This discussion got buried in yesterday's comments, but I wanted to bring it to the front page to show all of you how a quote taken out of context can put meaning in a baseball executive's mouth that wasn't his original intent.
Both ESPN.com and the Chicago Sun-Times reported on the luncheon on Wednesday when Jim Hendry made some comments about who the Cubs might look to acquire before spring training begins.
ESPN.com reported it this way:
Hendry wouldn't specifically address reports that the Cubs have talked to the Baltimore Orioles about acquiring second baseman Brian Roberts.
"I don't get into other teams' players," Hendry said. "We're going to try to be really aggressive the next three or four weeks before camp and try to come up with somebody else who can help us before we get there. ... We're going to try to stay on top of it."
Now, that quote implies that Hendry is going after Brian Roberts, without wanting to be accused of tampering. Right?
Well, maybe not. Check out the Sun-Times' take on the same quote:
"We're trying to get as much volume as we can, depth-wise, into the rotation," general manager Jim Hendry said. "We're going be real aggressive the next three or four weeks before camp and try to come up with somebody else that can help us."
Now, reading that makes it sound as if Hendry is looking for pitching help, right? Roberts is mentioned, but only in speculation by Chris DeLuca, who wrote the Sun-Times article; at no time in that quote does Hendry say anything about Roberts.
And Bruce Miles' article on this topic seems more noncommital, although leaning toward the Roberts angle:
"I don't get into other teams' players," Hendry said Wednesday. "We're going to try to be real aggressive the next three to four weeks before camp and come up with somebody else who can help us before we get there."