When it comes to trades, it doesn’t sound like the Chicago Cubs are particularly close on any deals, even if talks are ongoing.
Furthermore, not everything you’ve read out there (or here, for that matter!) is entirely accurate:
Cubs GM Jed Hoyer said he learned a lot about his team on Twitter today. Called it an "alternate universe" out there.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) December 7, 2015
Hoyer said they're narrowing down their trade options but they're still talking to 10 teams! Will blog it all
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) December 7, 2015
This is a good opportunity to remind folks of a key principle about the rumor game: stuff out there is often wrong. We do the best we can to suss out what makes sense (and/or has great sourcing) from what doesn’t, but the reality is, teams and agents and players don’t want their business to get out there. So, for the most part, it doesn’t. Often, the stuff that gets out, is intentionally spread to service ends other than “reality.”
[adinserter block=”1″]None of that is to say what we’re doing here – you reading, me writing – is fruitless or meaningless (for example, even a bogus rumor can generate interesting analysis, good background information, and solid discussion). It just means you have to remember to take everything only at face value: it’s a rumor. Some are more solid than others. But a rumor is a rumor.
As to the substance of Hoyer’s 10-team comment, that’s certainly interesting, given that earlier rumors seemed to winnow things down a bit. And, of course, the Cubs could be talking to those 10 teams about a range of possible trades (and that’s to say nothing of free agency).
It does sound, though, like some kind of trade activity will occur at some point.
The Javier Baez rumors are still going to be center stage for a while, I suspect, but I think we’re far from a guarantee that anything ever happens on that front.
Hoyer also commented, very briefly, on the Kris Bryant grievance issue, about which the team has known since May:
Hoyer on Bryant grievance: "obviously we're in the right." Cubs knew of grievance in May
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) December 7, 2015
More Hoyer on Bryant grievance: "Our relationship with him never wavered for a minute throughout this process."
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) December 7, 2015
Don’t expect to see too much discussion of the issue out of the front office beyond that until things play out.