I am in the desert in baseball world, far removed from the 49ers. I am reading about them. Mostly people on my blog dismiss the reports — now there are several — that the Niners and Browns talked a Harbaugh trade. Fans want to believe everything is peachy on the Niners. And things may be. But I’m talking from experience, from how I know news works, from how I know teams work.

My gut feeling — I’m going on nothing more than my gut — tells me something almost happened. That general manager Mike Lombardi of the Browns reached out to Harbaugh — they worked together at the Raiders. I’m following my gut here. Lombardi could have offered more money and more control over personnel — things Harbaugh does not have in Santa Clara. Harbaugh would be rid of Trent Baalke, who may be an antagonist. My gut tells me Harbaugh was interested in the Browns. When Lombardi got fired, the deal fell apart.

Again, I am not saying any of this is fact. I know nothing about the facts. But this scenario makes sense to me.