Let's sat for argument sake kris Bryant doesn't resign with the cubs and cites the reason being they messed with his service time. Was it the right decision then to hold him back when he was clearly ready?
Of course I'm sure the cubs will throw whatever it takes to keep him but just curious on your thoughts.
This is such a silly point to try to make. Bryant is a Boras client. He will be going to the highest bidder after his arb seasons. If the Cubs had not messed with his service clock, Bryant would be going to the highest bidder a year earlier. They traded ~50 PAs of Bryant's production in 2015 for 600+ PAs of peak Bryant in 2021.
The Cubs undoubtedly, 100% assuredly, made the right moves with Bryant. The Cubs are currently considered the gold standard franchise for a reason.
The Braves made Heyward the opening day RF in 2010 at the age of 20. That move was defensible because the Braves likely needed those extra 50 PAs from Heyward to make the playoffs that year, and he had just posted incredible numbers across several minor league levels. However, the Braves paid a HUGE future price for those extra 50 PAs. His impending FA set the rebuild in motion. The Braves could have had control over his age 25 and 26 season had they delayed his clock like the Cubs did with Bryant. Heyward could have posted his 6.5 WAR 2015 in Atlanta and THEN been traded with 1 year of control left, or he could have brought back even MORE in a trade before the 2015 season as a guy with 2 prime years of control remaining.
Swanson, on the other hand, was not doing all that well in the minors. The Braves were certainly not in contention and didn't need to squeeze every last win out of the roster. So they called Swanson up and started his clock...for no reason. Swanson will either not be in Atlanta for his age 29 season, or he will cost significantly more in that season than he otherwise would have...all to win a few more games in a 68 win season and to have him on the roster for the first 2 weeks of this season.
Hard to see the genius in this move made by The Genius.