File this one under: The Cubs aren't messing around.
SI.com is reporting that the Cubs want to bring Padres GM Jed Hoyer into the fold. In addition to Epstein, mind you. Not as a plan B, but in addition to.
A move by Hoyer, 37, would be seen as fairly shocking since he's already a GM, but perhaps the Cubs could give him the same title, while making Epstein a president. Nothing is known to be finalized yet, and it could still be Byrnes going to Chicago, but the possibility that it could be Hoyer instead was raised by several people familiar with the talks.
Since the Sox are pushing back on Epstein taking his Red Sox cohorts to Chicago with him, it looks like Theo is going to do everything in his power to pilfer everyone from the Padres front office. It definitely seems that someone from the Hoyer-Byrnes-McLeod trio is going to be moving across the country this winter. Looks as though Theo wants to get the old gang back together, and frankly I don't blame him.
Not only would it make the transition smoother to have your old crew working with you, these are all solid baseball minds. If I was a Cubbies fan I'd be giddy right now.
If they can pull this off, we're not going to be able to crack jokes at the Cubs much longer.
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