Don’t expect anything official to go down tonight for the Cubs, on this, the first day of the Winter Meetings.
Hoyer: “nothing is imminent”
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) December 11, 2018
So. That’s that. Goodnight.
…
I kid, sort of, since the process of talks and negotiations can and will still continue, and you never know when something shakes loose thanks to a phone call. [UPDATE: Or when a rumor will break, like with the Cubs and Harper.]
The Cubs were at least having talks today:
Q: Was today more about free agents or trades? “Prob 50/50” – Jed Hoyer. #CubsTalk
— Luke Stuckmeyer (@LukeStuckmeyer) December 11, 2018
Get creative!
That said, Hoyer did offer a familiar line:
“The biggest improvements are going to be from within.” – Jed Hoyer right now in Vegas #CubsTalk
— Luke Stuckmeyer (@LukeStuckmeyer) December 11, 2018
Here’s the thing: even if the Cubs went out and signed a huge star, it would still be mathematically true that the biggest improvements would come from guys already on the roster. Further, this week is all about posturing. But that said, eh, I still just don’t like hearing that message from a front office that had previously acknowledged – correctly! – that the offense was fundamentally broken for much of 2018.
The Cubs will do some things, and they’ll do them as soon as this week. Hoping for positive regression should not be the only offseason strategy.