Per Bruce Levine and other sources, the Superfriends have opened the Hall of Justice and added a new member to their ranks. Joe Bohringer has been hired as the Cubs director of pro scouting. Technically he’s taking on one of Tim Wilken’s roles, but it’s a responsibility that was largely handled by Randy Bush in the past. Bohringer had been working as a scout in the D-Backs organization since 2006, and previously worked as an area scout supervisor for the Mariners and Senior Manager of Player Development for the Dodgers (presumably under DePodesta). Bohringer did an interesting interview with BP back in 2008, where he laid out his philosophy of using analytics to supplement traditional scouting.
I love the hire, though it makes me wonder what Randy Bush’s role will be (since he’s sticking around).
The next announcement might be the Cubs purchasing some office space to accomodate all these front office guys that they’re hiring (laughing)
Comments
I really like this signing too. My guess is that Bush is sticking around because of how knowledgeable he is about the Cubs organization. It’s either that or he’s more progressive than we thought.
mb21Quote Reply
Its refreshing to be an organization the top minds want to work for.
Can you imagine if we were in a fucking mess like the Orioles?
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Its refreshing to be an organization the top minds want to work for.
Can you imagine if we were in a fucking mess like the Orioles?[/quote]Yes. Yes I can.
Aisle424Quote Reply
I’m guessing we may start seeing guys like Wilken and Bush leave the organization about this time next year.
They get a chance to get their ducks in a row, by networking a bit to see what might be best for their career and they get to do it while drawing a paycheck from the Cubs and helping the new team transition.
Or maybe they end up won over by the new regime, but it seems Wilken has now been bumped down 2 spots in the last 2 weeks. Maybe someone puts up with one guy over his head by understanding that the organization is just growing, but getting bumped two spots has got to be a bit of a shot to the ego.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Yea i feel bad for wilken but he had to know the deal when he made the decision to come back and sign the extension. I think it is a great idea to have this many baseball mids in the room bullshitting. I would love to be a fly on the wall for the organizational meetings
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Superfriends footer updated.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Opposite of that stupid 1% article:
http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/11/5/2538326/the-smartest-guys-in-the-room
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]I’m guessing we may start seeing guys like Wilken and Bush leave the organization about this time next year.
They get a chance to get their ducks in a row, by networking a bit to see what might be best for their career and they get to do it while drawing a paycheck from the Cubs and helping the new team transition.
Or maybe they end up won over by the new regime, but it seems Wilken has now been bumped down 2 spots in the last 2 weeks. Maybe someone puts up with one guy over his head by understanding that the organization is just growing, but getting bumped two spots has got to be a bit of a shot to the ego.[/quote]I think Wilken has been bumped one spot. He may have had the responsibilities of professional scouting in his title, but it’s not a job that can be done along with being a director of amateur talent. Wilken’s best at focusing on the draft. That’s why people hold him in such high regard. I’m not sure I agree, but people in the business really like Wilken.
I think what happens over time is that Wilken is primarily reporting to McLeod whereas he reported to Hendry in the past. McLeod has earned Thoyer’s trust so they have him the role they have him to kind of do his own thing. That probably is not the case right away as the entire system needs so much work, but in time I’d be surprised if that’s not what happens. If that is, Wilken has really lost anything. He just now reports to someone who knows a hell of a lot more about the stuff than Hendry did because Hendry’s job was to primarily do something else.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Yea i feel bad for wilken but he had to know the deal when he made the decision to come back and sign the extension. I think it is a great idea to have this many baseball mids in the room bullshitting. I would love to be a fly on the wall for the organizational meetings[/quote]I’d much rather be a highly paid employee in that room.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Yea i feel bad for wilken but he had to know the deal when he made the decision to come back and sign the extension. I think it is a great idea to have this many baseball mids in the room bullshitting. I would love to be a fly on the wall for the organizational meetings[/quote]
My sympathy ends when I see Jerry Krause-esque, look-at-how-smart-I-am-with-my-unheralded-first-round-picks names like Hayden Simpson and Tyler Colvin.
(dying laughing)
Steve SwisherQuote Reply
This move seems like an opportunity to expand the scouting department and allow Wilken to focus on the Amateur draft. I like it and if Wilken doesn’t, I’m sure they can find an adequate replacement. If the Cubs want to develop more talent then expanding the scouting department is essential.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I’d much rather be a highly paid employee in that room.[/quote]
Yea me too
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I’d much rather be a highly paid employee in that room.[/quote]I wouldn’t mind being a guy who’s highly paid to just sit around and listen to the meetings. (dying laughing)
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]I wouldn’t mind being a guy who’s highly paid to just sit around and listen to the meetings. (dying laughing)[/quote]I’d be OK if I was the highest paid man in the room full of highly paid people. That would be pretty cool.
mb21Quote Reply
It seems weird that the Cubs are doing so much smart stuff in such a short period of time.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Looks like Dan Duquette————-> Orioles GM.
yuck, I think. Glad I’m not a fan of a franchise that has had several people decline the opportunity to be GM.
Recalcitrant Blogger NateQuote Reply
[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Looks like Dan Duquette————-> Orioles GM.
yuck, I think. Glad I’m not a fan of a franchise that has had several people decline the opportunity to be GM.[/quote]How the f did they win 98 games in 1997? I don’t remember that at all.
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=josh]How the f did they win 98 games in 1997? I don’t remember that at all.[/quote]Roberto Alomar and Mike Mussina.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Roberto Alomar and Mike Mussina.[/quote]Okay, I do remember those guys.
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Roberto Alomar and Mike Mussina.[/quote]And Palmeiro
mb21Quote Reply
we should try and trade for logan morrison
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]we should try and trade for logan morrison[/quote]I’ll get on that. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I’ll get on that. (dying laughing)[/quote]Seeing as you’re the highest paid person in the room….
Suburban kid 22Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]It seems weird that the Cubs are doing so much smart stuff in such a short period of time.[/quote]Let me be the 23rd person on here to say I still can’t actually believe that Theo Epstein and his cadre of geniuses are now in charge of the Cubs. Cognitive dissonance ftw…
Suburban kid 22Quote Reply
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]we should try and trade for logan morrison[/quote]LoMo would be a great addition to this blog.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid 22]Let me be the 23rd person on here to say I still can’t actually believe that Theo Epstein and his cadre of geniuses are now in charge of the Cubs. Cognitive dissonance ftw…[/quote]It’s a (new) Way of Life.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]LoMo would be a great addition to this blog.[/quote]We have had an opening ever since we fired MB.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]We have had an opening ever since we fired MB.[/quote]I worked out my exit trade by myself without the commissioner having to step in. I’ve traded myself to the Marlins for LoMo and these:
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I know the popular thing is to dislike or even hate Jim Hendry, but I can’t: http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7193032/former-chicago-cubs-gm-jim-hendry-finds-mike-quade-firing-understandable
mb21Quote Reply
I did a google search for Cubs manager and the first link was to BCB. Couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t been there in a few months (or longer).
One. Fucking. Sentence.
mb21Quote Reply
Oh yeah, Mike Maddux just “feels right” to Alvin. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
new thread: http://obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/2012-cubs-bill-james-projections-part-1.html
mb21Quote Reply