Yahoo! Sports: Yoenis Cespedes would jump-start Cubs rebuilding plan

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Splicetoday: Time for Cubs to bite the bullet and rebuild

The start of the Theo Epstein era in Chicago has been marked by rampant speculation, but little action. To this point the Cubs have added free agent outfielder David DeJesus and traded for Rockies washout Ian Stewart, and that's about it for the positive side of the ledger. Continue reading

Splicetoday: Cardinals Have Options If Pujols Departs

The market for free agent first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder has picked up as baseball's winter meetings approach. The Chicago Cubs are rumored to have interest in both sluggers. The Rangers, Angels and Nationals could be in the mix for Fielder. Continue reading

Yahoo! Sports: Chicago Cubs sign David DeJesus

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Does Theo Epstein get to negotiate the compensation for himself?

According to Boston's WEEI the Red Sox want prospects in return for letting Theo Epstein out of his contract a year early. The Cubs want to just stroke a check and buy out Epstein's deal.

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21147476/source-sox-cubs-negotiations-hit-bump

Two things
1. Is there any chance Epstein and the Cubs discussed compensation strategy during their prior meetings?
2. Hasn't this gone far enough for the Cubs to say "Here are three prospects we'll deal, pick one. And no, Cashner is not on the table". At this point the Sox look like a complete disaster and the cat is too far out of the bag for Theo to go back to Beantown.