The Cubs signing of Theo Epstein is all but officially official. The Cubs have a penchant for blowing things that seem certainties, so until this is finally final and Theo is standing up at a podium with Tom Ricketts grinning from ear to ear, I know it should be wise to temper my enthusiasm. But I can't help myself.
I'm thrilled. I'm beyond thrilled. I'm giddy.
I am not, however, giddy because I think the Cubs will definitely win the World Series now. I've seen numerous conversations on my Facebook wall, other's Facebook walls, Twitter, and message boards all revolving around people making the point that hiring Theo doesn't guarantee us winning anything. That is true. I never said it did.
The Cubs are an old-fashioned team in more ways than just where they play their home baseball games. Jim Hendry never actually laughed out loud at people who asked about advanced analytics, but he came as close as one can without actually doing it. The farm system doesn't teach its players fundamental skills that are important to winning baseball games. Namely, getting on base.
Sam Fuld indicated that the Cubs valued batting average above on base percentage in their development system to the point where anything else he did as a player was overlooked.
I suppose it depends on who your manager is, and who your front office is. I came up in the Cubs system, and they’re probably not as involved in the statistics side of the game as some other organizations. It still is important to me to get on base, even though (laughs) there were some guys who, all they cared about was my average.
If I recall correctly, Ryan Theriot has made similar statements about the Cubs wanting him to hit for more power and basically be aggressive early in the count, which seems counter-intuitive to the type of players that both Fuld and Theriot are because the Cubs do not value their skills.
The Cubs valued toolsy athletes. To hell with the fact that none of them could recognize a fastball from a breaking ball or a strike from a ball. The Cubs figured they could teach them that, and very often, they couldn't. Hence, you get the Corey Pattersons and Felix Pies of the world.
There comes a time when you have to separate the baseball skills from the athletic skills and the Cubs have never done that well for any consistent period of time. Sure, they signed Carlos Pena and his anemic batting average because he was a great OBP guy, a good defender, and great in the clubhouse. He was also dirt cheap. The fact that the Cubs happened upon a guy who was undervalued was not necessarily the result of a superior process, it was blind luck and happenstance.
This is what will change under Theo (provided he is given the kind of autonomy that Ricketts has indicated his "baseball guy" would have). The Cubs entire evaluation process is subject to revision. The entire developmental philosophy of the minor league system can be in lockstep with a long-term organizational personality. Instead of constantly reaching for the Cubs' patented Handbook of Short Term Solutions to Long Term Problems, the Cubs have hired a guy capable of diagnosing the actual underlying flaws within the Cubs system.
But that alone is not the reason for jubilation. Any number of GMs out on the market could do that for the Cubs in their own way. Andrew Friedman of the Rays was a favorite around this blog and many other places. He was one of my top choices at one point based on his phenomenal results in the draft over the years. Billy Beane "invented" the Moneyball concept in actual practice in an organization. There are tons of up and coming talent that would love a chance to put their imprint on a team like the Cubs, from Ben Cherington to Rick Hahn to Kim Ng.
But none of them, besides Theo, has led a team that is "cursed." Laugh if you want, but the curse is a real psychological factor with the Cubs. The one thing that I came away with from watching "Catching Hell" was how a singular incident that didn't really conclusively even impact the game became an instant turning point for both the players and the fans that night. The Curse may not be real in a mystical sense, but it is a real obstacle the Cubs must overcome.
Theo has been there. He has constructed teams and put people in place that managed through the gloom of being down 3-0 to the Yankees in a best of seven series. They were down in the 9th inning to Mariano Rivera in a clinching game and they survived. Was it luck? Almost assuredly. If you put those same teams in those same situations 99 more times, the Yankees would probably be the American League World Series representative all 99 of those times. But that doesn't matter psychologically.
The gravitas of having a leader that can recall that story at times when things seem darkest at the corner of Clark and Addison can make whatever the Cubs are facing seem a little less impossible. If it helps the players relax even a little bit, it will help tremendously on the field.
But that can all be dismissed as hokey nonsense, so that isn't even why I am jubilant. I'm ecstatic because the Cubs haven't done anything like this in my lifetime. I said on my Facebook wall that this is the biggest acqusition since the Cubs desegregated and signed Ernie Banks.
Melissa pointed out Dallas Green and I would probably place him second on my list. He could have been first and probably should have been first and therefore this move might not have even been necessary, but ultimately just putting a new guy in the office won't cut it.
Dallas Green came in and trashed the Cubs image of being lovable losers. He fired Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Randy Hundley among other former Cubs in the organization. He then started rebuilding the farm system that produced guys like Greg Maddux, Mark Grace, Rafael Palmeiro, Shawon Dunston, Jamie Moyer, Dave Martinez, and Joe Girardi.
But Dallas was not a people person and the Tribsters were not in it to change the organization. They wanted to make money and that meant being competitive on the major league roster while the rest of the system was fixed behind the scenes. That part didn't go so well after the 1984 NLCS crash and the 1985 Season of the Injured Pitcher where every pitcher in the rotation was on the DL at one point. Not separately throughout the season, all of them at once.
So the major league team fell apart, Dallas Green was pretty much forced out and in came Jim Frey to re-fuck everything that Dallas had un-fucked about the organization. So he came close, but he was never given the power to do as he saw fit to fix the Cubs. He pretty much forced his will on the team until they got sick of him and canned him. The Cubs at that time were not interested in anything but cosmetic changes to how they did business.
The same can be said for the next great organizational move with the hiring of Andy MacPhail. He was supposed to bring his small-market smarts to the Cubs where he would be in a big market. The problem was MacPhail was just the wrapping on a package of the Cubs going cheap. They wanted to spend like a small-market team, so they got themselves a small-market guy with an old-school philosophy about how money doesn't win championships as a bow on top for the fans.
Of course, the Cubs organization has remained pathetically ill-equipped over the years. They have one of, if not the smallest front offices in baseball. They have player facilities that make my out-classed Division III school's facilities look cutting edge. Seriously, take the Wrigley Tour and see the Cubs home clubhouse. It is a joke. The Spring Training facilities are out-dated (which is being addressed now).
This is due to an organization that either was led by a Team President that either didn't know it was a problem, didn't care it was a problem, or didn't have the support of the ownership to make the real changes necessary to turn the Cubs around.
If Tom Ricketts has shown anything over the two years he has been in power, it is his willingness to try to fix the underlying issues. Until this point, that philosophy had been restricted to the business aspect of the team and the physical facilties. He built new revenue streams wherever he could find them, he strong-armed Mesa into ponying up money to build a new Spring Training Facility, and he is sinking millions into a Dominican training facility. But the baseball operations side remained rooted in old-school "see what happens" cronyism that Hendry seemed to embody to the point of being a caricature.
We started to see signs that maybe Ricketts was getting it when the Cubs parted ways with Carlos Silva by basically calling him a sunk cost. Then they actually went out and spent money like big boys on the draft and landed many extremely talented players that had been passed over due to "signability issues." The Cubs signed them.
So when it came to light that Jim Hendry had been relieved of his duties, those of us that had been so critical of the new regime saw an opening for a real change. Could the Cubs take this opportunity to not just change the nameplate on an office door, but fundamentally change the way they do business? Theo is the one candidate that I have confidence in accomplishing such a Herculean task.
They may never win a World Series under Theo Epstein. In fact, the odds are still pretty much against it, but I think we will start seeing the Cubs act like a major market team that knows how to spend its resources more effectively than just throwing cash at long-term problems. It will not be easy and it will not be quick, because nothing worth doing right ever is.
But Theo is capable of bringing about change I can believe in and something that makes the Cubs an annual threat, which is all I really want.
Comments
You’re getting me all optimistic. DAMN YOU!
binkyQuote Reply
False
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
We have a rain delay and Verlander isn’t even pitching.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisley]Can You Believe This Shit? In A Good Way[/quote](dying laughing)
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS](dying laughing)[/quote]Correct. I move that the Cubs do more cool stuff so this tag can be used more often.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]False[/quote]I can’t argue with you today.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]I can’t argue with you today.[/quote]I dunno. It’s 50/50.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I dunno. It’s 50/50.[/quote]We’ll see what happens.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Of course, it will turn out that Theo and Tom will both be wearing the oversize Harry glasses at the press conference as Todd shoots bison dogs into the crowd with one of those t-shirt guns.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Of course, it will turn out that Theo and Tom will both be wearing the oversize Harry glasses at the press conference as Todd throws bison dogs into the garbage and incurs the wrath of his vending superior.[/quote]/Undercover Boss’d
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I like Tom RIcketts more every day. His family still cracks me up though.
GBTSQuote Reply
MishQuote Reply
http://espn.go.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/7091815/rob-sloan-disqualified-taking-bus-kielder-marathon
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
This is a million times worse than performance-enhancing drugs.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]http://espn.go.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/7091815/rob-sloan-disqualified-taking-bus-kielder-marathon
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
This is a million times worse than performance-enhancing drugs.[/quote]Would you call it a performance-enhancing bus?
I guess this guy never read Encyclopedia Brown.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Of course, it will turn out that Theo and Tom will both be wearing the oversize Harry glasses at the press conference as Todd shoots bison dogs into the crowd with one of those t-shirt guns.[/quote]The Ricketts family is baseball’s version of the Bluths.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]The Ricketts family is baseball’s version of the Bluths.[/quote]There’s always money in the banana stand :: they sell every ticket, every game, win or lose
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
The father even has legal troubles.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]The father even has legal troubles.[/quote]Is Todd GOB or Buster?
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=josh]Is Todd GOB or Buster?[/quote]It’s sad how long I’ve been contemplating this question.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]It’s sad how long I’ve been contemplating this question.[/quote]I’m thinking he’s a bit of both. It may not be an exact 1-1 correspondence.
Does anyone know if they’re going to try playing the AL game at all today?
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=josh]I’m thinking he’s a bit of both. It may not be an exact 1-1 correspondence.
[/quote]Agreed, although I lean slightly more towards GOB.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=josh]I’m thinking he’s a bit of both. It may not be an exact 1-1 correspondence.
Does anyone know if they’re going to try playing the AL game at all today?[/quote]The interwebs say it’ll start in about 10 minutes but who the hell knows. Storm is moving out fairly quickly though.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Ivy Chat Chuck:
http://ivychat.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-time-move.html
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Ivy Chat Chuck:
http://ivychat.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-time-move.html%5B/quote%5DI am very curious as to what McGinnisGate is. I assume the answer will amuse me.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Bears announced they had hired Dave McGinnis to replace Dave Wannstedt except that they hadn’t and McGinnis walked away. So they got Jauron instead.
Aisle424Quote Reply
I don’t think it’s compensation that is holding this up so mch as negotiating over what guys Epstein can bring with him, if any.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I don’t think it’s compensation that is holding this up so mch as negotiating over what guys Epstein can bring with him, if any.[/quote]And the exact title and responsibilities.
binkyQuote Reply
I like how in one of those articles, it identifies Theo as “Yale graduate Theo Epstein.” I should have gone to Yale.
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]The Bears announced they had hired Dave McGinnis to replace Dave Wannstedt except that they hadn’t and McGinnis walked away. So they got Jauron instead.[/quote]Darn, I was hoping it was a cool story bro about you, Aisley. Thanks for the info.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
http://www.desipio.com/?p=3639
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
Aisle424Quote Reply
miCubs miCubs
UNCONFIRMED SOURCE: #RedSox compensation from #Cubs for Epstein could be Minor League RHP Jay Jackson, according to miCubs’ @TuxedoTom
miCubs miCubs
The #RedSox would receive cash from the #Cubs as well.
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]http://www.desipio.com/?p=3639
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)[/quote]
One surmises that Andy does not like Al either.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Two years ago sending Jay Jackson might have made go, “Eh.” Now I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]miCubs miCubs
UNCONFIRMED SOURCE: #RedSox compensation from #Cubs for Epstein could be Minor League RHP Jay Jackson, according to miCubs’ @TuxedoTom
miCubs miCubs
The #RedSox would receive cash from the #Cubs as well.
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply[/quote]Holy shit, I will do JJ and cash every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Do that NOW. Sign that shit before the Red Sox know what they’ve done.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Do that NOW. Sign that shit before the Red Sox know what they’ve done.[/quote]I’ll tweet at whoever that is and tell them they have the go-ahead.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]I’ll tweet at whoever that is and tell them they have the go-ahead.[/quote]Make sure you finish eating that sack of frozen lizard dicks first.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Make sure you finish eating that sack of frozen lizard dicks first.[/quote]That’s ridiculous. Why would I freeze them?
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]One surmises that Andy does not like Al either.[/quote]he likes Al as much as MO likes bunting.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]That’s ridiculous. Why would I freeze them?[/quote]I prefer the crunch. Perhaps you don’t.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I prefer the crunch. Perhaps you don’t.[/quote]I could go either way.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]he likes Al as much as MO likes bunting.[/quote]He also loves Twinkies as much as Al loves bad arguments.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkX2FoSix0WEb5bLvHyhxbcRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_theo_epstein_cubs_101211
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]I could go either way.[/quote]You could eat 2 or 288.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Ivy Chat Chuck:
http://ivychat.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-time-move.html%5B/quote%5DWhat did Theo have to do with the regeneration of Fenway Park?
I’m confused. Chuck says he “worked with a city to update a landmark baseball stadium”. But his buddy Kap said Theo has no interest in the business side of things.
Did the Red Sox get hundreds of millions in public money for their stadium rehab? I don’t recall this.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkX2FoSix0WEb5bLvHyhxbcRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_theo_epstein_cubs_101211[/quote]For future reference:
Plato has forms, not ideals. Forms have real existence, ideals , well, who knows, but they are certainly imbued with causal power. The German idealist has ideals. It is a matter of debate whether Kant considers the thing-in-itself to be a Platonic form or an ideal, but certainly that is evident in Schiller Herder and Hegel.
/pedantic asswipe
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkX2FoSix0WEb5bLvHyhxbcRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_theo_epstein_cubs_101211[/quote]Aside from the almost obligatory swipe at Carlos Zambrano, that was a nice article.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]What did Theo have to do with the regeneration of Fenway Park?
I’m confused. Chuck says he “worked with a city to update a landmark baseball stadium”. But his buddy Kap said Theo has no interest in the business side of things.
Did the Red Sox get hundreds of millions in public money for their stadium rehab? I don’t recall this.[/quote]Yeah, that still doesn’t add up to me. He seems convinced Theo allows Rahm enough political cover to try to make something work with the city. I remain skeptical about that.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]Two years ago sending Jay Jackson might have made go, “Eh.” Now I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash.[/quote]I’d forgotten he was still in the Cubs system.
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Yeah, that still doesn’t add up to me. He seems convinced Theo allows Rahm enough political cover to try to make something work with the city. I remain skeptical about that.[/quote]I get the part about public funding being more likely when Wrigley and the team are major draws again. I don’t get the part about a baseball genius wasting time on Chicago politicking.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]I get the part about public funding being more likely when Wrigley and the team are major draws again. I don’t get the part about a baseball genius wasting time on Chicago politicking.[/quote]The argument Bernsie and Chuck are proffering is that the mere presence of Theo signals to the powers that be that the Cubs are serious and this will incline the state to to give them the money.
In reality, setting aside the opinions of those ignorant of Chicago politics, the most important hire in terms of public money for Wrigley, was Rickett’s hire of Julian Green as VP of Communications. Theo is window dressing. Green is the insider and power guy the move for public money lacked last time around.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/10/12/bernstein-celebrate-theo-then-settle-down/
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]The argument Bernsie and Chuck are proffering is that the mere presence of Theo signals to the powers that be that the Cubs are serious and this will incline the state to to give them the money.
In reality, setting aside the opinions of those ignorant of Chicago politics, the most important hire in terms of public money for Wrigley, was Rickett’s hire of Julian Green as VP of Communications. Theo is window dressing. Green is the insider and power guy the move for public money lacked last time around.[/quote]I’ll agree with that, but window dressing is important when you have to convince stupid people that giving all that money to a billionaire’s son is a good idea.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]I’ll agree with that, but window dressing is important when you have to convince stupid people that giving all that money to a billionaire’s son is a good idea.[/quote]Yeah, Theo is an important piece, but Green is moreso. Theo signals you’re serious about getting better and staying better; Green signals you’re ready to play ball the Chicago way.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
And I’m not saying it’s a good idea, but that is what the Cubs will be arguing.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]And I’m not saying it’s a good idea, but that is what the Cubs will be arguing.[/quote]If i am Julian Green, my first official act is to tell the Ricketts to GTFO and STFU and let me handle things with the city.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
So Theo didn’t have anything to do with the Fenway refurb or Boston city politicking. That’s what I thought.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
What’s that meme from?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]What’s that meme from?[/quote]I think that is just our congratulations to Starlin for getting 200 hits.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]So Theo didn’t have anything to do with the Fenway refurb or Boston city politicking. That’s what I thought.[/quote]I don’t know if he did or didn’t. I don’t know how shit works in Boston. But in Chicago, you don’t get public money just for being REALLY REALLY FOR REEELZ SRS.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]I think that is just our congratulations to Starlin for getting 200 hits.[/quote]Nice
Suburban kidQuote Reply
jay jackson is the john lackey of the pcl.
GWQuote Reply
IP K% BB% GB% BABIP
160 14.5 7.5 42 0.345
147 14.8 7.0 42 0.353
GWQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]What did Theo have to do with the regeneration of Fenway Park?
I’m confused. Chuck says he “worked with a city to update a landmark baseball stadium”. But his buddy Kap said Theo has no interest in the business side of things.
Did the Red Sox get hundreds of millions in public money for their stadium rehab? I don’t recall this.[/quote]I don’t know. Fenway’s renovation began before he was ever hired by the Red Sox.
mb21Quote Reply
Aisle 424, this is a great post.
Yeah, it’s easily the biggest acquisition in my life. I don’t think there’s a close second.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Aisle 424, this is a great post.
Yeah, it’s easily the biggest acquisition in my life. I don’t think there’s a close second.[/quote]It’s how I felt when the Bears got Cutler. Then they surrounded him with shit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I don’t know if he did or didn’t. I don’t know how shit works in Boston. But in Chicago, you don’t get public money just for being REALLY REALLY FOR REEELZ SRS.[/quote]I just hope people aren’t hoping Theo is somehow going to be lobbying the mayor or pitching public-private partnerships or new ballpark taxes, or discussing anything to do with troughs, grandstand netting, or even jumbotrons. I’d be astounded (and very disappointed) if he did.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s how I felt when the Bears got Cutler. Then they surrounded him with shit.[/quote]This, but I do agree this is one of the more exciting Cubs things in m life.
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]jay jackson is the john lackey of the pcl.[/quote]
It might now be long before John Lackey is the John Lackey of the PCL (dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]So Theo didn’t have anything to do with the Fenway refurb or Boston city politicking. That’s what I thought.[/quote]No. Nothing. He didn’t get involved in that in any meaningful way. The renovation began before he was hired. It was ongoing throughout his tenure, but had been planned before he even joined the Red Sox in any capacity.
I don’t think Theo’s presence helps the Cubs get a nickel more than they otherwise would. The idea that he would help or does seems like a tremendous stretch to me. There’s just no reason to think he’s going to help secure any money for the renovation.
One of the Boston sources even said he wants nothing to do with the business aspect of the organization. Helping to get money to renovate is business.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]I just hope people aren’t hoping .[/quote]fixed
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s how I felt when the Bears got Cutler. Then Cutler surrounded himself with shit[/quote]
/Chi media
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]I just hope people aren’t hoping Theo is somehow going to be lobbying the mayor or pitching public-private partnerships or new ballpark taxes, or discussing anything to do with troughs, grandstand netting, or even jumbotrons. I’d be astounded (and very disappointed) if he did.[/quote]
This kind of business gets done over troughs, SK. I read in small businessman’s magazine that it’s the new golf course.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I don’t know if he did or didn’t. I don’t know how shit works in Boston. But in Chicago, you don’t get public money just for being REALLY REALLY FOR REEELZ SRS.[/quote]That may be true, but based on what you’ve said in the past about Chicago politics, Theo helps in no way. If the city just wanted to think the Cubs were serious about winning, there’s a guy in St. Louis who is a free agent. I’ll guarantee that Pujols would help get that money far more than Theo ever will. I think you’d agree with that.
mb21Quote Reply
Miguel Cabrera is single-handedly making the ALCS interesting.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]No. Nothing. He didn’t get involved in that in any meaningful way. The renovation began before he was hired. It was ongoing throughout his tenure, but had been planned before he even joined the Red Sox in any capacity.
I don’t think Theo’s presence helps the Cubs get a nickel more than they otherwise would. The idea that he would help or does seems like a tremendous stretch to me. There’s just no reason to think he’s going to help secure any money for the renovation.
One of the Boston sources even said he wants nothing to do with the business aspect of the organization. Helping to get money to renovate is business.[/quote]
What this says to me is that people see the story they want to see. To some people, fixing Wrigley FIeld is the biggest Cubs story. To others, getting the money to fix it is the story. For some it’s the curse. For others its free agent signings and this years standings. Some care about the farm and the draft. Others care about scouting vs stats, while some are fixated on the lineups.
If the Cubs biggest problem to me is how they get funding to fix Wrigley, then I guess I cast this new big story in that context and think about what it means. But it doesn’t mean shit, I agree. He is the new baseball general manager.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Theo gets to surround himself with those he hires though. Cutler was surrounded by people the Bears hired. I think Theo has shown that he can surround himself with more than capable men and women (do any women work in the Red Sox front office?).
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]What this says to me is that people see the story they want to see. To some people, fixing Wrigley FIeld is the biggest Cubs story. To others, getting the money to fix it is the story. For some it’s the curse. For others its free agent signings and this years standings. Some care about the farm and the draft. Others care about scouting vs stats, while some are fixated on the lineups.
If the Cubs biggest problem to me is how they get funding to fix Wrigley, then I guess I cast this new big story in that context and think about what it means. But it doesn’t mean shit, I agree. He the baseball general manager.[/quote]That’s exactly what it is. Chuck is generally logical when it comes to the business side of the Cubs, but it’s not a logical conclusion that Theo helps get the renovation money. Maybe he helps get them a dollar or two, but that’s about it. Joe GM Smith would get $0 and Theo gets $1.50.
You’re welcome, Cubs.
Love,
Theo
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]It’s how I felt when the Bears got Cutler. Then Aramis surrounded Cutler with shit[/quote]
/Tribune’d
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]This kind of business gets done over troughs, SK. I read in small businessman’s magazine that it’s the new golf course.[/quote]Troughs are the shit.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]That may be true, but based on what you’ve said in the past about Chicago politics, Theo helps in no way. If the city just wanted to think the Cubs were serious about winning, there’s a guy in St. Louis who is a free agent. I’ll guarantee that Pujols would help get that money far more than Theo ever will. I think you’d agree with that.[/quote]
And both of them combined help less than new communications director Connected McWhatshisface
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]That may be true, but based on what you’ve said in the past about Chicago politics, Theo helps in no way. If the city just wanted to think the Cubs were serious about winning, there’s a guy in St. Louis who is a free agent. I’ll guarantee that Pujols would help get that money far more than Theo ever will. I think you’d agree with that.[/quote]Absolutely. Green is the power player here. It’s telling that none of the beat guys have picked up on this.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Theo gets to surround himself with those he hires though. Cutler was surrounded by people the Bears hired. I think Theo has shown that he can surround himself with more than capable men and women (do any women work in the Red Sox front office?).[/quote]Right…as long as Ricketts lets him do that.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]That’s exactly what it is. Chuck is generally logical when it comes to the business side of the Cubs, but it’s not a logical conclusion that Theo helps get the renovation money. o[/quote]Cubs hire top GM, Chuck thinks about public funding.
Cubs hire top GM, Rosenbloom thinks about steroids
Cubs hire top GM, Kap thinks about how awesome the Ricketts’ pitch was
Cubs hire top GM, Dolan writes a sketch
Cubs hire top GM, Sullivan slams Zambrano
Cubs hire top GM, Al tells his readers to stop talking about it
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Right…as long as Ricketts lets him do that.[/quote]
Hire women?
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Absolutely. Green is the power player here. It’s telling that none of the beat guys have picked up on this.[/quote]I’m not sure I agree with you on this one as you know, but we don’t need to go over that again. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Right…as long as Ricketts lets him do that.[/quote]He will. You don’t get Theo to sign on unless you allow that. It would be nice if the Cubs beat writers would talk to a source, but the Boston media has talked a bit about how Theo will have complete control of baseball ops and bring in his own guys.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]
Cubs hire top GM, Al tells his readers to stop talking about it[/quote]srsly? That can’t be true.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Cubs hire top GM, Chuck thinks about public funding.
Cubs hire top GM, Rosenbloom thinks about steroids
Cubs hire top GM, Kap thinks about how awesome the Ricketts’ pitch was
Cubs hire top GM, Dolan writes a sketch
Cubs hire top GM, Sullivan slams Zambrano
Cubs hire top GM, Al tells his readers to stop talking about it[/quote](dying laughing) Did he really?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]srsly? That can’t be true.[/quote]
It’s almost true. (dying laughing)
.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Semi officially official: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2011/10/epstein_accepts.html
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Hire women?[/quote]If that’s what it takes.
[quote name=cdw]srsly? That can’t be true.[/quote][quote name=mb21](dying laughing) Did he really?[/quote]
It could still go either way.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Now we just need the Cubs beat writers to do their fucking job. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
This is very telling about Al. He deletes comments/shit he doesn’t like so much that he has to say he isn’t deleting the discussion about Theo becoming the new Cubs GM. Can’t believe I just wrote that…
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkX2FoSix0WEb5bLvHyhxbcRvLYF?slug=jp-passan_theo_epstein_cubs_101211[/quote]I don’t disagree with the postulate that a GM is the more important that the components of the baseball team/organization. But there is a disconnect here b/c GMs don’t get paid like they are that important relative to the players.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Now we just need the Cubs beat writers to do their fucking job. (dying laughing)[/quote]To be fair, the Cubs org has pwned the Chicago sportswriters yet again on this one. AFAICT every bit of news on this story came from the Boston end. Well done Tom, I say.
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Now we just need the Cubs beat writers to do their fucking job. (dying laughing)[/quote]Yeah, the Boston guys and the national guys are mopping the floor with the Chicago guys. Ricketts has really Ricketts’d them with that vow of secrecy.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I agree, fang. It’s really impressive how secretive this has been kept.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Now we just need the Cubs beat writers to do their fucking job. (dying laughing)[/quote]Again, it’s very telling that 3 things have happened:
1.) The Cubs fired Hendry without any of the beat guys knowing, and amid repeated reports from them that he would not be fired.
2.) Julian Green was hired and they have absolutely no grasp of the importance of that hire.
3.) Theo has been courted, offered, and possibly hired and there’s been nary a scoop for any of them.
The Chicago sports media suck at their jobs, but especially the baseball writers, who are terrible.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=cdw]This is very telling about Al. He deletes comments/shit he doesn’t like so much that he has to say he isn’t deleting the discussion about Theo becoming the new Cubs GM. Can’t believe I just wrote that…[/quote]If Alvin was a Breaking Bad character he’d be the guy who got crushed by that ATM.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]I don’t disagree with the postulate that a GM is the more important that the components of the baseball team/organization. But there is a disconnect here b/c GMs don’t get paid like they are that important relative to the players.[/quote]Cameron had a good piece on that last week; basically, it’s a hell of a lot easier to find a decent replacement for your GM than it is to find a decent replacement for your shortstop.
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Yeah, the Boston guys and the national guys are mopping the floor with the Chicago guys. Ricketts has really Ricketts’d them with that vow of secrecy.[/quote]Not sure why I’m going to be fair here since the Cubs beat writers aren’t, the Red Sox organization has a lot more motivation to leak information right now than the Cubs. Be it Theo for decreasing Red Sox leverage for compensation or Luchino sliming Theo on the way out or John Henry for framing their loss of Theo to their fans.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]If Alvin was a Breaking Bad character he’d be the guy who got crushed by that ATM.[/quote](dying laughing) Does that make KOW that meth addled wife?
cdwQuote Reply
When was Green hired? I missed that one completely. Guess it must have hit the blogs while I was watching a time-shifted game. (dying laughing)
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]Not sure why I’m going to be fair here since the Cubs beat writers aren’t, the Red Sox organization has a lot more motivation to leak information right now than the Cubs. Be it Theo for decreasing Red Sox leverage for compensation or Luchino sliming Theo on the way out or John Henry for framing their loss of Theo to their fans.[/quote]Good points, but if the Cubs beat writers were good at their jobs, they’d have sources in the Boston front office.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]Cameron had a good piece on that last week; basically, it’s a hell of a lot easier to find a decent replacement for your GM than it is to find a decent replacement for your shortstop.[/quote]And that seems to conflict with the postulate.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=cdw]Not sure why I’m going to be fair here since the Cubs beat writers aren’t, the Red Sox organization has a lot more motivation to leak information right now than the Cubs. Be it Theo for decreasing Red Sox leverage for compensation or Luchino sliming Theo on the way out or John Henry for framing their loss of Theo to their fans.[/quote]Well, it’s an open secret that Lucchino is the leak in the BOS org. But the manner in which Hendry was fired and Theo was (apparently) hired suggest the Cub beat guys are entirely unsourced.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]When was Green hired? I missed that one completely. Guess it must have hit the blogs while I was watching a time-shifted game. (dying laughing)[/quote]In mid-September.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Well, it’s an open secret that Lucchino is the leak in the BOS org. But the manner in which Hendry was fired and Theo was (apparently) hired suggest the Cub beat guys are entirely unsourced.[/quote]With exception of the soft information Kap used to be Rickett’s personal knobgoblin.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=cdw](dying laughing) Does that make KOW that meth addled wife?[/quote]She does seem like the type of person who would kill someone like that. Right?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Good points, but if the Cubs beat writers were good at their jobs, they’d have sources in the Boston front office.[/quote]Does anyone at WEEI work in the Boston FO?
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Good points, but if the Cubs beat writers were good at their jobs, they’d have sources in the Boston front office.[/quote]Yeah, that’s what I think is funny. The Cubs have kept this secretive and that’s impressive, but the Cubs beat writers clearly thought there was no need to have any sources other than those in the Cubs front office. The Red Sox media has mopped the floor with them, but so has the national media. It’s hilarious.
mb21Quote Reply
Wasn’t Kap the only one to claim Hendry would be canned this summer? WTF is happening here?
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]She does seem like the type of person who would kill someone like that. Right?[/quote]Yep. Pretty sure she dreamt of Kerry’s sheenis too.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=cdw]And that seems to conflict with the postulate.[/quote]Er, not necessarily. Importance and availability don’t have to be correlated, and availability is what determines price (in this case, at least).
Water is far more important to humans than caviar, but we’ve got a shit-ton of it (now), so we don’t pay so much for it. If water starts to become scarce, we’d start to pay anything to get it. It’s not a perfect analogy, but I guess you could say that GMs are a little like the water of baseball.
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]Does anyone at WEEI work in the Boston FO?[/quote]Don’t know what you mean. Are you saying WEEI (and a guy in a purple shirt) were their only sources?
Anyway, Sullivan, Wittenmeyer and Miles have been beat writers for a combined ~50 or 60 years. I know two of them have spent their careers in one city but over all that time they should have developed a decent rolodex of numbers outside the 773 area code.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Yeah, that’s what I think is funny. The Cubs have kept this secretive and that’s impressive, but the Cubs beat writers clearly thought there was no need to have any sources other than those in the Cubs front office. The Red Sox media has mopped the floor with them, but so has the national media. It’s hilarious.[/quote]I’m convinced the Cub beat writer sources are entirely in the clubhouse, and, furthermore, that the principle source is non other than Ryan Dempster.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Don’t know what you mean. Are you saying WEEI (and a guy in a purple shirt) were their only sources?
Anyway, Sullivan, Wittenmeyer and Miles have been beat writers for a combined ~50 or 60 years. I know two of them have spent their careers in one city but over all that time they should have developed a decent rolodex of numbers outside the 773 area code.[/quote]Yes.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]Cameron had a good piece on that last week; basically, it’s a hell of a lot easier to find a decent replacement for your GM than it is to find a decent replacement for your shortstop.[/quote]That’s true to some extent, but not entirely. It’s true it’s easier to find the decent GM replacement than a decent replacement player. However, that ignores that the replacement player isn’t going to set your organization back 2, 3 or 5 years. He can’t possibly do that. There’s nothing Koyie Hill can do that will put the Cubs back several years, but there are many things a GM can do in which that would happen.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’m convinced the Cub beat writer sources are entirely in the clubhouse, and, furthermore, that the principle source is non other than Ryan Dempster.[/quote]I don’t think it’s a player. They have too much to risk (getting their asses kicked for one) and nothing to gain.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]Er, not necessarily. Importance and availability don’t have to be correlated, and availability is what determines price (in this case, at least).
Water is far more important to humans than caviar, but we’ve got a shit-ton of it (now), so we don’t pay so much for it. If water starts to become scarce, we’d start to pay anything to get it. It’s not a perfect analogy, but I guess you could say that GMs are a little like the water of baseball.[/quote]This is a good point. I guess what needs to be refined here is the value of a system changing GM.
cdwQuote Reply
While the Bosten sports media was better at breaking these stories they sure have sunk to a new low with the smear campaign against Francona, the players et al.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
[quote name=cdw]This is a good point. I guess what needs to be refined here is the value of a system changing GM.[/quote]Too busy multing tasking with beer & smoke to expand on this (dying laughing)
cdwQuote Reply
Check out deadspin today for a snippet of the content
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
That’s typical of the Boston media, RR.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]Too busy multing tasking with beer & smoke to expand on this (dying laughing)[/quote]edit mb pretty much did the expansion
cdwQuote Reply
I actually didn’t read the article and have no interest in it. The only information I’ve looked from the Boston media has been info about the Cubs and Theo. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
In Boston their trashing Francona- coming up with drug addiction scenarios, blaming the players for eating fast food (seriously they said that).
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
I read some of the comments in one of the article and was laughing at how quickly some of the fans turned on Theo.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]This is a good point. I guess what needs to be refined here is the value of a system changing GM.[/quote]I think that’s right; I think Cameron just thought that value was pretty low since lots of people could do it. That may be right, but anybody new carries a lot of risk; the Cubs are basically paying $4M/yr for certainty.
Now mind you, the whole pricing thing is likely to be weirded even further by MLB’s openly uncompetitive practice of monitoring front-office negotiations and vetting them for market effects…
fang2415Quote Reply
Was that thing about AJ drinking in the dugout in response to reports of the Red Sox drinking in the dugout? (.com?)
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]This is a good point. I guess what needs to be refined here is the value of a system changing GM.[/quote]Maybe Fangraphs should publish a VARG stat (dying laughing).
fang2415Quote Reply
I’m on the phone with theo’s people right now, trying to make sure this blog will be accredited under the saber-friendly new regime. MB, I’m just going to need your social security number and a major credit card.
GWQuote Reply
The dopes that cover the Cubs made a big deal about Byrd’s batting average with RISP this season. I really hope they ask Theo about topics like this and he tells them what he thinks. I suppose that’s asking for too much though. I’ll just be glad to get a GM that doesn’t allow that kind of analysis to weigh into his decisions. Abbatacola covered the Cubs for the Score this season and he was talking about the fact that people in the Cubs org were disturbed by Byrd’s BA w/ RISP. If any org needed a watershed moment like the hiring of Theo it’s this one.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]The dopes that cover the Cubs made a big deal about Byrd’s batting average with RISP this season. I really hope they ask Theo about topics like this and he tells them what he thinks. I suppose that’s asking for too much though. I’ll just be glad to get a GM that doesn’t allow that kind of analysis to weigh into his decisions. Abbatacola covered the Cubs for the Score this season and he was talking about the fact that people in the Cubs org were disturbed by Byrd’s BA w/ RISP. If any org needed a watershed moment like the hiring of Theo it’s this one.[/quote]Methinks someone a few threads back shared an interview Theo did with the Boston sports radio guys re: JD Drew that was pretty good. I can’t wait for Theo to pwn the Chicago media.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]Was that thing about AJ drinking in the dugout in response to reports of the Red Sox drinking in the dugout? (.com?)[/quote]
Yea basically. Reporters said players were drinking in the clubhouse during games. And eating KFC apparently (dying laughing)
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Methinks someone a few threads back shared an interview Theo did with the Boston sports radio guys re: JD Drew that was pretty good. I can’t wait for Theo to pwn the Chicago media.[/quote]
I’ve heard that interview and that’s exactly what the dopes here need although educating these hacks would be a full time job.
melissaQuote Reply
Will Al Alburquerque throw a strike today?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]Yea basically. Reporters said players were drinking in the clubhouse during games. And eating KFC apparently (dying laughing)[/quote]Hmmm, how did this story not have a race angle? Was it the lack of hot sauce and pork rinds?
cdwQuote Reply
I’m glad Theo is battle tested with a bitchy media because the Chicago media has got to be fucking pissed they are looking like chumps. It’s entertaining for now that Ricketts has pretty much done the equivalent of the fake throw of a tennis ball to an over-excited dog twice now with the media, but in the end, they still have a bully pulpit from which to spew forth their own version of revenge.
Absence of facts has never stopped them, so I expect every time the Cubs do something the fans won’t like because they don’t understand it, the media will trumpet it up like it is armageddon. Just wait until the Cubs sign neither Pujols nor Fielder.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=GW]I’m on the phone with theo’s people right now, trying to make sure this blog will be accredited under the saber-friendly new regime. MB, I’m just going to need your social security number and a major credit card.[/quote]091-42-0803
0506-1998-2041-3080
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=melissa]I’ve heard that interview and that’s exactly what the dopes here need although educating these hacks would be a full time job.[/quote]These hacks will just use that type of interview to rail on Theo. He’s not going to change their opinion if the Cubs are losing…or probably winning too.
cdwQuote Reply
The hacks may rail on him, but Theo did change the opinion of many Sox fans. That’s all it takes. There are still a lot of dumbass Sox fans, but there are fewer of them because Theo was their GM.
mb21Quote Reply
If I was a publisher of any of these papers, I’d have to seriously wonder what the hell I was paying these guys for.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]The hacks may rail on him, but Theo did change the opinion of many Sox fans. That’s all it takes. There are still a lot of dumbass Sox fans, but there are fewer of them because Theo was their GM.[/quote]I think he can change opinions IF the Cubs are winning. That is the only dependent variable most of these people will care about. Some, a few, will buy an argument of credibility based on his history in Boston. But they will not fully convert without wins.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]If I was a publisher of any of these papers, I’d have to seriously wonder what the hell I was paying these guys for.[/quote]Their editorial composition?
cdwQuote Reply
David Haugh thinks you’re a fool, MO.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Will someone please tell one of these people the renovation began before Theo was around?
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]I think he can change opinions IF the Cubs are winning. That is the only dependent variable most of these people will care about. Some, a few, will buy an argument of credibility based on his history in Boston. But they will not fully convert without wins.[/quote]Here’s hoping he gets the wins or else they’ll be saying this is another example of how Moneyball sucks even if he’s not really playing Moneyball 😛
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Will someone please tell one of these people the renovation began before Theo was around?[/quote]I like how you don’t have to do research to be a journalist anymore. I obviously went into the wrong line of work.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Methinks someone a few threads back shared an interview Theo did with the Boston sports radio guys re: JD Drew that was pretty good. I can’t wait for Theo to pwn the Chicago media.[/quote]www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2aN4S2fGoA
Yeah, that ruled. That was actually the thing that made me excited to get Theo over Friedman.
I was a little worried about his use of OPS, but I guess it was 2009 — when was wOBA, er, discovered? Although I guess he might have just been talking about OPS because there was even a tiny chance they might have heard of it…
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]David Haugh thinks you’re a fool, MO.[/quote]
I’d consider that a compliment. He actually makes Kaplan look smart when he’s on CTL.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415when was wOBA, er, discovered?/quote]
It was invented for The Book. Really, though, it’s just a presentation of linear weights, which
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]
It was invented for The Book. Really, though, it’s just a presentation of linear weights, which[/quote]This response was going to be so good that ACT cut it short.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
…was most famously implemented by Pete Palmer in The Hidden Game of Baseball.
ACTQuote Reply
Oh god. What if Ricketts loves this signing so much he cuts it short?
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Oh god. What if Ricketts loves this signing so much he cuts it short?[/quote]
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]Oh god. What if Ricketts loves this signing so much he cuts it short?[/quote]GBTS mentioned that yesterday. You’re only a day late. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Here’s hoping he gets the wins or else they’ll be saying this is another example of how Moneyball sucks even if he’s not really playing Moneyball :-P[/quote]Oh man, I can’t wait to see Hawk and Stoney go into cognitive dissonance mode once the Epstein-led Cubs begin to regularly destroy the Ventura-managed White Sox…
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]091-42-0803
0506-1998-2041-3080[/quote]
card declined. oh well.
GWQuote Reply
Slugfest in effect in STL.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
OPS is also a Pete Palmer creation.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Slugfest in effect in STL.[/quote]What were you expecting? A pitching duel from Carpenter and Gallardo?
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]GBTS mentioned that yesterday. You’re only a day late. (dying laughing)[/quote]
Clearly Aisley doesn’t read every word.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Clearly Aisley doesn’t read every word.[/quote]I’ve been hanging out with Aramis.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=ACT]It was invented for The Book.[/quote]200…9? 08? Anyway, I’m sure (I hope) Theo’s smart enough to not be stuck on OPS nowadays, and to hope that he had internal metrics that were better in 09 but was dumbing it down for the still-too-dumb interviewers…
Incidentally, does anybody not think Brad’s suggestion of hiring Tango is silly? It sounds silly to me, but I’m not quite sure why. Maybe it’s just because I don’t know what AGMs do and because nobody knows who Tom Tango is. (dying laughing)
fang2415Quote Reply
IBB with one out and nobody on to face Victor Martinez…hmmm. Okay.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]200…9? 08? [/quote]’07. I don’t have a problem with OPS for informal use. It’s only a problem when you are doing rigorous comparisons.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]
Incidentally, does anybody not think Brad’s suggestion of hiring Tango is silly? It sounds silly to me, but I’m not quite sure why. Maybe it’s just because I don’t know what AGMs do and because nobody knows who Tom Tango is. (dying laughing)[/quote]I enjoyed reading “The Book” but I feel like Tango should just be a consultant since baseball seems more like a hobby for him than an actual job. Then again, I don’t know Tango either.
I figure the more people crunching the right numbers you have, the better, so I guess it could go either way…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]IBB with one out and nobody on to face Victor Martinez…hmmm. Okay.[/quote]Yikes. I remember some clueless fans criticizing Quade those times he didn’t walk Pujols in extra innings with the bases empty (which almost never happens). I can’t believe there is actually a MLB manager who thinks that way.
ACTQuote Reply
V-Mart makes Wash pay with a single. I was worried he’d get away with that terrible move.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Yikes. I remember some clueless fans criticizing Quade those times he didn’t walk Pujols in extra innings with the bases empty (which almost never happens). I can’t believe there is actually a MLB manager who thinks that way.[/quote]Ron Washington learned nothing from Billy Beane.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I looked it up a while back, and there were 3 IBB’s with the bases empty this year. 2 of them were after the count went 3-0 or 2-0. The other was against Jose Bautista (courtesy of Maddon).
ACTQuote Reply
IBB worked! (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
Fucking hell Miguel Cabrera is slow.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
sigh.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I enjoyed reading “The Book” but I feel like Tango should just be a consultant since baseball seems more like a hobby for him than an actual job. Then again, I don’t know Tango either.
I figure the more people crunching the right numbers you have, the better, so I guess it could go either way…[/quote]
So, it’s 50/50 as to whether or not Tango should be hired. (dying laughing)
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]So, it’s 50/50 as to whether or not Tango should be hired. (dying laughing)[/quote]Should probably bookmark SK’s “correct” gif…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
For some reason I thought Torrealba was the catcher, not the DH. Interesting choice by Ron Washington there. Nice play from Napoli to take the hit from Fatass Cabrera.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
What’s the point of having Napoli catching if you’re just going to use the backup catcher as the DH?
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]So, it’s 50/50 as to whether or not Tango should be hired. (dying laughing)[/quote]
Is that like even odds?
BerseliusQuote Reply
I mean, it would be different if Napoli were a good defensive catcher. As it is, Ron is playing a poor defensive (but good-hitting) catcher, while the poor-hitting catcher is DHing. I don’t get it.
ACTQuote Reply
Listening to McCarver is just painful.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Is that like even odds?[/quote]
What’s the over/under on it being even odds?
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]What’s the over/under on it being even odds?[/quote]
Credenza.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Wow.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/10/ramirez-demands-multi-year-deal-from-cubs.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Credenza.[/quote]
I told you not to talk about this, consider yourself warned.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Wow.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/10/ramirez-demands-multi-year-deal-from-cubs.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed%5B/quote%5D
Well, yeah.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Wow.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/10/ramirez-demands-multi-year-deal-from-cubs.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed%5B/quote%5D(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
Gotta love sports agents.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Well, yeah.[/quote]The gauntlet has been thrown down! (dying laughing)
I expected it, but was just kind of surprised that they reported it as an ultimatum although that’s exactly what it is. I know that makes no sense.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
*Theo’s ears perk up*
ACTQuote Reply
Napoli says he can be a good catcher.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Guess that pointless IBB to Beltre to get to Napoli (why?) didn’t work out so great.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Guess that pointless IBB to Beltre to get to Napoli (why?) didn’t work out so great.[/quote]I think the gist of those kinds of IBBs is to set up double plays but I agree that it was stupid. And now the Tigers —> fail
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s how I felt when the Bears got Cutler. Then they surrounded him with shit.[/quote]At least shit would slow down opposing linemen a little.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
Then you have the IBB to Pujols to get to Holliday, but there are at least two outs.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nelson Cruz is having a decent series.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
He’s pretty good for a #7 hitter.
ACTQuote Reply
Apparently, Crane Kenney WAS the go-to-guy in the FO for the beat guys. AND he was feeding them bullshit, like, one surmises, the info that Hendry wasn’t going to be fired.
All the knives are out now that they’ve all been scooped again. Barry Rozner is probably skewering him in this pile of drivel on behalf of his beat writer colleague Bruce Miles.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111012/sports/710129715/
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Should probably bookmark SK’s “correct” gif…[/quote]
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I enjoyed reading “The Book” but I feel like Tango should just be a consultant since baseball seems more like a hobby for him than an actual job. Then again, I don’t know Tango either.
I figure the more people crunching the right numbers you have, the better, so I guess it could go either way…[/quote]The idea of hiring Tango in an AGM capacity seems beyond silly to me. I have a ton of respect for Tango, but the AGM role requires more than a statistical background.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Apparently, Crane Kenney WAS the go-to-guy in the FO for the beat guys. AND he was feeding them bullshit, like, one surmises, the info that Hendry wasn’t going to be fired.
All the knives are out now that they’ve all been scooped again. Barry Rozner is probably skewering him in this pile of drivel on behalf of his beat writer colleague Bruce Miles.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111012/sports/710129715/%5B/quote%5D(dying laughing)
Here’s what stood out to me:
Ryan Dempster absolutely has no-trade rights. He’s been in the league for 10 years and with the Cubs for 5 years. He can veto a trade to any team. How does a journalist who regularly writes about baseball not know this? How does the editor not double check the article for facts? This is just horrible.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Apparently, Crane Kenney WAS the go-to-guy in the FO for the beat guys. AND he was feeding them bullshit, like, one surmises, the info that Hendry wasn’t going to be fired.
All the knives are out now that they’ve all been scooped again. Barry Rozner is probably skewering him in this pile of drivel on behalf of his beat writer colleague Bruce Miles.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111012/sports/710129715/%5B/quote%5DI like the part where Kenney got in Rozner’s kitchen and Rozner acted like a petulant child.
cdwQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]Apparently, Crane Kenney WAS the go-to-guy in the FO for the beat guys. AND he was feeding them bullshit, like, one surmises, the info that Hendry wasn’t going to be fired.
All the knives are out now that they’ve all been scooped again. Barry Rozner is probably skewering him in this pile of drivel on behalf of his beat writer colleague Bruce Miles.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111012/sports/710129715/%5B/quote%5D
How is Rickett’s in trouble for not doing something the first two years the team was on sale?? I’m pretty sure he can’t do anything related to the Cubs until you know, he (or his family) actually owns the team?
WaLiQuote Reply
The dislike of Crane Kenney by the media and the fans is one of the strangest things I’ve seen since I’ve been a Cub fan. It drives me nuts that Zambrano gets bashed like he does, but I can, in some small way, understand it. The same is true for any other player, manager or GM. But Crane Kenney is none of those. I don’t even remember the last time the guy spoke openly about the Cubs in any way other than business. Even that has been rare.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=WaLi]How is Rickett’s in trouble for not doing something the first two years the team was on sale?? I’m pretty sure he can’t do anything related to the Cubs until you know, he (or his family) actually owns the team?[/quote]I saw that as well and immediately dismissed his entire article as nothing more than exercise in writing. Ricketts didn’t take over the team until late July, 2009. That’s when he started making some of the baseball decisions. He didn’t completely own it until after the 2009 season.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Wow.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/10/ramirez-demands-multi-year-deal-from-cubs.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed%5B/quote%5DIs this news? Didn’t he say before that he wanted a multi-year contract? So… the only news is that he wants a multi-year contract, including from the Cubs?
Where did Rozner finish in the douchebag tournament? I don’t keep as close track as you guys do of how bad the Chicago media is, but that article sounded like it was written by a second-grader who was angry that he had no friends.
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=cdw]I like the part where Kenney got in Rozner’s kitchen and Rozner acted like a petulant child.[/quote]That article made me think that if Kenney can really piss off the writers that much, he might be worth keeping around after all…
fang2415Quote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/theo-is-a-cub-so-what-next.html
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]The dislike of Crane Kenney by the media and the fans is one of the strangest things I’ve seen since I’ve been a Cub fan. It drives me nuts that Zambrano gets bashed like he does, but I can, in some small way, understand it. The same is true for any other player, manager or GM. But Crane Kenney is none of those. I don’t even remember the last time the guy spoke openly about the Cubs in any way other than business. Even that has been rare.[/quote]Never trust a Crane.
WaLiQuote Reply
fuh
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply