New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[mookie]

Bob Brenly? Into Aramis? Why?

[Guest]

Bob Brenly? Into Aramis? Why?

 

Says he's a number gatherer in that his numbers always look good at the end of the year but that he kills you in the field and on the bases. Also says that he doesn't buy at all the angle that he has served as a leader/role-model for Castro (haven't even heard this angle).

[Banedon]

Gammons, per SoSH:

 

On if Epstein will move to the Cubs or stick with Boston: "I can understand the excitement of being the first guy to bring a world championship to both the Red Sox and the Cubs. It's an exciting proposition. ... I think they say [to the Cubs], 'Go ahead and talk to him.' And then we'll see how it works out. Knowing how rational John Henry is, I think that's a distinct possibility. It's, OK, you can talk to him, but can they offer him more, can they offer him something better than whatever they structured here? One thing that's happened here, that I'm told by a number of people, one thing that's evolved in the last couple of months is that the relationship between Theo and Larry Lucchino has gotten much better. That leads me to believe that it can get worked out better."

 

That is one confusing quote.

[Hollandsworths mug]

Bob Brenly? Into Aramis? Why?

 

Said that he has fallen off the face of the earth on defense, gets his 2B killed because he takes forever to turn a DP and is a base clogger. He also said that he is not a leader for Castro (Basically called it BS to believe that) and without saying it, called him a lazy ass. He did not use the term, but he was being diplomatic about it.

 

Once Brenly has a bone to pick with you, you're done as far as earning his respect back.

[Sammy Sofa]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

[Guest]

The Cubs are neither in "really bad shape," nor will it "take some time" to turn it around.

It's ok to admit that they are in trouble. They likely will be paying Z to play elsewhere so they will need to find three 2 and possibly 3 SP. They are paying Soriano lots of money to play near replacement level. They likely will need to find a 3rd, 1st, and 2nd baseman (at sme point) Who is going to play RF? There closer looks like he suffering the same malady as Brad Lidge. They have no game changing talent in the upper level of the minor leagues.

 

The system has to be flushed and mostly rebuilt. They started with this draft, but there is a long way to go.

[Hollandsworths mug]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

 

No, I do not agree with Bob on that at all. Aramis and Sori have been whipping boys and targets when there are far better guys to go after on this team.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

That is one confusing quote.

 

 

That pretty much sums up Gammons post-stroke.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I wonder how Brenly feels about Theriot's plight in St Louis.

[UMFan83]

We need starting pitching, Lackey has been at worst a 4.50 ERA pitcher in the AL except last year when there was documented personal issues. Maybe the personal issues didn't have anything to do with his ERA jumping up 2 runs per game (his FIP was something like 4.67 this year). But I think its more likely that had something to do with it than a 31 year old pitcher declining randomly.

 

 

He's not 31. He's 33 in 18 days. It's not a random decline, either. He has been steadily declining the past 3-4 years and this year, which also happens to be when he's oldest (duh), was awful.

 

Don't buy that this is a decline at age 32.

 

28: 3.01 ERA, 3.54 FIP

29: 3.75 ERA, 4.53 FIP

30: 3.83 ERA, 3.73 FIP

31: 4.40 ERA, 3.85 FIP

32: 6.41 ERA, 4.71 FIP

 

It doesn't seem like much of a decline at all until this year's drastic jump in ERA, which seems a little flukey. His ERA went up last year moving from LA to Bostn, but the FIP was nearly the same. He had a very similar FIP at 29 and had a much lower ERA.

 

I mean its possible he's in a steep decline. He's been pitching 200 innings a year for 8 years. But I don't think the stats give us any conclusive evidence as to an on going decline other than his age, which is by no means old enough to expect a decline.

 

*Also I will admit that I might be abusing the FIP stat a bit as I only know basic information about the stat and it's application so its possible I drew an incorrect conclusion.

[Guest]

Don't buy that this is a decline at age 32.

 

It doesn't seem like much of a decline at all until this year's drastic jump in ERA, which seems a little flukey. His ERA went up last year moving from LA to Bostn, but the FIP was nearly the same. He had a very similar FIP at 29 and had a much lower ERA.

 

I mean its possible he's in a steep decline. He's been pitching 200 innings a year for 8 years. But I don't think the stats give us any conclusive evidence as to an on going decline other than his age, which is by no means old enough to expect a decline.

 

*Also I will admit that I might be abusing the FIP stat a bit as I only know basic information about the stat and it's application so its possible I drew an incorrect conclusion.

 

His ERA+, WHIP, and K/BB have gotten worse every one of the last 4 years and he is basically 33 and just had a horrific season. How is that not a decline?

 

And, like you said, he's been piling up innings since his early 20's.

 

I, too, don't know much about FIP so I'm not going to really touch that.

[Fro]

The Cubs are neither in "really bad shape," nor will it "take some time" to turn it around.

It's ok to admit that they are in trouble. They likely will be paying Z to play elsewhere so they will need to find three 2 and possibly 3 SP. They are paying Soriano lots of money to play near replacement level. They likely will need to find a 3rd, 1st, and 2nd baseman (at sme point) Who is going to play RF? There closer looks like he suffering the same malady as Brad Lidge. They have no game changing talent in the upper level of the minor leagues.

 

The system has to be flushed and mostly rebuilt. They started with this draft, but there is a long way to go.

 

They certainly have some difficulties but with all the $$$ coming off the books by the 2013 season there's no reason why this team can't contend for the division while you rebuild the farm. We just need a GM who'll spend wisely.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Cubs are neither in "really bad shape," nor will it "take some time" to turn it around.

It's ok to admit that they are in trouble. They likely will be paying Z to play elsewhere so they will need to find three 2 and possibly 3 SP. They are paying Soriano lots of money to play near replacement level.

 

Even if they pay Zambrano to play elsewhere, and pay Soriano to be replacement level (which he certainly isn't right now, but you claimed he was in 2010 too, so who knows) that puts us about equal payroll wise with the rest of the division.

 

They likely will need to find a 3rd, 1st, and 2nd baseman (at sme point)

 

To go to the playoffs next year? No they don't.

 

Who is going to play RF?

 

Marlon Byrd

 

There closer looks like he suffering the same malady as Brad Lidge.

 

That malady being...?

 

They have no game changing talent in the upper level of the minor leagues.

 

"Game changer" is a nonsense phrase. Brett Jackson will be starting every day in CF sooner than later, and they'd have to try to not shake out an average 2B from the upper levels/Barney.

 

The system has to be flushed and mostly rebuilt. They started with this draft, but there is a long way to go.

 

Not it doesn't, and no there isn't.

Edited October 5, 2011 by SouthSideRyan

[TheDude]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

 

No, I do not agree with Bob on that at all. Aramis and Sori have been whipping boys and targets when there are far better guys to go after on this team.

 

Who is a better target? These are the highest priced veterans expected to lead the club. Accepting an elite salary brings with it higher expectations and more criticism for failure.

[SouthSideRyan]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

 

No, I do not agree with Bob on that at all. Aramis and Sori have been whipping boys and targets when there are far better guys to go after on this team.

 

Who is a better target? These are the highest priced veterans expected to lead the club. Accepting an elite salary brings with it higher expectations and more criticism for failure.

 

Excrement.

[EhDubya]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

 

Hollandsworth's Mug wants Brenly as GM, obviously.

[Guest]

Dan Bernstein seems to think that a high profile hire like this could be what puts them over the top to get the money from the city for the renovations.

 

 

 

He also seems to think that, because of those $300M, it's worth giving up Castro if you have to (lol).

Edited October 5, 2011 by David

[Hollandsworths mug]

Soooooo...do you agree with him? And why is this being posted in this thread?

 

No, I do not agree with Bob on that at all. Aramis and Sori have been whipping boys and targets when there are far better guys to go after on this team.

 

Who is a better target? These are the highest priced veterans expected to lead the club. Accepting an elite salary brings with it higher expectations and more criticism for failure.

 

Dempster and Marmol were pathetic and they are not abused like ARam and Sori have been. In fact, it's not even close. Sori is just declining, not his fault Hendry paid him a zillion dollars for 8 years. And I do not want Soriano on the team, but the abuse he takes is rather comical. The guy, by all accounts, is a good teammate.

[SouthSideRyan]

If he was really a good teammate the Cubs would be winning.

[Guest]

Can we please stop with the discussion of Ramirez and leadership, etc. in this thread? There's plenty of interest in the GM search in this thread, so please start a new thread or find one that's more relevant if you'd like to continue discussing Brenly's comments and the ensuing tangents.

[Hollandsworths mug]

If he was really a good teammate the Cubs would be winning.

 

Doesn't hustle.

[Guest]

Is anybody else listening to Boers and Bernstein and hearing this talk about the money and Emmanuel and the politics being played...and how Epstein is the type of hire that could sway the public opinion on something like this, etc....?

[SouthSideRyan]

Is anybody else listening to Boers and Bernstein and hearing this talk about the money and Emmanuel and the politics being played...and how Epstein is the type of hire that could sway the public opinion on something like this, etc....?

 

Is there any sort of logic behind what they're saying? Or just standard B&B-ery

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I remember that one time I listened to them.

[Elrhino]

The Cubs are neither in "really bad shape," nor will it "take some time" to turn it around.

It's ok to admit that they are in trouble. They likely will be paying Z to play elsewhere so they will need to find three 2 and possibly 3 SP. They are paying Soriano lots of money to play near replacement level. They likely will need to find a 3rd, 1st, and 2nd baseman (at sme point) Who is going to play RF? There closer looks like he suffering the same malady as Brad Lidge. They have no game changing talent in the upper level of the minor leagues.

 

The system has to be flushed and mostly rebuilt. They started with this draft, but there is a long way to go.

 

They certainly have some difficulties but with all the $$$ coming off the books by the 2013 season there's no reason why this team can't contend for the division while you rebuild the farm. We just need a GM who'll spend wisely.

 

This is assuming that there will be significant difference making options out there to spend the money on, especially when it comes to starting pitching. There's more money to go around in baseball than good starting pitchers. The Yankees have as much money as anyone, and they can barely field a 4 man rotation and have to take fliers on Bartolo Colon. A lot of people act like we might as well just pencil in CJ Wilson into the Cubbie rotation next year. I would be very surprised if he doesn't resign with the Rangers. He and the organization have a deep mutual respect, he's a huge fan favorite and the Rangers new ownership has very deep pockets and are still smarting after Cliff Lee left them. Just because you have the means to make it happen doesn't mean it's going to happen. It just means the Cubs can put in their bid with the other 5 or 6 big money teams who also desperately need starting pitching.

Edited October 5, 2011 by Elrhino