New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[jersey cubs fan]

Pressure in Chicago to win doesn't even compare to the pressure in Boston. He brought 2 titles to a title starved city and half the people still want him gone. Jim Hendry brought a few playoff appearances and more 90 loss seasons than 90 win seasons and there were still people who thought he deserved to try again next year. Chicago still worships the 85 freaking Bears even though they should have brought 2-3 Super Bowls.

 

If Theo avoids 90 loss seasons in Chicago, and gets them into the playoffs on occasion, there will be no pressure.

[Laura]

Here's the audio of the Shaer interview:

 

http://audio.weei.com/a/46854152/chicago-media-insider-tom-shaer-gives-us-the-latest-on-theo-epstein-to-the-cubs.htm

 

Who is Tom Shaer? Evidently he's a Chicago media guy who was on NESN this morning. He said Theo could get a 5 year deal for 3 per from Ricketts. Said the organizational infrastructure needs to be redone, as Boston's is much better and deeper, something Theo is used to. Said Ricketts is very far into his search, including his B level candidates. Also dropped a bombshell saying expected payroll to always remain around 100 million. Anyone know who this guy is?

 

He's a Chicago sports guy who apparently doesn't know anything if he thinks the payroll is 100M

 

Shaer says Ricketts would rather invest the money coming off the books next year into management, minor leagues, and other infrastructure (personnel & facilities) than payroll.

 

Also says the offer will be in the ballpark of 5 guaranteed years, ~$2-4 million/year.

[XZero771679666304]

 

If Theo avoids 90 loss seasons in Chicago, and gets them into the playoffs on occasion, there will be no pressure.

 

 

And if he managed a WS win, he'd get a free pass for life. Maybe a street named after him and a monument to his glory, too.

[jersey cubs fan]

Here's the audio of the Shaer interview:

 

http://audio.weei.com/a/46854152/chicago-media-insider-tom-shaer-gives-us-the-latest-on-theo-epstein-to-the-cubs.htm

 

Who is Tom Shaer? Evidently he's a Chicago media guy who was on NESN this morning. He said Theo could get a 5 year deal for 3 per from Ricketts. Said the organizational infrastructure needs to be redone, as Boston's is much better and deeper, something Theo is used to. Said Ricketts is very far into his search, including his B level candidates. Also dropped a bombshell saying expected payroll to always remain around 100 million. Anyone know who this guy is?

 

He's a Chicago sports guy who apparently doesn't know anything if he thinks the payroll is 100M

 

Shaer says Ricketts would rather invest the money coming off the books next year into management, minor leagues, and other infrastructure (personnel & facilities) than payroll.

 

Also says the offer will be in the ballpark of 5 guaranteed years, ~$2-4 million/year.

 

He obviously wants to invest more in the front office and prospects, but that doesn't mean he's going to lop off 30% of the big league payroll. If you pay your GM a lot of money, that is the equivalent of a middle relievers salary. You can pay your GM a lot of money and pay 3 assistants a lot of money and still not dent the payroll.

[Guest]

Who is Tom Shaer? Evidently he's a Chicago media guy who was on NESN this morning. He said Theo could get a 5 year deal for 3 per from Ricketts. Said the organizational infrastructure needs to be redone, as Boston's is much better and deeper, something Theo is used to. Said Ricketts is very far into his search, including his B level candidates. Also dropped a bombshell saying expected payroll to always remain around 100 million. Anyone know who this guy is?

 

He's a Chicago sports guy who apparently doesn't know anything if he thinks the payroll is 100M

 

 

I don't think he's saying that he said it is currently $100M, but that it's supposed to stay at $100M henceforth. Hope not.

[Guest]

How is everyone feeling at this point? My leaning is still that Theo will come, but that might be wishful thinking.

 

Thinking about things critically, I'm confident he will come, but the Cubs fan in me is saying this is all an elaborate tease.

 

Pretty much this for me. I'm certainly hopeful Theo comes to be our new GM, but I won't believe it until it actually happens.

 

 

The Cubs fan in you is a lot bigger than in most people, though.

[Magnetic Curses]

if ricketts sets the payroll at 100 million per year, he's going to get run out of town on a rail, i don't care who he hires as GM.

 

both boston and new york invest heavily in their systems, but both have large payrolls. the cubs will not be able to compete year-in-year-out with such a small payroll. and i'm sure epstein will be interested to see what he's being saddled with before he comes.

 

100 million, sure. ricketts would have to spend the rest of the payroll savings in 24 hour personal security.

[Magnetic Curses]

Who is Tom Shaer? Evidently he's a Chicago media guy who was on NESN this morning. He said Theo could get a 5 year deal for 3 per from Ricketts. Said the organizational infrastructure needs to be redone, as Boston's is much better and deeper, something Theo is used to. Said Ricketts is very far into his search, including his B level candidates. Also dropped a bombshell saying expected payroll to always remain around 100 million. Anyone know who this guy is?

 

He's a Chicago sports guy who apparently doesn't know anything if he thinks the payroll is 100M

 

 

I don't think he's saying that he said it is currently $100M, but that it's supposed to stay at $100M henceforth. Hope not.

 

that would also mean never being in the mix for any top free agent, which would mean literally waiting years for players to develop in order to field a competitive team. ricketts knows he needs to compete NOW and that we are no longer willing to wait. fans have already started to desert. seriously half the fans will leave and the other half will hate him with a passion.

 

i'm really not in the mood to wait until this system starts producing great players, i will give up the game.

[XZero771679666304]

Who is Tom Shaer? Evidently he's a Chicago media guy who was on NESN this morning. He said Theo could get a 5 year deal for 3 per from Ricketts. Said the organizational infrastructure needs to be redone, as Boston's is much better and deeper, something Theo is used to. Said Ricketts is very far into his search, including his B level candidates. Also dropped a bombshell saying expected payroll to always remain around 100 million. Anyone know who this guy is?

 

He's a Chicago sports guy who apparently doesn't know anything if he thinks the payroll is 100M

 

 

I don't think he's saying that he said it is currently $100M, but that it's supposed to stay at $100M henceforth. Hope not.

 

that would also mean never being in the mix for any top free agent, which would mean literally waiting years for players to develop in order to field a competitive team. ricketts knows he needs to compete NOW and that we are no longer willing to wait. fans have already started to desert. seriously half the fans will leave and the other half will hate him with a passion.

 

i'm really not in the mood to wait until this system starts producing great players, i will give up the game.

 

Given the state of some of your other teams, cultivating some patience may be in order.

 

Anyway, I am highly skeptical of the idea the payroll is going to take a significant hit.

[SouthSideRyan]

If the Cubs had a 100M payroll next year, assuming they non-tender every arb-eligible besides Garza, Soto, and Wells, they'd have a little less than 8M to spend this offseason, would have 16 guys making at or near the league minimum (minus those whose spots were filled with the 8M budget)

 

As usual, Chicago sports media falls on its face.

[Guest]

If future payroll were going to be set at around $100M, then I'd have to believe Ricketts would be doing everything he could to pursue Friedman instead of Epstein.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think he was right about the idea (that Ricketts intents to freeze or slightly lower MLB payroll while we invest in other areas, including Wrigley Field). Just wrong on the actual number.

[CUBZ99]

So according to this guy, the pitch to get Theo would be:

 

We plan to drastically cut our spending by approx 30%, meaning he will have about $60MM less to spend with the Cubs than the Red Sox?

 

Add to that the fact that the farm system is pretty barren, except the lower levels, and it would be no wonder Theo hasn't jumped at the opportunity.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think he was right about the idea (that Ricketts intents to freeze or slightly lower MLB payroll while we invest in other areas, including Wrigley Field). Just wrong on the actual number.

 

The actual number is the entire point, not just some minor detail. Everybody and his brother has reported that payroll was going to be stagnant or lower, you aren't reporting anything if you say that.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I don't know how patient the general fan base is going to be. If we become a perenial 85+ loss team for the next few years, people are going to pack up and leave. Not saying all, but a good amount. Also in regards to Epstein, how willing is he going to be to come to a team that's a mess and not given enough money to clean it up? Remember, when he came to Boston after the 2002 season, he already had a pretty good core to work with like Manny, Nomar, Damon, Nixon, Veritek, and of course, the best pitcher in the world.

[CP_414]

Tom Shaer doesn't have any inside information on the Cubs payroll. All these media guys are just reading tea leaves and guessing because none of them can be journalists and find any real information. There is no chance they cut payroll to $100M.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hopefully one of the things holding this up would be Epstein laughing in the face of the Ricketts when they tell him the payroll is capped at $100 million.

[davearm2]

The notion that the Cubs can't compete with a $100M payroll is crap.

 

2008: $118,345,833

2007: $ 99,670,332

2004: $ 90,560,000

2003: $ 79,868,333

 

Teams like the Rays and Twins prove the point even more dramatically.

 

As Ricketts has emphasized from the get-go, the key is to dominate at the draft and player development phases, and have a GM that is going to convert those major-league payroll dollars into wins most efficiently.

[SouthSideRyan]

Yep, it was probably Trot Nixon that convinced him to sign on as GM.

[Guest]

The Yankees could probably win without using a DH too, that doesn't mean that they should handicap themselves on purpose.

[davearm2]

That said, the idea that Ricketts has shared his intentions for the future payroll with any journalist is just laughable.

[SouthSideRyan]

Tom Shaer doesn't have any inside information on the Cubs payroll. All these media guys are just reading tea leaves and guessing because none of them can be journalists and find any real information. There is no chance they cut payroll to $100M.

 

The Chicago sports media are too full of dumb bastards to be able to think about two things at once. They hear that Ricketts wants to develop from within and assume that must be all he's going to focus on.

[Magnetic Curses]

The notion that the Cubs can't compete with a $100M payroll is crap.

 

2008: $118,345,833

2007: $ 99,670,332

2004: $ 90,560,000

2003: $ 79,868,333

 

Teams like the Rays and Twins prove the point even more dramatically.

 

As Ricketts has emphasized from the get-go, the key is to dominate at the draft and player development phases, and have a GM that is going to convert those major-league payroll dollars into wins most efficiently.

 

why post the exceptions and not the rules? thanks, i'd rather compete every year.

[davearm2]

The Yankees could probably win without using a DH too, that doesn't mean that they should handicap themselves on purpose.

There's a strong argument that the Yankees would be smarter to spend $3M on a DH and pump an extra $7M into the draft, versus spending $10M on a DH. Same principle here.

[Sammy Sofa]

The notion that the Cubs can't compete with a $100M payroll is crap.

 

2008: $118,345,833

2007: $ 99,670,332

2004: $ 90,560,000

2003: $ 79,868,333

 

Teams like the Rays and Twins prove the point even more dramatically.

 

As Ricketts has emphasized from the get-go, the key is to dominate at the draft and player development phases, and have a GM that is going to convert those major-league payroll dollars into wins most efficiently.

 

Then pursue someone other than Epstein. The Red Sox formula for success and creating teams that are continually competitive this past decade was a combination of big spending and smart Moneyball-esque team building and farm development.

 

The Cubs farms system is nowhere near what the Rays' and Twins' are and what the Red Sox' has been (and making it better should obviously be a huge goal, but not at the expense of the Cubs spending like they're a much, much smaller market team than they actual are).