SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — The signals from the Cubs as they opened the general managers meetings Monday looked as simple as they were uncertain:
Don’t believe every trade rumor you see this winter — whether it’s the Willson Contreras rumor du jour or the inevitable Kris Bryant buzz.
Also: Don’t be surprised by anything the Cubs might do with their established big-league players — or if they do nothing at all with them.
“No one knows how this winter is going to evolve, even us,” said team president Theo Epstein, who has been busy with changes to every part of the organization but the player roster since the season ended six weeks ago.
“We have no idea who will be available to us, so taking any name that comes up in a trade rumor with a mouthful of salt is appropriate. Not just a grain.”
Epstein emphasized Monday that the “no-untouchable” reference he made when the season ended was little more than a longstanding policy when it comes to trade talks and plans to operate on multiple avenues throughout the winter between efforts at contract extensions and possible trades to benefit both the big-league club and the farm system.
“This was coming,” he said. “This wasn’t going to be just one generation of players.”
When the Cubs’ young core took up less of the payroll in their first few seasons, the team had flexibility to “squeeze the most talent on the roster” from the outside. But now they face the reality of most of those players being under control for just two more seasons — with declining results the last three years that already resulted in a managerial change and big changes to the coaching staff.
“And [we knew] that there would be difficult decisions and change ahead at some point,” Epstein said. “We’re just more rapidly approach that time, that’s all.”
The Cubs might have known this was coming, but those issues were significantly exacerbated by a lack of production from the farm system in the regime’s eight seasons and free-agent misses that have left little flexibility in the payroll.
And the front office still hasn’t finished the non-player changes:
• The loss of well-regarded assistant GM Scott Harris to the Giants general manager position left “a pretty significant void that we’ll have to fill,” Epstein said of the executive who was near the front of the line of succession in the Cubs’ organization.
“We’re thrilled for him, but it’s bittersweet,” said Epstein, who plans to split Harris’ duties among potential internal candidates and evaluate them for the next few months while also looking outside the organization for another bright young executive talent.
• Even after the changes with new bench coach Andy Green and new bullpen coach Chris Young, the coaching staff has not been finalized. Will Venable will be back on the staff, said Epstein, who still has to fill a position coaching spot and quality control coach position.
• The Cubs are getting closer to filling the scouting director vacancy created when Matt Dorey was promoted to farm director, the process “reaching the final innings” after interviews with close to 10 candidates, Epstein said.
But whether it’s those changes or the departures of the strength coach, masseuse, yoga instructor and others, the job on Epstein’s agenda that will make the real difference starts now.
“The players we have on the roster are the most important part,” he said “That more than anything will dictate how successful a year we end up having. The environmental stuff does count. You’ve seen teams that have good chemistry, create a lot of momentum, get on a roll — Washington this year is a great example.”
The Nationals under Manager Dave Martinez started 19-31 before having one of the strongest finishes in baseball and eventually winning the franchise’s first World Series.
“So that stuff does matter,” Epstein said. “But that’s not a plan. It’s not a good plan just to change all the environmental stuff and hope that you’re better. It’s all driven by talent, and all the pieces that you have, and how they all fit together.”
