New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[davearm2]

One of the posters on SOSH was listening to Lynch and this is what he heard. I bolded the part by the SOSH poster and underlined the most telling part.

 

Wow! Theo Epstein might be running the show here with just about complete and full power of the Cubs. :yahoo:

 

 

Lynch just said something like, "if Theo feels he is being pushed out the door by any of the owners, he won't take the interview."

 

Was kind of confusing, but he made it seem like Theo wouldn't screw the Cubs out of something good if all the Red Sox care about is getting the best asset back for Epstein.

 

Edit: He clarified and said that is the case. He also said if the Sox grant permission, they want Theo to leave.

So let me get this straight:

 

If the Sox grant permission, then that means they want Theo to leave. (Corrolary: if they don't want him to leave, then they won't grant permission.)

 

And if Theo feels they want him to leave, then he won't take the interview.

 

So if the above facts are correct, please explain how Epstein could ever interview for, let alone become the next Cubs' GM.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

lol vitters

 

Vitters really isn't as bad...iunno...he's very capable of finishing up next year as a highly significant prospect and he didn't exactly suck this year either.

 

He'd be perfect compensation, but only because he's the kind of talent that can explode for his new franchise. Personally I like Vitters alot...hes got bat speed and contact ability....and plenty of power upside...if you ask me those are excellent ingredients to building a hitter, even if everything hasn't clicked together yet.

 

I'm very wary on selling low on guys...I guess for the greater good...

[hawkeyecub]

Must stop my visions of Theo signing Pujols to the Cubs....

[davearm2]

Must stop my visions of Theo signing Pujols to the Cubs....

What's been unspoken (until now I guess) is that if Epstein and Francona come to Chicago to make the Cubs the Red Sox of the NL, two things are almost sure to happen: 1) Epstein is going to want to hit a homerun in free agency with a Pujols or a Fielder, and 2) Chicago would jump way up these guys' list of where they'd like to sign. It'd be the perfect storm.

[jersey cubs fan]

I like that Tampa's owner was crying about attendance and finances today. Friedman has to at least consider the possibility that the entire business model of that franchise is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, having a GM of my favorite team who is younger than me would freak me the F out.

[TheDude]

Soriano and Zambrano for Lackey, Crawford, and Epstein. (yes, I'm kidding)

[ctcf]

Soriano and Zambrano for Lackey, Crawford, and Epstein. (yes, I'm kidding)

 

Pretty sure that "joke" has already been made several times in this thread.

[minnesotacubsfan]

One of the posters on SOSH was listening to Lynch and this is what he heard. I bolded the part by the SOSH poster and underlined the most telling part.

 

Wow! Theo Epstein might be running the show here with just about complete and full power of the Cubs. :yahoo:

 

 

Lynch just said something like, "if Theo feels he is being pushed out the door by any of the owners, he won't take the interview."

 

Was kind of confusing, but he made it seem like Theo wouldn't screw the Cubs out of something good if all the Red Sox care about is getting the best asset back for Epstein.

 

Edit: He clarified and said that is the case. He also said if the Sox grant permission, they want Theo to leave.

So let me get this straight:

 

If the Sox grant permission, then that means they want Theo to leave. (Corrolary: if they don't want him to leave, then they won't grant permission.)

 

And if Theo feels they want him to leave, then he won't take the interview.

 

So if the above facts are correct, please explain how Epstein could ever interview for, let alone become the next Cubs' GM.

 

I think the part about him not wanting to be pushed out is in relationship to the Red Sox sacking the Cubs for players, meaning Theo wouldn't want to come here after we've been completely ransacked of talent.

 

What the Red Sox don't know is how little talent we really have! ha! jokes ON THEM!

[KingCubsFan]

I like that Tampa's owner was crying about attendance and finances today. Friedman has to at least consider the possibility that the entire business model of that franchise is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, having a GM of my favorite team who is younger than me would freak me the F out.

Tampa's business model is what it is at this point. I think the only thing that would change his mind was if he knows something definitive about the fate of a new stadium. Otherwise, the Rays will always have a small payroll and rely on revenue sharing to break even.

[jersey cubs fan]

I like that Tampa's owner was crying about attendance and finances today. Friedman has to at least consider the possibility that the entire business model of that franchise is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, having a GM of my favorite team who is younger than me would freak me the F out.

Tampa's business model is what it is at this point. I think the only thing that would change his mind was if he knows something definitive about the fate of a new stadium. Otherwise, the Rays will always have a small payroll and rely on revenue sharing to break even.

 

The expectations were that at least with a winner on the field they would be able to put butts in seats, and yet they couldn't even sell out a playoff game. The business model was try and win on the cheap, create a fanbase, build a stadium. They've won on the cheap, there is no fanbase, and the odds of getting a stadium built in this environment with no support from the public are pretty small.

[Vinestal]

I like that Tampa's owner was crying about attendance and finances today. Friedman has to at least consider the possibility that the entire business model of that franchise is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, having a GM of my favorite team who is younger than me would freak me the F out.

Tampa's business model is what it is at this point. I think the only thing that would change his mind was if he knows something definitive about the fate of a new stadium. Otherwise, the Rays will always have a small payroll and rely on revenue sharing to break even.

 

The expectations were that at least with a winner on the field they would be able to put butts in seats, and yet they couldn't even sell out a playoff game. The business model was try and win on the cheap, create a fanbase, build a stadium. They've won on the cheap, there is no fanbase, and the odds of getting a stadium built in this environment with no support from the public are pretty small.

 

The 2 go hand in hand. There's not a fan base because the ballpark sucks. If there was a ballpark there would be a much larger fanbase. Have you ever been to a game at the "Trop"? it's a truly heinous experience as baseball experiences go. Its like playing in a dark damp cheap high school gymnasium. I live an hour from Tampa/StPete and Ive been to 1 game there in the 6 years I've been here and until they play the Cubs again it's unlikely I'll go back. If they played in a nice retractable roof stadium I would likely get a game package every year and go frequently, despite the fact I really dislike the AL game.

[Exile on Waveland]

I like that Tampa's owner was crying about attendance and finances today. Friedman has to at least consider the possibility that the entire business model of that franchise is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, having a GM of my favorite team who is younger than me would freak me the F out.

Tampa's business model is what it is at this point. I think the only thing that would change his mind was if he knows something definitive about the fate of a new stadium. Otherwise, the Rays will always have a small payroll and rely on revenue sharing to break even.

 

The expectations were that at least with a winner on the field they would be able to put butts in seats, and yet they couldn't even sell out a playoff game. The business model was try and win on the cheap, create a fanbase, build a stadium. They've won on the cheap, there is no fanbase, and the odds of getting a stadium built in this environment with no support from the public are pretty small.

 

The 2 go hand in hand. There's not a fan base because the ballpark sucks. If there was a ballpark there would be a much larger fanbase. Have you ever been to a game at the "Trop"? it's a truly heinous experience as baseball experiences go. Its like playing in a dark damp cheap high school gymnasium. I live an hour from Tampa/StPete and Ive been to 1 game there in the 6 years I've been here and until they play the Cubs again it's unlikely I'll go back. If they played in a nice retractable roof stadium I would likely get a game package every year and go frequently, despite the fact I really dislike the AL game.

 

The Trop is terrible. Yet, people went to games at the old Busch, Riverfront, the Vet, Shea, etc, etc. If you can't draw when you're winning -- consistently -- I think it's a tough sell that a new ballpark is a panacea (especially if they stop winning).

[jersey cubs fan]

The 2 go hand in hand. There's not a fan base because the ballpark sucks. If there was a ballpark there would be a much larger fanbase. Have you ever been to a game at the "Trop"? it's a truly heinous experience as baseball experiences go. Its like playing in a dark damp cheap high school gymnasium. I live an hour from Tampa/StPete and Ive been to 1 game there in the 6 years I've been here and until they play the Cubs again it's unlikely I'll go back. If they played in a nice retractable roof stadium I would likely get a game package every year and go frequently, despite the fact I really dislike the AL game.

 

Yes, I realize the problem with the stadium. That doesn't taken anything away from what I just said. The business model was to win on the cheap to build a fanbase and yet they still couldn't sell out a playoff game. Tampa fans can't even sell out the Bucs who are playoff contenders, and that team has been around for 4 decades and play in a nice stadium.

 

All this should make Friedman think long and hard about sticking with the organization and maybe entice him to think about the Cubs.

[Guest]

Rosenbloom never fails to be dumb....and blah blah blah I know I'm giving him the attention and links he's trolling for by posting it here.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-heres-what-ricketts-needs-to-do-for-the-cubs-20111005,0,2877256.column

 

If Theo Epstein is Tom Ricketts’ top choice as Cubs general manager, then fine. Epstein presided over Boston’s historic collapse this year, which makes him very Cub, but he also has a couple World Series titles, which makes him a god around the North Side.

 

And so, the Cubs’ Fanboy Owner is knocking at the door to see if Epstein can come out and play, but the thing is, if you’re going to raid the Red Sox, then think bigger. Think smarter. Think critically.

 

Go after Boston team president Larry Lucchino. He’s terrific at building winning baseball organizations, and what the Cubs absolutely need is terrific at the top, not the Fanboy Owner or Clown Kenney.

 

Now, don’t expect Lucchino to bring along Epstein. They haven’t been BFFs for a while. So, pick one. Pick Lucchino.

 

 

lol, moron

 

I love how Epstein presided over the historic collapse, but the President, I guess, didn't.

 

His little nicknames are so clever, too. Fanboy Owner and Clown Kenney!

 

 

Apparently Ricketts hasn't made one smart decision yet, either.

 

Good. The more ill will in Boston, the better the chance that even the Cubs’ Fanboy Owner can get this one right for the first time since, I don’t know, his first day on the job.

[UMFan83]

Pretend that the "you have have Theo if you take Lackey" demand was real, how much of his contract would the Red Sox have to pick up before you considered doing it?

 

I'd probably say half. We need a back of the rotation pitcher anyways.

[Guest]

I'd rather hire somebody else than take another crappy old player with a crappy new contract.

[Elrhino]

The stadium excuse is pretty poor for the lack of attendance. I don't care they playing in a dirt field in an abandoned lot, you should draw to a contending team in the most competitive division in baseball. The problem is they're playing in a retirement city where most of the fans are 80+ year old former east coasters and mid westerners who already have life long allegiances to other teams. Edited October 5, 2011 by Elrhino

[SouthSideRyan]

Lucchino is terrific at building winning organizations? He had no playoff appearances with Baltimore and a fluky WS appearance (and sweep) with the Padres. He hasn't won [expletive] without Theo.

[Guest]

Is there anything that makes you look like more of a douche as a writer than making up your nicknames for certain people and using them over and over and over like you've come up with the most clever [expletive] thing in the world?

 

Mariotti did this too with Cubdom and other crap like that.

[davearm2]

This nonsense about the team presidency is just so lame.

 

Whoever comes in will be the baseball czar, no matter what title he's given, and a Crane Kenney type will still be needed to deal with 1,000 other things not directly related to the baseball side.

 

I mean do people really think Theo Epstein is going to have any interest in dealing with crap like bringing concerts and football games to Wrigley, interfacing with the city and the neighborhood about parking and crowd control, deciding where to put a Toyota sign, politicking for a triangle building, managing a "premium" ticket-scalping side business, hiring interns for the marketing department, etc.?

[jersey cubs fan]

John Lackey isn't a crappy old player. He's been a pretty reliable good player and he's 31. I'd strongly consider taking him on.

[davearm2]

The stadium excuse is pretty poor for the lack of attendance. I don't care they playing in a dirt field in an abandoned lot, you should draw to a contending team in the most competitive division in baseball. The problem is they're playing in a retirement city where most of the fans are 80+ year old former east coasters and mid westerners who already have life long allegiances to other teams.

Some areas just have crappy fanbases. Tampa may be one.

 

Atlanta has terrific new(ish) facilities and a large population, yet all of their professional teams struggle with attendance. Heck for years the Braves wouldn't sell out their postseason games, and the Thrashers just gave up and left town.

 

LA can't support an NFL team, etc...

[Guest]

John Lackey isn't a crappy old player. He's been a pretty reliable good player and he's 31. I'd strongly consider taking him on.

 

He's also 32, 33 next year (in about 3 week) and just put up a 66 ERA+ over a full season....not to mention a 1.6 WHIP and a 1.93 K/BB ratio.

 

No, thank you.

 

I'd rather hire somebody else than take on "fixing" him.

Edited October 5, 2011 by David

[davearm2]

John Lackey isn't a crappy old player. He's been a pretty reliable good player and he's 31. I'd strongly consider taking him on.

Seriously. I'd have no problem taking on Lackey. Move him to the NL and get the issues with his marriage resolved, and he could be a comeback player of the year candidate.

[Pushfrog98]

It's too bad we let Hendry go... I'd trade Hendry and Bush straight up for Epstein.