Brewersfan.net interview with ex-Cub Brooks Kieschnick

[Post Count Padder]

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewArticle.do?articleId=292

 

And the interesting part:

 

BF: You didn't have the success everyone projected with the Cubs... why not?

 

BK: You know, honestly, I knew my career was in trouble the minute the Cubs drafted me. (laughs)

 

BF: Brewer fans will love you for that one, Brooks. You said that with a laugh, did you mean it?

 

BK: Oh, absolutely. I spent one week in Rookie ball, and one week in A ball, then I went right to AA. The first day I was there, the first half of the season was winding down, and the team was right in the race. Two of the guys went around saying, "Hey, let's see if we can get a losing streak going, so we can go home on time." These guys did not want to make the playoffs because it would extend the end of the season.

 

In college, everyone plays to win - it's all about school pride, making it to the College World Series, all of that. Nobody ever talked about trying to lose. When I got to pro ball, there were all kinds of different agendas. Some guys were hoping for a release so they could hook on somewhere else, some were just glad to be there, some were trying to move up, and some knew they never would... it was just a major culture shock for me.

 

BF: OK, so you feel as though the Cubs mishandled your career?

 

BK: Yes, I do. I was drafted by Larry Himes, then after that first season, the team changed GMs, they changed managers, they changed over everybody, and it was like they forgot I was there. It happened again too, before I knew it, the team had been through two GMs and three managers – I felt like I got lost in the shuffle.

 

BF: How so?

 

BK: They told me they wanted to be their left fielder for ten years, and then when I did get called up, they gave me 70 At-Bats, and then sent me back down to Iowa. They told me they had a kid down there who was swinging a hot bat, that was Robin Jennings. The same thing happened to Jennings, neither one of us ever really got a chance to show what we could do.

 

BF: OK, walk me through that.

 

BK: I made the team in '96, when Dave Magadan got hurt. Jim Riggleman was the manager. I got six At-Bats, Todd, then they sent me back down. Now come on, if you're supposed to be the left fielder for ten years... how can you show anyone anything in six ABs?

 

BF: Good point.

 

BK: So, they brought me back up in August, and I hit like .391. They told me left field was mine to lose the following year. In '97, they had myself, Robin Jennings, and Brant Brown... they sent Jennings and I out, and went with Brown. They told us he had the best glove of the three. I'd had a big spring, Todd, and they had told me it was mine to lose... it was a real slap in the face.

 

I got called up, and I started well, I think I was leading the team in homers and RBIs when we went out west. I went about 2 for 22, and they sent me down again. I said, "Anyone can go into a slump but me?" It was just one of those things, I just never got 500 ABs to prove myself, and they labeled me as a guy who couldn't field, and couldn't hit lefties.

 

Bitter much?

[Clem Fandango]

It's probably the truth. Don't know how he sounds bitter. He sounds like a guy telling a story to someone who asked him about it

[CubbieBum]

He might be bitter but if all that really happened I don't blame him. Plus its not like he was talking about it out of the blue. He was asked about it in an interview.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

He's also playing to his audience.

[Guest]

It's probably the truth. Don't know how he sounds bitter. He sounds like a guy telling a story to someone who asked him about it

i don't think he's bitter. The cubs were a very bad organization during that time. However, his story sounds similar to a lot of guys I've been around who spent a lot of time in the minor and we're fringey. Imagine the stories a guy like Murton or C-pat will have

[Clem Fandango]

It's probably the truth. Don't know how he sounds bitter. He sounds like a guy telling a story to someone who asked him about it

i don't think he's bitter. The cubs were a very bad organization during that time. However, his story sounds similar to a lot of guys I've been around who spent a lot of time in the minor and we're fringey. Imagine the stories a guy like Murton or C-pat will have

 

Murton definitely. Corey Patterson though is responsible for his own terrible downfall. He had plenty of opportunity to right the ship and he failed miserably. If I ever see an interview with him where he talks about not getting a fair shake, I'm gonna laugh.

[TruffleShuffle]

it's not much of a secret that the cubs management was completely inept in the '80s and '90s. the story about guys trying to lose to get the season over with seems kind of weird to me, but i'm sure that the cubs screwed up plenty of prospects. their scouting hasn't been good, but chances are pretty thin that you don't develop a decent position player for 20 years without making some pretty serious mistakes.

[Eric Clipperton]

Brooks Kieschnick had a hilarious baseball card at some point, I don't remember why this was but it is all I really remember about him since I was like 12 and knew nothing about baseball since the '92 Pirates except for things learned from collecting baseball cards.

[hardcorecubfan]

The 90's were a bit of a mess for the Cub organization.

[NewUserName]

The Cubs have been really bad at drafting/developing position players. I dont know if Kieschnick was ever going to be star. His story seem awfully familiar to many young Cub position players through many different GMs. Seems like there is always some reason to not give youngsters a chance...Cant field, not clutch, cant hit lefties, blah blah blah. Which if the Cubs had players who could do those things better, great. I think the Cubs have proven that if you are a young player just breaking in you had better be performing at an all-star level or close. If not you will not be given any kind of extended opportunity. This has been the case as long as I have been a Cub fan. If you are a young player doing ok, you had better not go into any kind of slump. The team will not let you work yourself out of it.

[Soul]

Can't really blame Brooks much for those comments. I echo the other sentiments in this thread: Cubs have been notoriously bad at managing their prospects, especially around the time BK was going through the system.

 

It seems better now, to me.

[illiniguy]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

[imb]

it was a perfect storm of an inept organization drafting an overrated fat white guy

 

im sure larry himes is reading those quotes right now and crying himself to sleep

[NonProfitCow]

it was a perfect storm of an inept organization drafting an overrated fat white guy

 

im sure larry himes is reading those quotes right now and crying himself to sleep

He's back!

[SouthSideRyan]

Oh, was IMB gone? I hadn't noticed.

[apete6]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

[illiniguy]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

We definately produced some talent at that point. Hell Jamie Moyer is still pitching today. But also Maddux, Dunston, Grace, Girardi, et. There were some guysfrom the era of BK that made it inspite of our organizations downfalls. Plus I am sure it was Tampa Bay's fault for never playing him once he was picked in the expansion draft too.

[jersey cubs fan]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

We definately produced some talent at that point. Hell Jamie Moyer is still pitching today. But also Maddux, Dunston, Grace, Girardi, et. There were some guysfrom the era of BK that made it inspite of our organizations downfalls. Plus I am sure it was Tampa Bay's fault for never playing him once he was picked in the expansion draft too.

 

What are you peoople talking about? BK was drafted in '93, none of the guys you discussed were part of that "era". Those were all mid-80's or earlier guys. Different people in charge. They produced no hitters.

 

Brooks may not have made it regardless of coaching, but I firmly believe that teams can destroy talent and ruin their chances, and I am convinced the Cubs, especially of that era, did it frequently.

[TruffleShuffle]

Brooks may not have made it regardless of coaching, but I firmly believe that teams can destroy talent and ruin their chances, and I am convinced the Cubs, especially of that era, did it frequently.

 

agreed. the cubs' scouting from the mid 80s to early 2000s was surely sub-par as well, but i find it hard to believe that between the draft and latin america, they didn't find at least (by accident) a few guys who had the ability to become good major league hitters if treated properly.

[illiniguy]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

We definately produced some talent at that point. Hell Jamie Moyer is still pitching today. But also Maddux, Dunston, Grace, Girardi, et. There were some guysfrom the era of BK that made it inspite of our organizations downfalls. Plus I am sure it was Tampa Bay's fault for never playing him once he was picked in the expansion draft too.

 

What are you peoople talking about? BK was drafted in '93, none of the guys you discussed were part of that "era". Those were all mid-80's or earlier guys. Different people in charge. They produced no hitters.

 

Brooks may not have made it regardless of coaching, but I firmly believe that teams can destroy talent and ruin their chances, and I am convinced the Cubs, especially of that era, did it frequently.

What about Kerry Wood, Rey Sanchez, Doug Glanville, Jon Garland?

[CubbieBum]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

We definately produced some talent at that point. Hell Jamie Moyer is still pitching today. But also Maddux, Dunston, Grace, Girardi, et. There were some guysfrom the era of BK that made it inspite of our organizations downfalls. Plus I am sure it was Tampa Bay's fault for never playing him once he was picked in the expansion draft too.

 

What are you peoople talking about? BK was drafted in '93, none of the guys you discussed were part of that "era". Those were all mid-80's or earlier guys. Different people in charge. They produced no hitters.

 

Brooks may not have made it regardless of coaching, but I firmly believe that teams can destroy talent and ruin their chances, and I am convinced the Cubs, especially of that era, did it frequently.

What about Kerry Wood, Rey Sanchez, Doug Glanville, Jon Garland?

 

Is that a joke? I really can't tell. If the hitter you hang your hat on for an era is a guy like Sanchez who had 1300 hits and an OPS under .700 for his career than you really really sucked at developing/evaluating hitters. Dough Glanville isn't any better either.

[jersey cubs fan]

What sucks is Brooks went on to have an AllStar career elsewhere. Oh wait. Sure the Cubs were poorly ran in the '80s and '90s, but Brooks sucked as well.

 

x1000. If he actually was good enough, the Cubs wouldn't have been enough to ruin him on their own. Look at Walton and Smith and Grace and Palmeiro and even Sosa for that matter even though he wasn't in our minor league system. If the coaches on any level saw enough in him to warrant playing time, he would have been given the chance. We gave freaking Kevin Orie and Brant Brown significant playing time.

We definately produced some talent at that point. Hell Jamie Moyer is still pitching today. But also Maddux, Dunston, Grace, Girardi, et. There were some guysfrom the era of BK that made it inspite of our organizations downfalls. Plus I am sure it was Tampa Bay's fault for never playing him once he was picked in the expansion draft too.

 

What are you peoople talking about? BK was drafted in '93, none of the guys you discussed were part of that "era". Those were all mid-80's or earlier guys. Different people in charge. They produced no hitters.

 

Brooks may not have made it regardless of coaching, but I firmly believe that teams can destroy talent and ruin their chances, and I am convinced the Cubs, especially of that era, did it frequently.

What about Kerry Wood, Rey Sanchez, Doug Glanville, Jon Garland?

 

Wood was the crown jewel of the era, as a can't miss flamethrower. Garland was traded for Matt freaking Karchner because the Cubs have always liked wasting resources on run-of-the-mill relievers. But none of those guys were quality major league bats, which the Cubs failed to produce for about a decade and a half.

[illiniguy]

 

Is that a joke? I really can't tell. If the hitter you hang your hat on for an era is a guy like Sanchez who had 1300 hits and an OPS under .700 for his career than you really really sucked at developing/evaluating hitters. Dough Glanville isn't any better either.

So we drafted poorly, I'm not arguing against that. But, the main point is Kieschnick was crap. He wasn't becoming anything no matter who drafted him. But, its cool instead of saying that things didn't work out he instead tries to throw our organization under the bus. Again why doesn't he rip on Tampa Bay? They took him from us and never promoted him to the bigs either.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

Is that a joke? I really can't tell. If the hitter you hang your hat on for an era is a guy like Sanchez who had 1300 hits and an OPS under .700 for his career than you really really sucked at developing/evaluating hitters. Dough Glanville isn't any better either.

So we drafted poorly, I'm not arguing against that. But, the main point is Kieschnick was crap. He wasn't becoming anything no matter who drafted him. But, its cool instead of saying that things didn't work out he instead tries to throw our organization under the bus. Again why doesn't he rip on Tampa Bay? They took him from us and never promoted him to the bigs either.

 

He may have thrown the organization under the bus but the organization proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were completely incompetent, and worthy of being thrown under a bus. You seem to be taking it personally that he thinks the Cubs of the mid-90's were a dysfunctional group of nitwits. The truth hurts. That was just the fact. He was in the Cubs system during his prime developmental years.

 

Again, he may have never done any better if he started somewhere else, but it's not hard at all to imagine the Cubs system failed miserably to develop the talent they got. The organization was horrible.

[illiniguy]

 

Is that a joke? I really can't tell. If the hitter you hang your hat on for an era is a guy like Sanchez who had 1300 hits and an OPS under .700 for his career than you really really sucked at developing/evaluating hitters. Dough Glanville isn't any better either.

So we drafted poorly, I'm not arguing against that. But, the main point is Kieschnick was crap. He wasn't becoming anything no matter who drafted him. But, its cool instead of saying that things didn't work out he instead tries to throw our organization under the bus. Again why doesn't he rip on Tampa Bay? They took him from us and never promoted him to the bigs either.

 

He may have thrown the organization under the bus but the organization proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were completely incompetent, and worthy of being thrown under a bus. You seem to be taking it personally that he thinks the Cubs of the mid-90's were a dysfunctional group of nitwits. The truth hurts. That was just the fact. He was in the Cubs system during his prime developmental years.

 

Again, he may have never done any better if he started somewhere else, but it's not hard at all to imagine the Cubs system failed miserably to develop the talent they got. The organization was horrible.

Oh I am well aware we sucked, that's pretty much common knowledge. But, I loathe it when guys say crap like oh guys were hoping we would lose. Ok then say who it was by name. If you're gonna throw that junk out there be ready to say who it was. Even better yet, why didn't you say something at the time to management. This guy is blaming every failure in his life on the Cubs. He sucked. We sucked.