Today is the day for tweets that stop you right in your tracks. I’ve been waiting for the Craig Kimbrel updates (for days, clearly), and suddenly we know why we haven’t gotten them.
The updates happen when the field gets really narrowed. But the Cubs are still talking to HOW MANY TEAMS?!?!?!? On Trade Deadline Day? Good gravy:
Buzz I’m hearing this morning:#Padres, #Rays, #Mets and more talking to #Twins about Berrios but asking price remains steep.#Cubs still in discussions with at least 10 teams on Kimbrel.
Both those deals could be last-minute blockbusters with the deadline clock ticking.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 30, 2021
I really don’t know what to make of that. An exaggeration from a source, or Jed Hoyer intentionally stringing as many teams along to as late in the process as possible hoping that one of them makes the “LOL YEAH WE’RE TAKING THAT” offer. I suppose the justification for that would be the fact that Kimbrel is arguably the best trade piece on the market this year, and every single contender would want him. So why wouldn’t you use the deadline as pressure AND pit as many teams as possible against each other?
So does this mean it’s going to be a “best and final” situation if no one goes crazy in the next few hours? If so, I will be fascinated to learn after the fact how it played out.