Bleacher Bums Forum

If they are sending Madden a message why not fire him with Chili?  Why the delay?  ESPN radio in Chicago suggest the delay was due to him possibly taking a different job in the org.

Wick is a former position player that converted to pitching.

Cubs outrighted Vasto and Field and rostered Steele.

Interesting with Hickey.  deeg, of course you view and assume all things through the political filter of a Maddon/Theo power struggle.  And it's entirely possible that such a struggle exists and that Hickey is/was very much a player in such a conflict. 

But I think it's maybe at least possible that it really is personal and has nothing to do with Theo or Maddon?  It's a long season and a long career, and I'd think those coaches could have their own drugs and alcohol and marital problems all their own.  So too might a spouse left behind at home.  Plus family issues can come with life with kids needing help with stuff;  and Hickey's old enough where his parents might need help with stuff.   

To some degree the timing seems oddly late/slow *IF* this was really a case of Theo firing him?  If Theo and admin had decided that Hickey hadn't handled the staff well and would continue to fail to do so, I'm not sure I see how waiting until Thanksgiving would have been the standard or logical timeline?  Or why it would have taken them two months of post-season to reach that conclusion?  But **if** there were some personal things he was working through, or needed some time to see how a situation would develop, that might seem entirely consistent with this late announcement? 

Craig, just to be clear I don’t see a power struggle. Theo has power and Joe doesn’t. As long as Theo is happy with Joe, that works out fine for everybody. When he isn’t...

The Mariners have several guys who could help the Cubs. But given how DiPoto has been talking, it sounds like they really don't want to trade Diaz. I can't imagine the Cubs having the pieces to give up for him--I wouldn't be surprised of they insisted on Contreras, which is a non-starter for me.

I do wonder if Haniger might be a little more available than it seems he should be. He's going to play next season at 28, so he'd be 30-31 by the time the Mariners are ready to compete (using DiPoto's overly optimistic 2021 timeframe as a guide). He'd be a perfect fit for this lineup.

Sign harper, send Schwarber and Happ off for Noah.