t’s an unenviable spot for Hoyer or any executive to have to talk around a trade of this nature, but Wednesday morning’s press conference still felt more disconnected than it needed to be.
Darvish’s Emotional Farewell, the Lack of a GM Search, Kim’s Deal, and Other Cubs Bullets
There is not necessarily anything magical about today versus yesterday. We’re on the course we’re on with respect to the pandemic, and just one more day has passed. That said, I’m right there with everyone: I hope there comes a time when we can look back and see that 2021 was just the straight damn opposite of 2020.
• Yu Darvish spoke to the media about his trade to the Padres, and he got emotional, so I got emotional:
Cool unscripted moment on Darvish Zoom: @MLBBruceLevine thanks Darvish for being a class act in Chicago, and enjoyable to deal with, and Darvish chokes up and gets emotional about his time in Chicago, can t speak, says he will address that topic later.
Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer said today that the team would be looking in free agency for another catcher now that Victor Caratini is off to San Diego, and Patrick Mooney already has the name of one target.
It’s actually a guy who has been connected to the Cubs in rumors several times over the years:
Also within this look at catching and post-Darvish plans: The Cubs have shown interest in Jason Castro as a potential replacement for Victor Caratini. https://t.co/vgYvbVMld4
In terms of next moves, the Cubs have shown interest in Jason Castro, sources said, viewing the veteran catcher as a good defender and a possible left-handed-hitting complement to Contreras. Castro a one-time All-Star and former first-round pick out of Stanford has gone to the playoffs with the Astros, Twins and Padres.
MLB Trade Rumors
Free agent
Jason Castro was recently rumored to be holding serious talks with the Astros, but a week has passed without a reported deal. It now seems that a Houston reunion is just one of several possibilities for the veteran backstop.
It remains possible that Castro will sign on for a seventh season with the ’Stros, Robert Murray of Fansided reports on Twitter. But the re-connection “isn’t as certain as once thought,” per the tweet, with other suitors evidently circling.
Even in a slow-moving marketplace, situations can change quickly. The Cubs now have use for a part-time, left-handed-hitting receiver after dealing away
Lukewarm Stove: Thoughts on a Cubs Rebuild, Contreras True Availability, Springer Race Down to Two, Bauer s Ask, More
Social Navigation
Lukewarm Stove: Thoughts on a Cubs “Rebuild,” Contreras’ True Availability, Springer Race Down to Two, Bauer’s Ask, More
Last night, in a frustrated stupor, I accidentally phrased the title of our post on the official announcement of the Darvish trade as “… Cubs Trade Darvish and Caratini to San Diego for Davies, a Package of Prospects, and Cash,” when in reality the Cubs are the ones sending cash to the Padres. I wrote the post correctly (as though the Cubs were sending cash), but there was clearly some subconscious disconnect between what I thinking and what really went down.