Theo Epstein, Scott Boras Continue To Trade Verbal Haymakers

(CBS) The talent and potential of Cubs prized prospect Kris Bryant continues to lead to off-the-field drama between his representation and Chicago's front office.

Agent Scott Boras has on multiple occasions expressed his belief that organizations have a responsibility to put their top squad on the field at all times, telling 670 The Score a couple weeks ago that, "The integrity of the game requires the teams to put the best players that they have in the big leagues to allow them the greatest opportunity to win and advance." Boras wants Bryant to make the Cubs roster out of spring training, but the team is likely to keep him in the minor leagues for several weeks because they'll gain an extra year of contract control on the back end of his deal.

On Tuesday, Boras took the fight to a new level in an interview with Fox Sports MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.

"Cubs ownership has a choice," Boras told Fox Sports. "Are they going to present to their market that they are trying to win? Tom Ricketts said they were all about winning.

"When someone says it's the system, no, it's a choice — the choice of winning."

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein fired back at Boras.

"Kris Bryant's development path has absolutely nothing to do with ownership, period," Epstein told Fox Sports. "As with all our baseball decisions, I will determine where Kris begins the 2015 season after consulting with members of our baseball operations staff. Comments from agents, media members and anybody outside our organization will be ignored."

In a March 1 interview on 670 The Score, Epstein said Cubs brass doesn't discuss service time considerations when discussing Bryant.

"When we talk about Kris Bryant, we don't talk about service time — not a single conversation," Epstein said. "What we talk about is his evolution as a baseball player, his development, his strengths and his weaknesses and how much time we feel he still needs at Triple-A before he's ready to come up and make an impact in the big leagues."

Bryant has played about a half-season at Triple-A, where he's made 297 plate appearances. Boras has long been upset that Bryant -- the 2014 Minor League Player of the Year -- wasn't called up last September.

"I believe the issue with Kris Bryant is not whether he should be on the 2015 team," Boras told Fox Sports. "The issue is, why wasn't he called up in September of last year when he could have prepared for the 2015 season?"

"He was the (MLB) Minor League Player of the Year. Others who did not perform as well were called up. And that issue is even more relevant today."

After an offseason trade sent Luis Valbuena to the Astros, the Cubs have a vacancy to fill at third base immediately, but most observers see the value of keeping Bryant in the minors for several weeks, as a full season of a 29-year-old Bryant is more valuable than two or three weeks of a 23-year-old Bryant in a season in which the Cubs have higher hopes but aren't considered favorites to win a title.