This was actually a great way for Jim Bowden to get people talking about him again, but if you know anything about his past you know that it mostly consists of making fun of him. Yesterday Peter Gammons reported that the Chicago Cubs asked the Detroit Tigers about 2016 ROY Michael Fulmer. Couple that with Ken Rosenthal’s report that the Cubs were considering trading a young position player and we had ourselves some fun, with trade proposals thrown around by fans. Then, Jim Bowden made everyone laugh.
So, the latest Kyle Schwarber trade rumor was that the Cubs reportedly offered him to the Tigers for Fulmer, who’s 24-years-old and under control through 2023. That’s it, that’s all Bowden said. Not Schwarber and these prospects. Just Kyle Schwarber for Michael Fulmer.
This blew up on Twitter by an account I’ve never seen before.
The @Cubs called the @tigers and offered Kyle Schwarber for Michael Fulmer. Also asked about Daniel Norris. pic.twitter.com/HndLYezCiY
— MLB Roundup (@MLB_Roundup) July 10, 2017
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And here’s the actual “report” coming from Bowden in a radio show.
Source: pic.twitter.com/vWs3FLykKu
— MLB Roundup (@MLB_Roundup) July 10, 2017
If you’re the Tigers, you don’t want Kyle Schwarber as the centerpiece of a trade in which you’re dealing away one of the best young pitchers in the game. That’d be terrible value. Plus, Schwarber’s value is at an all-time low, so I don’t see the Cubs dangling him out there at all, unless they think the Tigers have the dumbest front office in baseball.
Anyway, Jim Bowden sounded weird, probably had a creepy-ass smirk on his face as he said the Cubs called for Fulmer and Daniel Norris. Why I am saying the Kyle Schwarber part is complete bullshit?
Jim Bowden is the same guy, who before the season started said it would be a good trade for the Cubs if they got Billy Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds for Albert Almora Jr. AND Ian Happ.
ESPN’s Jim Bowden Must Have Been Drunk When He Came Up With This Cubs Trade Proposal
Not only do I feel like he just throws shit to the wall and hopes something sticks, but he also didn’t bring up the fact that Theo Epstein absolutely adores Schwarber.
Stuff like this is why I know they'll never trade Schwarber as long as Theo is here. https://t.co/WLRomIWkwy pic.twitter.com/AVsC7i2yIb
— Beach House Enjoyer (@torqpenderloin) December 20, 2016
Epstein said the following just two months ago.
“If anyone wants to sell their Kyle Schwarber stock, we’re buying,” Epstein said. “If they want to sell low, we’ll buy low. He’s going to have tremendous production at the end of the year. He’s going to have a lot of big hits to help us win games. It just means there’s a lot of hits out there for the rest of the year.
“He hasn’t gotten on track yet, but we have no doubts that he will.”
The Cubs are obviously trying to get a cost-effective, young controllable starting pitcher. There’s no doubt about that because as I’ll say once again, the rotation sucks right now and after the season is over they’ll have to find two new starters. So yes, no doubt they asked the Tigers about Fulmer and Norris, but you’re certainly not getting Fulmer for Schwarber. Again, unless the Cubs have a very low opinion of the Tigers front office.
I have a very low opinion of Jim Bowden. This “report” is bullshit. Nice try Jim, but I guess you did get me to write about you, so you win.
