From MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts has been gathering information about Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
I'm beginning to find it humorous how many rumors there have been that Andrew Friedman is being coveted by other teams. First there was the hoopla earlier this year when the Houston Astros were up for sale, and now it appears the Cubs may try to poach Friedman.
Ignoring the fact that the Cubs seem to prefer Ned Colletti, who has every reason to jump ship from the Dodgers right now, I find these rumors laughable more than anything. Of course, any team owner worth their salt would want Friedman as his GM right now. He's without a doubt one of the best General Managers in all of baseball, if not the best. Other owners should be lining up, trying to lure him away from Tampa Bay. They'd be stupid not to do so.
So as Rays fans, we'd better get used to these rumors. Friedman has given no indication that he's unhappy with his situation in Tampa Bay and he refuses to comment publicly on all these rumors on principle, but that hasn't kept there from being more and more rumors about him. Friedman has been given a large amount of freedom here to put together the staff he wants and to work in the way he wants, so what incentive does he have for moving to another team and starting all over again? More money? Maybe it's just me, but I think another team would have to overwhelm Friedman with a huge deal in order to lure him away from the staff and environment he's created in Tampa Bay.
Even if Friedman left, there are enough other smart people in the Rays' front office that it wouldn't be a return to the LaMar days. Unless Friedman took the majority of his staff with him, we have little to nothing to worry about. Dan Feinstein is more than capable, and could easily step in if Friedman got pulled away. So get used to these rumors, and learn to ignore them. Friedman likely isn't going anywhere, and if he does, the Rays will still be in good hands.