I don't really know what to make of this, but Peter Gammons pointed some fingers at the Cubs that really make our Northside baseball club look unprofessional and a bit silly.

He suggested in a WEEI interview that 'baseball people' aren't negotiating the Cubs compensation to the Red Sox to release Theo Epstein from him contract, instead of people with more educated assessments of the Cubs' prospects (h/t: Dan Bernstein):

On lengthy negotiations between Red Sox and Cubs: "This thing with the Cubs, they don’t actually have anyone negotiating that actually has been in development, so they don’t know the players the Red Sox talk about. They have the CEO of business, and the Assistant General Manager who wasn’t actually involved in the farm system. So, it’s been a difficult negotiation. And frankly, I think everyone involved knows the Cubs are a bottom-three farm system. Trey McNutt would be Red Sox prospect 25. For the Cubs to act like they’re giving up the next Billy Williams is kind of absurd. But at the same time, holding that thing up has also hurt the Cubs, because they need Theo there building that organization. There isn’t a lot there. They need him to go out and not only find a manager, but to fill several roles in scouting, development and all the rest. The absurdity has hurt the Cubs, and it’s certainly hurt the Red Sox, because they need to move on and let Ben take over, Ben and Mike Hazen, be running the organization and get the right people in place. …

It’s so silly. … The rebuilding process that Theo is going to undertake in Chicago is far greater than the job that he inherited as the general manager of the Red Sox. Far greater. And it’s going to take a long time. They’re not talking about guys that are franchise pieces. They should get it done from both sides and move on. …

The [Cubs] need to move on, making this a long, long process, the Red Sox hold the cards in this situation, except for the fact that the Red Sox need to move on, too. I actually think it might get done today at some point. I think if they get the thing done, then they can announce it Friday and then it’s all fine. By then, Theo can have things lined up and start talking to people about whether it’s Jed Hoyer or Josh Byrnes he brings in, who he brings into scouting."

That the Cubs have a "bottom-three farm system" and that their best prospect is worse than 24 of the BoSox's is hyperbole. And Gammons is a bit of a homer, but would the Cubs really put only lawyers and bean counters at the table?

EDIT: Chris DeLuca's report tonight makes you wonder if the "CEO of business" about which Gammons speaks is Crane Kenney:

The fact the Epstein deal hasn’t been closed reveals the naivete of the Cubs’ management team, specifically president Crane Kenney. A major-league source said Kenney has bragged since September that he is leading this process, despite claims from Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts that the former Tribune Co. executive wouldn’t be involved.