I can't think of another time in chicago sports history where a fan base has willing accepted that their team will be bad for 3-4 years. That a front office has been afforded the ability to trade anyone on the active roster for international slotting money to sign some 16 year old who probably wont contribute for 5-6 years if ever.... because theo helped win 2 world series in boston, he and his buddies instantly earned the trust of cubs nation.

If in 2015 or beyond this cubs team is not competitve... or theo and hoyer are fired before the team gets good.... this will have been the biggest failure by a front office in the history of sports.... think about it, they had everything a front office man would ever want if they are starting from scratch with a new franchise.... 1. infinite money to fund player development, 2. an accepting fan base that has bought in to their approach and doesnt mind 3-4 years of losing while you build, 3. knowing that in 3-4 years when you think the team is ready your owner will spend what it takes to acquire FA talent to fill any gaps

I'm not saying I disagree with their approach, in fact I believe they are going about it the right way.... this IS what you should be doing to have sustained success..... but dont you think any GM could do what theo and hoyer are doing if they were afforded the same luxuries? the level of praise these guys are getting already from sports media right now is a bit much IMO, the only thing I would be praising them for right now is the ability to sell this rebuild so easily to cubs nation

MacPhail was given a somewhat similar grace period when first arrived which was 'rewarded' with the '98 team that lost in the LDS. He was very much on his way out before the '03 squad.

I think the increase presence of sports radio/social media/MLB network etc make this time period just seem more intense for what it's worth. We, even casual fans, have much better knowledge of minor leagues/drafting/international slotting etc. Those concepts were a pretty foreign concept except to hardcore fans 15 years ago.

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Team Cutler.

What?

Unlimited? Ricketts can barely keep the damn lights on!

"Spend what it takes"

No.


Ok. So your sold then?


I think any GM with Championship pedigree would be given a lot of leeway.

All while the Cubs are the most profitable team in baseball...

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

you missed my point.... in short, theo/hoyer have everything a GM could dream of.... time, money, and buy in from the fan base.... if they fail, it will be the biggest GM failure of all time (when you consider those factors). 2nd minor point, sports media is giving too much credit already to these guys, I credit them with selling this rebuild concept so easily to the fans and having a competent plan to rebuild.... but I'll reserve further praise for 1-2 years down the road if this team starts to win

I would have given any competent management team 4 years to turn this around. They were left with bad contracts, weak "top" prospects (Jackson, Vitters), and old major league players. The fact that Ricketts went out and hired some of the best in the business means that we should give them plenty of time. They are headed in the right direction. They are acquiring young assets at a rapid clip. It might not work out, but then neither has any other strategy in the last 100 years. Hendry got the team close by handing out money to Soriano, Zambrano, D Lee, Aram, etc.

I am 100% on board.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Your point is extremely flawed

They dont have unlimited funds or anything close to it.

Agree with your overall point, but you do not have to look very hard to find something to complain about;


They also threw some money away with the whole Ian Stewart resigning thing.

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Edwin Jackson and the Japanese pitchervwere deviations from the plan. I think they were trying to throw fans a few bones to show up. Or maybe they felt these guys would have tradeable value.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

They are going about it the right way.

They are doing what any other GM would do.

And that's a bad thing?

As a Sox fan not Cubs I can also say they seem to be doing it right. Good hires and a good strategy. That said anything can happen. Baseball is a lot more random than people let on all the time. Bad luck injuries and a host of other GMs with some plan.

I find it odd that Cub fans are so sol not on the plan but like it is some sort of guarantee in 2014-16 there will be a title.

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Elections have consequences.

Billy,

Is it pronounced POO-tons (sort of like the Russian president) or Poo-TONS (like you poo all the time)?

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Who are these fans that are sold on a sort of guarantee of a title during those years?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I've talked to several that do this. Generally pretty casual as far as fans go. Not anyone here in particular that I was thinking about.

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Elections have consequences.

ok. I was thinking I do not remember seeing anyone here talking in that manner. I think many of us are cautiously optimistic about the future, but to say there is any guarantee of titles is just stupid.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

This team is only 9 games out of the Wild Card.... Just saying, it's only July 10th.

Think of all the blown saves this team has had. I dont think it is out of the question that they compete next season already.

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That has always been the plan despite many people's rush to talk about how it was gonna take 5,10,50 years

18 of them I believe.

They aren't good, but not a trainwreck either.

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Team Cutler.

With the exception of Edwin Jackson, the Cubs have done a damn good job of filling out a roster with useful guys like valbuena, schuerhotz, navarro, etc.

Wood for marshall, holy crap what a steal.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

And Jackson is the guy out of all of those they probably had the most confidence with in terms of a floor level performance.

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Team Cutler.

Allowing that some blown saves are going to happen, if they only have 10 they are a game out of the WC. Maybe less, I'm sure some of the blown saves came against teams that are ahead of them in the WC standings...

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All Jackson needs is a little Don Cooper action!

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Next year won't have Lillibridge. Pencil in 3 wins right there. And if no Sappelt pencil in another 3.

I want the farm system rebuilt and I want some veterans "flipped". The thing that concerns me is when you flip just to flip. You dump a 30 year old competent pitcher because he will not be a part of the future? How far out are we talking about? 2018...2020? If the Cubs have some quality vets that can contribute in 2015,why flip them? It's all a guessing game.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

See, Feldman was only signed through this year, which doesn't matter. If they like him so much they can re-sign him in the offseason.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

The cubs should be 500 or better next year, 2015 in the playoffs.

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playoffs in 2014 and WS in 2015... C'mon 312 you know better than that.

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