Cubs fans latest desperate Cody Bellinger conspiracy theory is off the rails

I've said it once and I'll say it again -- by most accounts, the Chicago Cubs are the favorites to sign Cody Bellinger. However, the Scott Boras client remains a free agent this late in the offseason, so anything can happen.

Bellinger's asking price is said to be high coming off a bounce-back season. This is his most recent chance at a multiyear payday. Just as Boras did last offseason with his client Carlos Correa, he's willing to wait on a Bellinger deal.

Recently, some Cubs jerseys were posted online -- namely the Nike 'Vapor' jerseys -- and Cody Bellinger was among the options for fans to choose from. Could this be a sign the Bellinger move is right around the corner?

As 'fiscally irresponsible' as this Cubs fan thinks it might be for Nike to post these jerseys prior to Bellinger's signing, it's unlikely they have any real information and instead are relying on recent reporting trends. If Bellinger signs elsewhere, the company will gladly count the cash they made at Cubs fans expense because, well, it's a business after all.

Cubs fans Cody Bellinger conspiracy theory isn't real life

Even Cubs fans know this announcement is too good to be true.

As Cubbies Crib's Jake Misener notes, the jersey announcement is likely linked to the widely-held belief that eventually one side of these negotiations will balk:

"It's an interesting choice and maybe it's just because some intern cooked up an email and those are the two biggest household names from the 2023 team. Or maybe the industry-wide expectation that Bellinger will eventually return to Chicago is so strong, the team at Nike felt confident selling his jersey heading into spring training."

If Bellinger eventually moves off his $200 million price tag, the Cubs should pivot towards signing him to a long-term deal, assuming they intend to contend in Craig Counsell's first season. Until then, this is all fool's gold.