Dan Bernstein will be listening intensely and give us the verdict after it's over. THIS IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT. It's no different than game 7 of the World Series. It needs to be a win. Cubs fans are nervous.

Someone should ask him if he will have final say over the batting order, or if he will have to bat Baez in the 2-spot every game as I believe Renteria was forced to do.

_________________

Who said Renteria was forced to do that?

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

He'll have Julian Green coaching him up.

Some Dearick Rose talk today? Ankles. Ice. Hospital. Next Grant Hill.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

As long as he stands to the side of the lectern whilst dispensing his pearls of wisdom, it's another Cubbie winner!

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Well, that's one of the puzzling things about the entire situation. The modern SABRmetric take on managers is that they are as meaningless as RBI and W/L records. If that's the case, why pay three of them at once? Or will Theo abandon his core philosopy re: a manager's duties because, well, because after all, Maddon is Maddon?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Bruce Levine:
"The Cubs management group put Baez in the No. 2 hole of the batting order and have not wavered on that decision, regardless of the quality of the young player’s at-bats."

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That was an issue with Beane and Art Howe as well. The new model is that the front office is making these calls based on their data. Maybe the thinking is that they won't have to twist Maddon's arm as he will be able to see the wisdom in the percentages. Epstein isn't looking for a guy like Zimmer who says something like, "I know he's 1 for 56 against this guy, but I looked down the bench and Mendy just had that look in his eye."

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Is this press conference on TV? I'd imagine Comcast would carry it?

If so, could you imagine the lustful look on Bernstein's face as he watches Theo and Joe sitting next to each other as they dominate this press conference? Then the look on his face as Theo slips the Cubs jersey on Joe.

Dan:

Beardown: Calm down, buddy. Calm down.

"Winning the Press Conference" is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

You can *say* anything you want in a press conference, but what you actually do and how your team performs is what matters. I don't think anyone takes these seriously, except someone who needs to fill several hours of a talk show with hyperanalysis and speculation.

"When he put on that Cubs hat...he looked smart."

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Generally, I would agree with you but if you saw Tim Beckman's first press conference you'd have come away thinking he was a mumbling, blathering simpleton and that the best case scenario for his coaching career at Illinois was well-contained dumpster fire.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Didn't Emery "win" his press conference? Also known as "the golden age of Chicago G.M.''s"?

Bernstein has really provided some great thoughts on the airwaves.

Even Eddie Robinson would agree.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Mel Rojas, Todd Hundley, Ben Wallace, Milton Bradley....Lamar Houston?

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Jay Cutler?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Hmmm, you are at least getting some production. I'll say no on Cutler. Cristobal Huet (sp?).

_________________
Hawaii (fuck) You

Normally, I'd agree with Tad's thought. "Winning the Press Conference" is just a stupid concept.

However, I also immediately thought of the Tim Beckman press conference, and realized "Losing the Press Conference" is a definite possibility.

That said, I fully expect Maddon to win the Press Conference World Championship today, complete with reporter giggles that will be interesting to see if Bernsie calls those reporters out on. My guess is that he won't.

_________________
You know me like that.

Has Bruce's source confirmed that a Maddon deal is done yet or is he still sticking with nothing is happening?

_________________
You know me like that.

Jesse Rogers will be wearing a Cubs jersey

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I understand your points, but a guy could be a terrible public speaker and a really good coach or he could be a slick talker but be in way over his head as a coach.

I agree that Bernsie will likely have the Press Conference World Championship title belt all shined up and ready to be fastened snugly across Maddon's waist this afternoon.

Leave Jessie alone you meanie.

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Oh the irony of the overt self-aggrandizing anti-Bernstein circlejerk exceeding that of its genesis (i.e., Bernstein's level of overt self-aggrandizing), never mind the predictability of both.

That said, White Sox fans should be so fortunate as to have Jessie Rogers show up in an ill-fitting Cubs jersey.

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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

i chuckled while watching aubrun-ole miss sat. night the espn scroll at the bottom of the screen said rose was out [ankles]... had never seen ankles plural as an injury

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 2h2 hours ago
5 year deal for Joe Maddon
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Jesse isn't fat. It may be ill fitting because he fits into child sizes.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Dan Bernstein ‏@dan_bernstein 3m3 minutes ago
"Autocratic," "confluence" and "ameliorate" so far from #Maddon.

_________________
You know me like that.

Maddon: "Don't ever permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure" of this game. "This is baseball. It's a game an entertainment."

That counts Bernstein out!

I made a point of listening after the Emery and Trestman hiring pressers. I will pass on this one. I don't think I can stomach Bernsie's opinions on this.

Tim PumpkinSpiceHair ‏@TimBaffoe 35s35 seconds ago
Maddon is crapping all over the grind it out, lunchpail narrative, and it's so awesome.