USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has had a doozy of a day reporting how the Chicago Cubs are no longer in the running to sign Shohei Ohtani. Well, Jed Hoyer apparently had enough and chewed out the national reporter during the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday.
Hoyer, who had not been previously at the Winter Meetings until Tuesday afternoon because of a “personal matter” spoke to reporters and shot down speculation that the Cubs were out on Ohtani.
While there was hints at that suggestion among Jesse Rogers, Jon Morosi and Mark Feinsand, it was Nightengale’s reporting on Tuesday that heightened the idea of the Cubs not coming close to Ohtani.
First, Nightengale said the Cubs felt their chances were dwindling to sign Ohtani.
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Then, in the afternoon, Nightengale came forward with a stronger report, claiming the Cubs were out of the bidding because they didn’t want to meet Ohtani’s asking price.
Via USA Today.
The Chicago Cubs, however, have balked at Ohtani’s price tag of 10 years and at least $500 million, one high-ranking official told USA TODAY Sports and appear to now be out of the bidding.
Jon Heyman refuted that and when Hoyer spoke to the media, he did so as well.
It turns out before Hoyer talked with the media scrum in Nashville, he had some words for Nightengale off to the side.
Here’s Jesse Rogers on ESPN 1000, talking about Jed’s confrontation with Bob.
What a wild scene at what’s been a painfully slow and mostly uneventful Winter Meetings so far this week.
Would absolutely love any video of Hoyer chewing out Nightengale for his bullshit today.
