A few items to pass along regarding the Cubs/Padres trade that may or may not be brewing at some point before 3pm CT on Friday:
Sources: #Padres progressing on multiple deals, with Ross a key piece. Moving him would signal concession in ’15. But looking at adding too.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2015
The more trades happen, the more it looks like the Cubs and Padres are ready to match up. Cubs want controllable SP, Padres need shortstop.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2015
Most persistent chatter from execs: Kimbrel/Yankees. Leake/#sfgiants. #Padres/#Cubs working on something big. #whitesox/run producing bat
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 31, 2015
Club executives involved in the Tyson Ross talks are convinced the #Padres will trade him by deadline, and #Cubs are pushing hard.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2015
Luke also made a great point during the Live Stream: consider that the Padres are rumored to be this huge seller, telling everyone they want to make all these moves; then consider how many moves have been made around the game by tons and tons of buyers; then consider that the Padres have been completely stationary so far. Then add to that the rumors that the Cubs and Padres could be working on something, and it’s reasonable to suspect that the reason the Padres haven’t participated in the league-wide selling yet is because that’s all pending whatever happens – or doesn’t – with the Cubs.
That’s just a theory (but a smart one, if you ask me (at 1am, anyway)).
Don’t go expecting anything to happen, mind you. The prices still have to be rational for the Cubs to make a move. It’s possible that they really want Ross, but it’s equally possible that the Padres want a king’s ransom for him. It just might not happen by the deadline. If it comes to that, I’d still like to see the Cubs fall back on someone like Ian Kennedy, but we’ll get there when we get there.
UPDATE: Or is the “something big” with the Astros?
Sources: Astros-Padres believed to be working on "something big." They've talked Tyson Ross and Craig Kimbrel. San Diego could use a CF.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2015
How many starting pitchers are the Astros going to add into their rotation, anyway? Kazmir and Fiers not enough? Bah. Back off, Houston.
UPDATE 2: This would be a bummer:
A rough outline of what a deal could look like: Ross, Kimbrel to HOU. Marisnick, Appel, prospects to SD. Again, unclear if deal is close.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 31, 2015
Even if that happens, there are still angles for the Cubs, mind you.
UPDATE 3: I suppose it wouldn’t have made sense for no other teams to be connected to the Padres at this point, even if the Padres were just trying to play teams off of each other. Then again, it’s not like a guy like Ross wouldn’t appeal to like 15 teams. Anyway, more on Astros:
Sources say Astros and Padres are talking. Says one: “We’re not close to anything.”
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) July 31, 2015
UPDATE 4: Welp:
Speculation is definitely out there though, that the Astros and Padres could do something big. "Crane and Luhnow might smell blood in water"
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) July 31, 2015
Both HOU and SD front offices being silent. Actually characteristic of them both. Seems to be a strong possibility this happens.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 31, 2015