Forget Grogu and Ahsoka Tano.
Halfway through Scott Boras’ virtual Winter Meetings media availability Tuesday, the MLB super-agent brought up someone else who is one with the force.
“In many ways with the Cubs, there’s a lot of stars there,” Boras said. “I guess when you have Star Wars, then who best to handle it than the Jedi.”
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In other words, recently promoted president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.
Three weeks into Hoyer’s reign, Boras gave him a glowing review. And Boras represents Kris Bryant, who after arbitration is projected to be one of the Cubs’ highest-paid players entering his final year of club control. While Hoyer evaluates his next steps, with Bryant and the rest of the Cubs championship core creeping toward free agency, praise from Boras is a good starting point.
“I don’t think it should be treated as a fait accompli that (a trade is) going to happen,” Hoyer said of Bryant on the Cubs Talk Podcast last week.
It’s also not out of the question.
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Boras used a boat metaphor to describe his understanding of the Cubs’ offseason goals.
“Like a lot of teams, sometimes you get water in your boat,” he said. “First thing is to figure out how that water got in there. And I think that how you how you maneuver is to make sure you get the water out of it before you add people into the boat.
“A lot of it is about understanding the players you have, because you can't recreate the entirety of their roster. But what you can do is add components that you know will enhance the performance of those players you have on the roster.”
That’s the calculus Hoyer faces.
Of course those within the Cubs organization, including former president Theo Epstein and chairman Tom Ricketts, spoke highly of the man who served the past nine seasons as general manager. But considering Boras’ history with the Cubs (see Bryant extension talks), he didn’t have to be as complimentary of Hoyer as he was Tuesday.
“Jed is a is a baseball guy,” Boras said. “He is always very passionate about what he does and has always been someone that is a good player-communicator, and someone that wants to be around his team and a part of it. And I think his time in the game and where he's had significant stops and job descriptions, that has allowed him to really understand the right hires and have a good gut for the game.
“And it's always nice for us because we've had a chance to work with somebody for many, many years and we know their likes and dislikes, and it makes our job easier in discussing the talent that we have and the fits for their team.”
Boras echoed what Epstein and Hoyer said about the new president putting his own stamp on the organization. But in classic Boras fashion, he used a metaphor.
“The ingredients to his recipe were aided by Theo,” Boras said, “but I assure you that the Chicago pot pie will be different.”