From a San Diego newspaper. Just copy and pasted the parts that talked about the Cubs aspect. Link has the full article.
Timing right for Byrnes to be GM
Jed Hoyer wouldn’t have been allowed to leave the Padres and become general manager of the Chicago Cubs except for one thing:
Josh Byrnes was under contract to the Padres and ready to assume the reins of the ballclub upon Hoyer’s departure.
Padres CEO Jeff Moorad confirmed Monday during the news conference to introduce Byrnes as the Padres’ ninth general manager that he granted permission to the Cubs to talk to Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod because Byrnes was waiting in the wings.
“No,” was Moorad’s response when asked if he would have granted permission to the Cubs to talk to Hoyer if Byrnes hadn’t joined the Padres five months after being fired as the general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 1, 2010.
Moorad gave Byrnes his first GM job in 2005 when Moorad was running the Arizona Diamondbacks. Byrnes was under contract to the Diamondbacks when Moorad was searching for a general manager following the 2009 season. Hoyer was hired to replace Kevin Towers on Oct. 26 of that year.
“Timing is everything,” admitted Byrnes, 41.
The Cubs also talked to Byrnes last month regarding their general manager vacancy.
Byrnes answered “yes and no” when asked if he backed away from talks with the Cubs when he saw the possibility of Hoyer going to the Cubs and he taking over the Padres.
“It turned out pretty well for everyone,” said Byrnes. “This is the job I wanted. San Diego is where I wanted to be.”
Byrnes’ path to the GM job began after Theo Epstein was named president of the Cubs’ baseball operations. Epstein called Byrnes while Hoyer was also in the room. Byrnes, Hoyer and McLeod were Epstein’s first hires when Epstein became Red Sox GM in 2002. Byrnes was the first to leave when Moorad hired him in Arizona.
“The call was three close friends talking among one another,” recalled Byrnes. “When Theo called, he said, ‘This is how things are working out with the Cubs.’ ”
Shortly after that conversation, a Padres source said “either Byrnes or Hoyer will be leaving for the Chicago Cubs.” The source Monday said Hoyer might have remained with the Padres had Moorad granted him a contract extension through the 2016 season.
“Where I was, I was cautious at first,” said Byrnes, who reportedly broke off contacts with the Cubs before Epstein was named the president.
Moorad credited Hoyer and McLeod with helping to turn the Padres franchise around.
“I wish them well,” said the CEO. “This organization is in a better place after two years of Jed Hoyer as our general manager.”