Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer enters a contract season with the weight of the franchise on his shoulders. Since taking over for his former boss, Theo Epstein, in the 2020 offseason, the Cubs have failed to reach the postseason under Hoyer’s leadership.
Now, with Chicago’s inability to lock up pending free agent Kyle Tucker after a blockbuster trade, Hoyer’s future faces uncertainty.
However, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal recently spoke with the Foul Territory podcast, where he argued that the Cubs’ ownership group is just as much to blame as Hoyer:
"There have been handcuffs."
If the Cubs move on from Jed Hoyer, @Ken_Rosenthal is certain people will point as much of the blame at ownership for their spending limitations.
“There have been handcuffs put on him,” Rosenthal said. “They didn’t sign Matt Chapman, they didn’t sign Alex Bregman, I don’t expect them to sign Tucker.”
“While they’ve done certain things, yes, to spend more money than other clubs,” Rosenthal added. “…They have done some things that frankly are questionable with regard to their payroll.”
Since buying the club for $845 million in 2009, the Ricketts family has seen the franchise value soar. Forbes has the Cubs as the fourth most valuable organization in baseball, worth $4.6 billion.
That type of money, in that type of market, should yield consistent success rather than mediocrity. Plus, with division rivals in Cincinnati, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh, there is no reason why Chicago should not routinely dominate their foes.
Rosenthal’s pessimism regarding the Tucker contract is especially noteworthy. This was always a risky move. Hoyer sacrificed a promising youngster in Cam Smith, a proven Big Leaguer in Isaac Paredes, and a pitching prospect with nothing but upside in Hayden Wesneski for Tucker.
Tucker is also on a one-year deal and his reluctance to agree to something long-term this winter has inflicted the Cubs with worry and doubt.
A Hoyer divorce feels inevitable should Chicago fail to reach the postseason this year. But, like Rosenthal said, there is not one figure that should receive all of the blame.
