Things moved fast in the wake of the Cubs’ and Red Sox’s joint decision to allow Theo Epstein to resign as Red Sox General Manager and officially join the Cubs as President of Baseball Operations (“decision” is, perhaps, the greatest euphemism of all – I’m quite certain Emperor Selig applied a little Force choke to the Red Sox, saying, “You will let Epstein go now and decide on compensation later. These swirling reports will not interfere with my battle station World Series.”)
Indeed, it’s already been reported that the Cubs have officially asked and received permission to speak with San Diego Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer, and Assistant GM Jason McLeod. Each previously worked with Epstein in Boston, and, in recent days, has been widely expected to join him in Chicago.
Because of Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts’ relationship with Padres’ CEO Jeff Moorad, and because of Moorad’s desire to promote VP of Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes to GM, the request for permission to speak to Hoyer (and McLeod) was a bit of an exercise in technicalities. Multiple reports earlier in the week had Hoyer and McLeod already agreeing to join Epstein, so there was never a real chance that the Padres would decline the Cubs’ overtures.
Unlike the Cubs’ and Red Sox’s compensation talks, talks with the Padres are not expected to be contentious. Indeed, like the now-agreement between the Cubs and Red Sox, most expect the Padres to let Hoyer and McLeod go now, with compensation to be determined at a later time. Early indications say the compensation will be a lower-level, “second-echelon” type prospect.
It’s possible, therefore, that you could see the Cubs introducing Hoyer and McLeod as the newest members of the Cubs’ front office on Tuesday, at the same press conference introducing Epstein.