualifying offer (and maybe a contract offer, too) this offseason. If that's the case, maybe the higher price of Hamels in kids is more worth it to the Cubs. We'll see how it all plays out, but the first step will be Price actually landing on the trade block. We have at least a few more days before that happens, if it happens at all.

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