The Mesa Mayor Says ASU Was the Problem and Other Bullets

November 6, 2012, by Brett Taylor Chicago Cubs

Something hugely important happens today, and I hope you’re all doing your duty and paying attention.

I mean the start of the GM Meetings in California, of course, because nothing else that is happening today is even remotely relevant in this space.

According to KTAR in Arizona, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith had some interesting thoughts on the disintegration of the ASU/Cubs plan to share the new facilities being built for the Cubs in Mesa. According to Smith, contrary to ASU’s accusations, it was the University, and not the Cubs, who became unreasonable and difficult to deal with. Smith says that the deal would have cost ASU nothing, was convenient for ASU, and should have been the “perfect situation” for all sides. He was forced to pull out of the talks, he says, because he no longer wanted to spin his wheels as a mediator.
Recall, that ASU/Cubs plan would have had the Cubs picking up a little extra revenue, but had the potential for conflicts about usage throughout the year (who gets what facilities when).
Per The Cub Reporter, Adrian Cardenas is now a minor league free agent, by virtue of his minor league service time and not being on the 40-man roster. He could re-sign with the Cubs and play at AAA Iowa while hoping to get a bench job eventually, or he could move on to another organization.
Speaking of those minor league free agents, Jairo Asencio, who was a Cub for a hot minute, just signed a minor league deal with the Brewers, having left the Cubs behind.
Carrie Muskat answers questions, and takes on the why-did-the-Haren-Marmol-deal-fall-apart question that everyone’s asking, but she doesn’t have an answer, beyond a guess. The most interesting question and answer she got was someone asking why Bryan LaHair doesn’t try out third base. You’d have expected the answer to be something like, “LaHair can’t play third base, and the Cubs know it. It’s a first baseman, and an occasional outfielder, only.” But, instead, her answer was this: “LaHair has been asked about third base and said no.” Strange. I mean, it could really be the same thing – he said no because he knows he can’t do it. It’s just a strange way to answer the question, though – why would the Cubs ask if they didn’t want him to at least try? And if they asked, and it came with the possibility of him, you know, keeping a starting job, why would he not even try? Let’s not lose sight of the forest – having watched him, I don’t think he could handle third in a way that would, overall, help the Cubs. Still … just a strange response. Makes you wonder things.
Darwin Barney won an award I’ve never heard of (the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year) for being the best defensive player on the Cubs.
David and Kim DeJesus are hosting a fundraiser next Monday to raise money for ALS research (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).