Chicago Cubs: Is this a re-tool or just more smoke and mirrors?

Chicago Cubs: Team made multiple missteps in recent years

Looking elsewhere for an explanation of “who, what and where” went wrong, I can’t help but circle back to where Bryant openly admitted that Hoyer and company hadn’t even bothered having extension talks with him since the spring of 2017, that falls on the front office. There really is no excuse for that and it gives you the reputation of lying to save face, something that will not help attract players if you are looking to complete a retool within the next year or two.

However, that too could simply be none other than Hoyer taking one for the team and saving his boss from taking blame, knowing his job is safe regardless. It’s not like Ricketts isn’t involved in what Hoyer is doing or how he is doing his job. You can picture a scenario where Hoyer is not having extension talks because he is being told not to do so.

Therefore, you could theoretically point the finger at all three parties. The players that were traded for not fully living up to expectations and underperforming, management for not even seriously discussing these negotiations but telling the public they are or ownership itself for not wanting to open the checkbook.

My stance is this. Hoyer is not a bad guy. In fact, he played a significant role alongside Theo Epstein in securing the team’s first championship in 108 years. Ricketts can only hide behind Hoyer and tell him what to do or say for so long before it becomes blatantly obvious, if it isn’t already, that he just doesn’t care enough to win if it means spending big bucks. Should there be no significant free agent signings, you can really start to realize how none of this is even Hoyer’s fault to begin with.

It is true the players in the Cubs core underperformed, we’ll go ahead and agree to that one. Now, it is time to make good with the fans and show them you mean business.