If you listen closely enough, it sounds like the narrative has shifted for Cubs executives.
Theyve gone from saying We need more Matt Garzas, not less Matt Garzas at the beginning of spring training, to pointing out the unfortunate timing of his elbow injury just before the trade deadline.
Theo Epstein said he only meant that the Cubs didnt get a chance to play it out with Garza. And the president of baseball operations couldnt guarantee that Garza would have been traded anyway.
But coming from a front office that likes to picks its spots, shape the message and throw out blanket no-comments, this seemed like a purpose pitch.
Garza is only 28 years old and under club control through 2013, meaning his timeline could match up to the contending phase in Epsteins rebuilding plan.
But Epstein publicly acknowledged what others around the organization sensedthat negotiations with Garzas camp had no momentum.
Everythings still in play, Epstein said Wednesday. We did have talks earlier in the season. They didnt come to fruition. I think when that type of thing happens, you have to be open-minded about moving a player. But certainly theres a time and place to address an extension again.
Between Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm, the Cubs just traded away 40 percent of their rotation, and Epstein doesnt see waves of pitching coming through the minor-league system.
The Cubs seem to be right back where they startednot sure how to answer the Garza question. Its either cashing him in for multiple prospects or building around him and Jeff Samardzija.
Its too early to say, Epstein said. Well see what our situation looks like and what the market looks like.
A contender can now only get Garza to impact one pennant race, not this season and next. But everyone knows that he can handle the American League East and the bright lights of the postseason.
Garza (5-7, 3.91 ERA) still hasnt put it all together yet, the way Matt Cain has with the San Francisco Giants. Cains reported 127.5 million guarantee over six years reset the market near the end of spring training.
Garza had often been compared to White Sox left-hander John Danks, who got a five-year, 65 million extension last winter and is now preparing for season-ending shoulder surgery.
Maybe theres a deal to be made somewhere in the middle. Garza certainly hasnt priced himself out with a career year, and this could offer security after two seasons on the North Side with questions about his right elbow.
Garza hasnt pitched since July 21 in St. Louis, and he wont start againat the earliestuntil Aug. 7 in San Diego. The Cubs say the MRI showed just traces of fluid, that it was only cramping and nothing more sinister, not related to the bone contusion in 2011.
Clearly, a healthy Matt Garza would have been a very sought-after player at this deadline, Epstein said. Whether we would have done something or not, its hard to say, but we didnt get a chance to fully explore it.
When a buying teams last data point is seeing a guy walk off a mound holding his elbow, its not the kind of thing they want to act upon.
Whenever Garza returns, he could be pitching for his next contract with the Cubs, or auditioning for a new team. How Epstein responds will say a lot about the direction of this franchise, how soon the Cubs might be buyers again.