Best Case Scenario (I can dream)

[halplm]

Ok, this is mine, but obviously it's not necessary for things to get a lot better...

 

Suppose the Trib sold the team to someone (anyone that knows how to win), they remove the entire front office of the team... EVERYONE... and the coaching staff, starting from scratch...

 

Whoever the new GM is (I don't care as long as they value OBP), trades away the half to 3/4s of the team that sucks, or just releases them if we can't get anything for them...

 

What would be left of the team? Not much... but we could rebuild a better one...

 

I'm guessing we could contend again within 3 years... if we really got a team built almost from scratch with a new philosophy...

 

Well, I can dream, can't I?

Edited May 25, 2006 by halplm

[matt-o-meter19]

Ok, this is mine, but obviously it's not necessary for things to get a lot better...

 

Suppose the Trib sold the team to someone (anyone that knows how to win), they remove the entire front office of the team... EVERYONE... and the coaching staff, starting from scratch...

 

Whoever the new GM is (I don't care as long as they value OBP), trades away the half to 3/4s of the team that sucks, or just releases them if we can't get anything for them...

 

What would be left of the team? Not much... but we could rebuild a better one...

 

I'm guessing we could contend again within 3 years... if we really got a team built almost from scratch with a new philosophy...

 

Well, I can dream, can't I?

 

Sorry, but I can't get past your first four words.........."Suppose the Trib sold" - it's not going to happen.

[PrimeTime]

We need Mark Cuban to buy the team and clean house like he did with the Mavericks...Atleast the guy would spend some of his money on players unlike the trib

[CubfaninCA]

Title this dream scenario.

[halplm]

I know it's not going to happen... not as long as they make money... but if Hendry keeps locking in horrible players for large sums of money, and people stop caring about the team and learn they can drink beer without watching bad baseball...

 

then the Trib won't want the team...

[Magnetic Curses]

We need Mark Cuban to buy the team and clean house like he did with the Mavericks...Atleast the guy would spend some of his money on players unlike the trib

 

i don't see how spending 95 mil on a MLB team is not spending money.

 

the trib's problem is that they are a bad judge of baseball know-how.

[BigbadB]

We need Mark Cuban to buy the team and clean house like he did with the Mavericks...Atleast the guy would spend some of his money on players unlike the trib

 

Exactly how much money would you like the Trib to spend? Would you like them to spend as much as Boston spends on their team? If so, would you also like them to raise their ticket prices to something that more closely resembles the Red Sox ticket prices? Take a look at how much Red Sox tickets are before you respond with a YES!

 

The problem isn't the Tribune and how much they'll spend. It's who they employed to delegate how that money gets spent, which falls on the shoulders of Andy MacPhail and Jim Hendry.

 

If you are shopping the papers for a used car, and a guy has the exact car you are looking for, and the blue book value is $1500, but the transmission needs some work, the engine warning light is on, the tires are bald and the interior is trashed. The guy is willing to part with this car for $200. Are you going to offer him $5000 for this car?

 

Of course not. That would be foolish. But, that's basically what MacPhail and Hendry have been doing. They did it with Pierre, Jones, Rusch, Neifi, Hairston, Blanco, Mabry, etc....

 

With the money they could have saved by paying these players their actual value, they could have gotten at least another good player. With the money they would have saved by not spending that money at all on such crap players, they could have afforded good players.

 

Blanco at 850K or Soto at 350K? That's a half a million. Would the team be worse with Soto? I suppose that depends on whether he could hit lower than .050.

 

Neifi Perez at 2.5m or Ryan Theriot at 3.5K? That's more than 2m in savings.

 

Boom. Between those two alone, that's enough to afford Kenny Lofton. Kenny provides depth off the bench and can spot start occasionally.

 

Instead of trading most of the starting staff at Iowa for a slap hitting CFer, trade some of those guys (all of them if it takes that much) for Milton Bradley. Bradley makes 3m and Pierre makes 6m. Pierre is a free agent next year and Bradley is not. That's another 3m in savings. Take Pierre's extra money and the money spent on Glendon Rusch, and you actually have enough money to retain Nomar.

 

Let's now pretend Brian Giles was available via free agency. Just pretending now, cuz I really don't want to get into this argument again. But, let's pretend that Giles was available. Let's also pretend that it would have taken 13m a year for 3 years to make it happen. The 6m saved by not signing Jacque Jones, the 6m they were supposedly saving for trade deadline moves and the little more left and any other left over gets the job done.

 

Now, here's what you have going into 2006.

 

Bradley (CF)

Walker

Lee

Giles

Aramis

Nomar (LF)

Barrett

Cedeno

 

Bench

 

Murton

Patterson

Lofton

Hairston

Soto

Theriot

 

The starting line up has 7 guys capable of providing .340+ OBP. The bench has 3 guys capable of doing the same.

 

Okay, Giles wasn't available and the pitching staff needs help. The money spent on Giles gets spent on Millwood instead. Anything left over could be spent on deepening the bench after Murton takes an outfield job.

 

Fire whoever turned Patterson into such an out machine and get someone who can patiently work with him. Until he figures it out or at least builds up a respectable trade value, why trade him? Giving people away is not a good business practice.

 

The team listed above with our current pitching staff is about 5 or 6m more than the team they are currently trotting out on the field.

 

Every team in the Cubs division that has a better record right now than the Cubs has a smaller budget to work with. The Tribune is outspending them all.

 

So, is the problem really that the Tribune won't spend the money, or is it that they employed idiots to spend the money? That they employed idiots to spend the money I do fault the Tribune for.

 

The team I assembled above was realistic (unless anyone wishes to claim Giles was not available). So, you make a deal for a power lefty bat from somewhere else. Shawn Green, Cliff Floyd, or even Jacque Jones on a 1 year deal for 3 or 4m and you have a team with tremendous depth. When Derrek Lee goes down for 2 months, you have Nomar to stick at 1b.

 

Instead, Hendry focused his energy and monetary resources with getting guys who are more famous for catching the ball, and that is why this team can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag.

[gerby23]

Uhhh, we're not far behind Boston for avg. ticket prices as it is. $12 yes, but we are second in the majors. :(

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5493026

[BigbadB]

Uhhh, we're not far behind Boston for avg. ticket prices as it is. $12 yes, but we are second in the majors. :(

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5493026

 

Okay, now take $12 a seat x 38,000 seats x 81 home dates and what do you get? It's over 36m in extra revenue. Does Fenway have parking to draw revenue from? Wrigley doesn't.

 

How much more is Boston's annual salary? It's not 36m more than the Cubs.

 

What I outlined above was just an example of how the Cubs could have "wisely" spent money in the 2005 offseason.

 

The point was that the problem is not that the Trib won't shell out the money, but rather how Hendry spent the money made available. Neifi's 2.5m, Rusch's. 3m, Hairston's 2m, Blanco's .5m, Pierre's 6m, Jones' 6m is 20m that could have gone towards good players instead of mediocre to below average players.

[BigbadB]

I might also point out that over the last several years, the Cubs ticket prices have steadily gone up, but so has the overall team salary. In 2000, I don't think the salary was much more than 65m. They are 30m more than that today.

[gerby23]

I might also point out that over the last several years, the Cubs ticket prices have steadily gone up, but so has the overall team salary. In 2000, I don't think the salary was much more than 65m. They are 30m more than that today.

Whoa Whoa Whoa, easy killer! I wasn't for or against, just posting that we are the second highest charging team. Thats all.

I have no idea if Fenway has parking BTW, but do they have a TV/radio revenue like us? I don't know that either.

I know we spend and have been spending, albeit in the wrong places, I am not a "Trib needs to spend more" kind of guy at all.

Sorry if you took it wrong.

[oldstyle81]

its not the amount of money we are spending

 

its the quality we are geting for the money spent

 

isint like 26 million + on the disabled list?

[BigbadB]

I might also point out that over the last several years, the Cubs ticket prices have steadily gone up, but so has the overall team salary. In 2000, I don't think the salary was much more than 65m. They are 30m more than that today.

Whoa Whoa Whoa, easy killer! I wasn't for or against, just posting that we are the second highest charging team. Thats all.

I have no idea if Fenway has parking BTW, but do they have a TV/radio revenue like us? I don't know that either.

I know we spend and have been spending, albeit in the wrong places, I am not a "Trib needs to spend more" kind of guy at all.

Sorry if you took it wrong.

 

Heh! I wasn't quoting you when you quoted me. :D

 

But, you did find the difference in ticket prices, which was something I was looking for. Thanks!

[sethuel1]

Does Fenway have parking to draw revenue from? Wrigley doesn't.

 

not true. The Cubs have the blue lot, which fits about 250 cars at (at least) $20 a pop, and the green lot, which fits about 1000 cars at (at least) $15 a pop.

 

EDIT: an extra $1,620,000. Not chump change, but it's not gonna pay the salary of a decent baseball player like Neifi.

[Fro]

The Trib makes a lot more off the Cubs than just park revenue. They've got to make a killing on merchandise, plus Cubs games keeping cable systems from dropping WGN from their lineup.

[gerby23]

I might also point out that over the last several years, the Cubs ticket prices have steadily gone up, but so has the overall team salary. In 2000, I don't think the salary was much more than 65m. They are 30m more than that today.

Whoa Whoa Whoa, easy killer! I wasn't for or against, just posting that we are the second highest charging team. Thats all.

I have no idea if Fenway has parking BTW, but do they have a TV/radio revenue like us? I don't know that either.

I know we spend and have been spending, albeit in the wrong places, I am not a "Trib needs to spend more" kind of guy at all.

Sorry if you took it wrong.

 

Heh! I wasn't quoting you when you quoted me. :D

 

But, you did find the difference in ticket prices, which was something I was looking for. Thanks!

Truce & Your welcome :wink:

[BigbadB]

The Trib makes a lot more off the Cubs than just park revenue. They've got to make a killing on merchandise, plus Cubs games keeping cable systems from dropping WGN from their lineup.

 

Your point is well taken. But, if given a 150m payroll, do you think these dimwits would spend it on quality players, or would they just give the crap players they currently have more money?

 

I can see it now. Neifi (6m), Rusch (6m), Jacque (10m), Bynum (2m), etc...

 

Ludicrous assumption? Maybe. But it's also ludicrous to give Neifi Perez 2.5m. The Yankees and their nearly 200m payroll doesn't pay Miguel Cairo 2.5m. Boston doesn't pay Cora 2.5m. Heck, Chone Figgins doesn't make 2.5m and he's actually GOOD!

 

There is no reason to pay over market price for someone. If Dusty is such a great guy to play for, wouldn't Neifi have come back for say 1m? 850K? If not, nice knowin' ya Neifi. Why? Because Ryan Theriot is probably equal or better and only costs league minimum.

 

If you pay more than market value for 1 player, a team can probably absorb it. Several players? It's going to make an impact on your overall production. Because instead of affording GOOD players, you have to settle for mediocre players.

[USSoccer]

The Trib makes a lot more off the Cubs than just park revenue. They've got to make a killing on merchandise, plus Cubs games keeping cable systems from dropping WGN from their lineup.

 

Your point is well taken. But, if given a 150m payroll, do you think these dimwits would spend it on quality players, or would they just give the crap players they currently have more money?

 

I can see it now. Neifi (6m), Rusch (6m), Jacque (10m), Bynum (2m), etc...

 

Ludicrous assumption? Maybe. But it's also ludicrous to give Neifi Perez 2.5m. The Yankees and their nearly 200m payroll doesn't pay Miguel Cairo 2.5m. Boston doesn't pay Cora 2.5m. Heck, Chone Figgins doesn't make 2.5m and he's actually GOOD!

 

There is no reason to pay over market price for someone. If Dusty is such a great guy to play for, wouldn't Neifi have come back for say 1m? 850K? If not, nice knowin' ya Neifi. Why? Because Ryan Theriot is probably equal or better and only costs league minimum.

 

If you pay more than market value for 1 player, a team can probably absorb it. Several players? It's going to make an impact on your overall production. Because instead of affording GOOD players, you have to settle for mediocre players.

 

BBB, thank you for this post. It reaffirms my rantings and ravings from the winter before the 2005 season. If you overpay the crap, even if it's a million here, 2 million there, it will hamper your ability to get someone actually good.

[CubfaninCA]

milton bradley???????

 

he's only played 21 games this year, and why did the dodgers need nolasco and pinto over ethier? they had lowe, penny, seo, perez and tomko and billingsly is supposed to be great.

[CubsBullsBears]

How about a manager who plays young guys, doesn't think walks clog the bases for guys who can run, and someone who knows how to keep his pitcher healthy.

[Soul]

The Trib makes a lot more off the Cubs than just park revenue. They've got to make a killing on merchandise, plus Cubs games keeping cable systems from dropping WGN from their lineup.

 

Pretty good point. However, if they keep pushing more & more games to off-color local jobbies like CLTV and CSN+, you might start seeing cable carriers go "we already have a WB channel, cya."

[CubfaninCA]

How about a manager who plays young guys, doesn't think walks clog the bases for guys who can run, and someone who knows how to keep his pitcher healthy.

 

??

murton, cedeno, hill, guzman, marshall and williams have gotten a chance to play.

[CubsBullsBears]

How about a manager who plays young guys, doesn't think walks clog the bases for guys who can run, and someone who knows how to keep his pitcher healthy.

 

??

murton, cedeno, hill, guzman, marshall and williams have gotten a chance to play.

How about Pie? :roll:

[Transmogrified Tiger]

How about a manager who plays young guys, doesn't think walks clog the bases for guys who can run, and someone who knows how to keep his pitcher healthy.

 

??

murton, cedeno, hill, guzman, marshall and williams have gotten a chance to play.

How about Pie? :roll:

 

What?

[CubfaninCA]

How about a manager who plays young guys, doesn't think walks clog the bases for guys who can run, and someone who knows how to keep his pitcher healthy.

 

??

murton, cedeno, hill, guzman, marshall and williams have gotten a chance to play.

How about Pie? :roll:

 

no reason to call him up and have patterson part II. he doesn't need to be infected by this sick bunch anyways. keep him in iowa.