When the Chicago Cubs sent top prospect Cam Smith to the Houston Astros in a trade package for Kyle Tucker last winter, all signs pointed to Jed Hoyer finally pushing his chips in. Fans expected it was the first of many moves to come, either later in the winter or at this summer's trade deadline - but that's not been the case.
Hoyer and the Chicago front office instead clung to their marginal value-obsessed way of thinking, admittedly doing a nice job filling out the bullpen without high-dollar, long-term additions, but falling well short of fans' expectations when the Tucker trade initially happened.