Ricketts' List of GM Candidates (Chicago Tribune)

[NCCubFan]

If the cubs are "tight with spending" then like 25 other MLB teams are too.

 

It is all relative. He is with the Red Sox now.

 

No its not relative. You said the Cubs are tight with spending and they have the 6th biggest payroll in baseball, 3rd last year. Sorry if the Cubs didn't shell out an extra 20 mil during a period where ownership changed and inherited an extremely flawed and overpaid team. 20 mil probably wouldn't have made this team a playoff team so theres no point in adding more high priced and potentially disasterous contracts. Rickets did the right thing and invested the money in scouting and the draft. Epstein would love smart ownership like that, possibly because it reminds him of the team he's currently with and not the bumbling band of morons that have symbolized the cubs front office for several decades.

 

His wording was flawed, but his point stands. Epstein has no motivation to jump ship. He has a situation that is already good. Everyone credits him with making it good, and while the Cubs' payroll is high the one he has now is higher than high.

 

why leave?

His wording wasn't really flawed at all. The point is, Epstein is going to be taking a downgrade if he leaves Boston, period.

 

Now he may wish to leave to pursue another challenge (heck he did that already once), but his next gig isn't going to have all of the advantages he enjoys in Boston.

It most certainly is flawed. He said that the Cubs are tight with money, and they most definitely are not. Just because they don't spend as much as the Red Sox doesn't make them tight.

[Backtobanks]

It's kind of hard to say the Cubs are tight with money when you look at Soriano, Zambrano, Ramirez, Dempster, Grabow, etc.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Any amount that the Red Sox have extra to spend is made up for by the fact that their division is much, much tougher.

[dfnowak]

If the cubs are "tight with spending" then like 25 other MLB teams are too.

 

It is all relative. He is with the Red Sox now.

 

No its not relative. You said the Cubs are tight with spending and they have the 6th biggest payroll in baseball, 3rd last year. Sorry if the Cubs didn't shell out an extra 20 mil during a period where ownership changed and inherited an extremely flawed and overpaid team. 20 mil probably wouldn't have made this team a playoff team so theres no point in adding more high priced and potentially disasterous contracts. Rickets did the right thing and invested the money in scouting and the draft. Epstein would love smart ownership like that, possibly because it reminds him of the team he's currently with and not the bumbling band of morons that have symbolized the cubs front office for several decades.

 

His wording was flawed, but his point stands. Epstein has no motivation to jump ship. He has a situation that is already good. Everyone credits him with making it good, and while the Cubs' payroll is high the one he has now is higher than high.

 

why leave?

His wording wasn't really flawed at all. The point is, Epstein is going to be taking a downgrade if he leaves Boston, period.

 

Now he may wish to leave to pursue another challenge (heck he did that already once), but his next gig isn't going to have all of the advantages he enjoys in Boston.

 

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

[Little Slide Rooter]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

[dfnowak]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that the Cubs can't offer a Team President position unless they give Kenney a different title. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

Edited September 2, 2011 by dfnowak

[SouthSideRyan]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bUKbv60pSCg/TflhgJcrD6I/AAAAAAAAAag/S9QshRt726g/s1600/khan.jpg

CRAAAAANNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

[Little Slide Rooter]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that Kenney is in the way of the Cubs offering his title to someone like Epstein. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

 

I think it's safe to say that Kenney will be kep away fromthe baseball operations. Ricketts specifically said that the GM reports to him, and if Kenney gets in the way, that's his funeral.

[Guest]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that Kenney is in the way of the Cubs offering his title to someone like Epstein. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

Please let me know how many times you need to be told that Kenney is not in charge of baseball operation?

 

That way we can get this nonsense over with.

[dfnowak]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that Kenney is in the way of the Cubs offering his title to someone like Epstein. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

 

I think it's safe to say that Kenney will be kep away fromthe baseball operations. Ricketts specifically said that the GM reports to him, and if Kenney gets in the way, that's his funeral.

 

I agree with this. I'm just saying the Cubs can't offer a Team President position b/c its currently filled. I wonder if Epstein, Cashman or Freidman would be more enticed to leave if it was a promotion rather than a lateral move?

 

As for Cashman and Freidman, don't their contracts run out after this season?

[dfnowak]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that Kenney is in the way of the Cubs offering his title to someone like Epstein. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

Please let me know how many times you need to be told that Kenney is not in charge of baseball operation?

 

That way we can get this nonsense over with.

 

Crane Kenney is Team President, is he not?

[Little Slide Rooter]

In additon to being a baseball team, the Cubs go well beyong to being a company. a business. There are a ton of employees from legal to PR and marketing to the Wrigley grounds crew and vending. My point is, there is a lot of personel and business going on all around the company itself that does not pertain to the players themselves. This is who Kenney should be presiding over, and leaving the baseball side to the GM and his people. Kenney can decide who they hire in the marketing department. The GM will decide whose on first and what's on second.

[Garwilly]

Maybe Epstein would be more enticed if the Cubs offered him the title of Team President, which would be a promotion rather than a lateral move? Oh wait, Crane Kenney already has that title...

 

Was that intended to be serious or just a pointless crack at Crane Kenney?

 

Serious, but sarcastic knowing that Kenney is in the way of the Cubs offering his title to someone like Epstein. Although, maybe in the end, Ricketts is willing to change Kenney's title and offer it to one of the "big fish"? It may take a promotion offer in order to hire Epstein, Cashman or Freidman.

Please let me know how many times you need to be told that Kenney is not in charge of baseball operation?

 

That way we can get this nonsense over with.

 

Crane Kenney is Team President, is he not?

 

So give Epstein the title "King of Baseball Operations". That would solve your "lateral move" issue. It's just a title.

[dfnowak]

The point of my post was wondering if it may take a promotion to lure Epstein, Cashman or Freidman away from their current teams, not about Kenney meddling in any of the baseball operations. What title, besides Team President, could be offered?

[Little Slide Rooter]

But the problem is, as we'vebeen saying, team president does not make the player personel decisions. Do we want to hire Brian Cashman to put together the best damn PR department in baseball? No, we want someone to put the baseball team together. I think that The GM title is sufficent under the condition that he has complete control of the player personel, within reason money wise.

[MSG T]

The point of my post was wondering if it may take a promotion to lure Epstein, Cashman or Freidman away from their current teams, not about Kenney meddling in any of the baseball operations. What title, besides Team President, could be offered?

 

Director of Baseball Operations. But if you have that, what's the point of a GM? Why not just offer one of those three an insane amount of money if they're the guy you want?

 

"Hey Andrew, I'll make you the highest paid GM in baseball by a large margin." If he's who you really want, why not?

[dfnowak]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

And do what then? Tell the GM what to do? Then he's essentially the GM with a fancier title, and you're paying for 2 GMs.

[MWV]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

And do what then? Tell the GM what to do? Then he's essentially the GM with a fancier title, and you're paying for 2 GMs.

At least 2. What happens when the second GM also demands a title other than GM and subsequently hires a GM to do his/her bidding?

President of baseball operations-->Player Development and Acquisition Czar-->Prince of baseballery-->GM.

[jersey cubs fan]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

Then we wouldn't want to hire them as GM now would we?

[dfnowak]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

And do what then? Tell the GM what to do? Then he's essentially the GM with a fancier title, and you're paying for 2 GMs.

At least 2. What happens when the second GM also demands a title other than GM and subsequently hires a GM to do his/her bidding?

President of baseball operations-->Player Development and Acquisition Czar-->Prince of baseballery-->GM.

 

Wow, that was really funny...

[dfnowak]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

Then we wouldn't want to hire them as GM now would we?

 

I guess not. If freidman is happy in Tampa, and Epstein and Cashman already have all of the money and resources at their disposal, what would it take to get any of these guys to come to the Cubs?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

Then we wouldn't want to hire them as GM now would we?

 

I guess not. If freidman is happy in Tampa, and Epstein and Cashman already have all of the money and resources at their disposal, what would it take to get any of these guys to come to the Cubs?

 

Make them GM, and they have free reign of the team. They can spend what they want, within reason. They can chose their own manager and all that fun stuff. It's probably throwing up a prayer, as I don't know how likley it is to pry these guys away from their cushy jobs, but that would hold more value than a different title. If Cashman or Epstein were to come to the Cubs, my guess is that it would be for the purposes of being the guy to end the longest drought in American spots history more so than the money, although the money would be a close 2nd. This being said, they'd want to be the guy to put the team together, AKA, The GM.

[EhDubya]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

Then we wouldn't want to hire them as GM now would we?

 

I guess not. If freidman is happy in Tampa, and Epstein and Cashman already have all of the money and resources at their disposal, what would it take to get any of these guys to come to the Cubs?

 

More money, easier division, new challenge.

[jersey cubs fan]

Not necessarily. Maybe these guys want a position of being able to hire their own GM, instead of being the GM?

 

Then we wouldn't want to hire them as GM now would we?

 

I guess not. If freidman is happy in Tampa, and Epstein and Cashman already have all of the money and resources at their disposal, what would it take to get any of these guys to come to the Cubs?

 

Friedman could feel stagnant as the third wheel team in the AL East, plus get a lot more money.

Cashman could love to get away from the psychotic Steinbrenner boys, prove he can get the job done without the biggest budget out there and have a lot less pressure to win the World Series every year.

I don't really see Epstein, except for the theoretical pride of fixing both legendarily titleless franchises.