Harry was a part of a plan and the plan worked better than than most business plans have ever worked. Buy the cubs and Wrigley for $21 mill, put them on our Superstation across the country and market the crap out of them. The day baseball and old Wrigley field just became more nostalgic as everyone built newer parks to the point that Wrigley and Fenway are the last 2 great old parks that people want to come and see.

Now you have the iconic old announcer, in the old park with the old team.

Its called having a plan and that plan worked to the tune of about $2 Bill for the Tribune company and probably more if they ever got the accounting right.

MOST teams actually do care who announces their games and they recognize these guys are on the front line of selling the tickets to the games. Once again, I emphasize MOST. MERCY!

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

If the Cubs aren't a playoff team in 2015 he's a failure. So far it appears he got the hitting right but he's a little thin on top pitching prospects. I really hope he's done giving 4th starters $60M.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Did you mean Hendry, or did you Freudian-slip and say "John Henry," as in the guy who owned the Red Sox and let Theo sign a bunch of free agents?

_________________

_________________
Elections have consequences.

Ok, at least 4 of those facts are wrong.

Jimmy has begged for free agent signings every year, very much Hendry style, and made people like Maholm and Keppinger out to be baseball gods.

And its not Maholm vs Jackson. Its what Maholm brought back vs Jackson. But to hell with facts.

Edwin Jackson was not a great move. Never said it was.

You're really bemoaning them trading a pitcher who had multiple arm problems at age 23 for an everyday player who looks like he's going to be decent? You must trust arms more than I do. And I dont know why you think Rizzo was projected as a superstar. He was traded for an injured pitcher. You think superstars or likely superstars go in deals like that?


I was responding to Jimmy and his opinions here. Apparently you're not familiar with his work. Also I was clearly being sarcastic and using hyperbole, which you either didnt get or chose to ignore.


Finally, I dont care what kind of fan I come off as. You know nothing about my thoughts on the subject or you wouldnt be labeling me a Theo lover or positive in any way about the Cubs.


I hope they do well. I think Epstein is pretty good and probably knows what he's doing. That's about it. I dont really get much further into it.

Oh and if Im wrong and Epstein is a complete failure? Ok. That'll be a shame. I dont really care though. It wont bother me that I was wrong. Im just a fan. I dont have to be right.

Will you be happy with that? If they fail and your concerns turn out to be warranted? You'll be a great fan!

You're not the gm. You're a fan. You dont matter in the least. Whether you're impressed with Theo or not matters less than anything in the world. Chill out.

I think they need to be .500 or better and in the wild card race this year. I think that's possible. They actually werent that far off before the selling the last couple years.

Don't worry jimmy. It's people like you that warned about other great monsters in history like Hitler and Osama Bin Laden and were shouted down by the kool-aid drinkers only to be proven right eventually.

_________________
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!

Wait,Rogers Park Brian does not like "my work here"? Once again,all I ever said is go ahead and do the rebuild but just throw in some respectable guys free agent wise to plug in some glaring holes. What gets me is the opening day roster blows,they go in to a tailspin and by All-Star break Theo says "we have to flip now". He WANTS TO flip. If they were even close to contention by the break,he would be stuck with a decision,he doesn't want THAT decision. I stated in early 2012 that with the extra wildcard thrown in that it was a bad time to completely stop trying. RPB,I'm just a fan,too and I'm just giving my opinions. Difference is I'm RIGHT!

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

No you're not right. You bitch just to bitch because that's what you do

You suggested that the Cubs should have kept Bryan La Hair. That is 100% wrong. You thought they should get Keppinger and he would be a big help. 100% wrong. There are numerous more examples but I dont read all of your posts on the Cubs. Im sure there are at least 5 more below average guys you've begged for


And Rick is using you as a joke, and you still dont get it.

Please don't put words in my mouth. I've made it clear and I am being truthful that I respect jimmypasta being willing to question a lot about the Plan. He may be a year early but he may look like a genius in 2014.

Though obviously Theo Epstein isn't quite as bad as Adolph Hitler.

_________________
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!

What else do I bitch about?

I liked Lovie Smith but felt last year was time for a change.

I support the Bulls,Bears and Hawks. I never say that much about them.

I am passionate about the Cubs. My opinions don't mesh with yours,but that's OK. It's a message board. As far as Boilmaker Rick,shame on me for being duped by such a (t)wit OR NOT???

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

Dont be coy, Rick

Just last week you admitted to this being "partial joking"

Almost all of my posts are partial joking.

_________________
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!

Seems like Cubs GMs cant win with you.

Dont sign free agents
Dont build minor leagues


I appreciate your keeping this all in perspective. Who cares?

Me too

Yes,mine too except when it comes to intentionally losing MLB games on the northside of town.

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

Yeah,I admitted Cub bitching. I'm guilty.I'm the board version of Murph.
For my next act,I will be starting a "Swami Pasta" thread.

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

Jimmy, I get that is the crux of your argument... losing at the major league level. I don't blame you for that. It's not easy to watch (to be fair, I barely watched) and it sucks as a fan in general to have your team lose a lot.

But there are very few teams that could revamp the farm system like the Cubs did, while simultaneously competing for the playoffs. In recent memory, it's one or the other. I understand the want, as a fan, to continually spend at the major league level to compete but that is proving not to be sufficient across the league. While a lot of the teams left in the playoffs are high spenders, they also have a helluva lot of talent developed from their own system. You have to have both. You can't buy a championship, and you can't develop one. You have to do both. In order for the Cubs to get their farm system in a place where they had enough talent that they could develop (and also have enough so some could be trade pieces)... it required a hit to the major league roster. That's just reality. And it will only be "worth it" if the Cubs start to continually compete for a playoff spot for many years to come. But we aren't far enough along to know yet, as frustrating as that is.


This is really corny, but lots of things in life are painful or a struggle until you "get there." We're not there yet to know if it was worth it or not. If we don't see a huge turn-around in the next 2 years, we'll know it wasn't worth it. But it's too early either way, to call it a failure or a success.

Very well written commentary. I enjoyed that more than most of the crap I read in the papers. I'm not calling for any big signings,just maybe 3-4 guys to put some bats in the line-up. They could do that and please don't ask me WHO. I still have not checked a FA list.

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

These Sox fan threads have sparked a booming business for tinfoil hats.
I realize being a Sox fan in Chicago is like being a guy in a lesbian bar but please remember to intake oxygen every 30 seconds and drink water at least every 2 days.

_________________
Kenny Williams fell for the banana in the tailpipe

How do you misuse three metaphors at the same time?

_________________
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!

Very carefully.

_________________

FWIW, I wonder "what if" Theo would have spent more money on the bullpen coming into this season. Granted the injury hurt, but I think the narrative on the season takes a much more positive spin if the bullpen isn't complete garbage early on.

Yeah but then they are a middling team at the trade deadline and they still sell off players. I think that would have made them look even worse.

_________________

True. But perhaps being more competitive would have satisfied more fans (right or wrong).

I don't think Girardi was ever a possibility for the Cubs but Theo and Co used it as an excuse to fire Sveum. Something must have happened behind the scenes because they really wanted him gone. They lined up these other interviews way too fast if they thought Girardi was a real possibility. Smoke screen accomplished.

It's not like interviewing the other guys even if they thought they had Girardi was a bad idea. It's sorta like when Bernstine was saying what a great move it was for the Bears to interview a bazillion people for head coach. No reason not to use it as an opportunity to hear some other perspectives on the team.

On Twitter, Matty is saying his Cubs guy said they never thought Joe was a realistic option, and that they would fire Sveum either way.

I trust Bigfan's Cubs guy more than Matty's.

_________________

If this were a week ago, it'd be impressive.

But it's not, and it's not.

If they printed that, it wouldn't be worth wiping one's ass with.

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George