Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Mike Quade said a lot of good things last fall too. Saying good things is all well and good, but largely meaningless until you do good things.

 

Like hiring Theo Epstein.

[Guest]

The level of denial regarding the Cubs' current major league roster is really quite amazing to me.

 

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Theo or whomever has his work cut out for him, and those expecting a contender next year are going to be disappointed IMO.

 

 

Mediocre is OK as long as you have some premium players and your competition being what it will probably be in the NL Central next year helps, too.

 

It's not denial.

 

This was probably more like a .500 team this year but they had to go from above average starters to BAD guys who were barely in baseball.

[dew1679666265]

Does anyone remember that crap pile our 2002 team was? The 2003 Cubs were picked to finish 3rd or 4th that year. Is our team a mess? In spots, sure. Can one good off season make us contenders?

 

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

Where is the next Mark Prior and healthy Kerry Wood at now?

 

Matt Garza and Starlin Castro. With Albert Pujols (maybe), Prince Fielder, and CJ Wilson on the free agent market.

[jersey cubs fan]

Mike Quade said a lot of good things last fall too. Saying good things is all well and good, but largely meaningless until you do good things.

 

Like hiring Theo Epstein.

 

I was thinking investing heavily in draft and firing Jim Hendry. By then we knew he was doing good things.

[Sammy Sofa]

what awful contracts do they have besides soriano?

 

 

OK, awful is exaggerating it, but we have substantial money tied up in mediocre to OK players and have a good amount of guys who are overpaid and don't have bright prospects of getting better.

The level of denial regarding the Cubs' current major league roster is really quite amazing to me.

 

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Theo or whomever has his work cut out for him, and those expecting a contender next year are going to be disappointed IMO.

 

There's few here expecting a contender. Most are saying there's reason to hope for a contender given how weak the division is, the FA class available and that it doesn't require the Cubs to make a huge leap to be in the mix for at least most of the season.

 

There's a huge area between going from 2011 to winning 90+ games. The Cubs can have a relatively successful season next year if they just get back around .500 and stay competitive within the division for a good chunk of the year. It gives them the off chance to actually win it (certainly not a forgone conclusion) but also, more importantly, sets them on the right path for the seasons to come.

[9YRPLAN]

theres no reason that the cubs cannot experience a shift in focus and culture AND still field a team with a shot at the NL central next year. it will only take a few moves, some of which may be expensive in the short term but they wont handcuff us for the future.

[Guest]

Well... our division just went a little less soft now that the Astros are headed to the AL.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

theres no reason that the cubs cannot experience a shift in focus and culture AND still field a team with a shot at the NL central next year. it will only take a few moves, some of which may be expensive in the short term but they wont handcuff us for the future.

 

SHUT UP YOU HAVE TO DO ONE OR THE OTHER!

[dew1679666265]

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Off the top of my head I'd say they were above average at 3B, SS, C, and 2-3 SP spots (Garza for sure and maybe Dempster and Z). Add Wilson and Pujols/Fielder to that (if you can obviously) and hopefully a 3B platoon can stay above average (shouldn't be hard given what we have in-house) and this team can be above average at most of its positions.

 

Then add in that the Cards and Brewers will fall off significantly without Pujols and Fielder and things get even better looking.

[jersey cubs fan]

How are the Cubs above average at only 2 or 3 spots? Garza, Dempster, Zambrano and Wells are all above average pitchers (don't start with the #1, #2 nonsense, a pitcher is a pitcher, an ace isn't a position). Ramirez and Castro are above average. Soto, Barney, Pena and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

Marshall and Marmol are above average, Samardzija is above average.

[Guest]

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Off the top of my head I'd say they were above average at 3B, SS, C, and 2-3 SP spots (Garza for sure and maybe Dempster and Z). Add Wilson and Pujols/Fielder to that (if you can obviously) and hopefully a 3B platoon can stay above average (shouldn't be hard given what we have in-house) and this team can be above average at most of its positions.

 

Then add in that the Cards and Brewers will fall off significantly without Pujols and Fielder and things get even better looking.

 

 

Who would be hitting against RHP in that 3B platoon that you're saying shouldn't be hard to stay above avg with? Not being argumentative... genuinely asking.

[kujay]

Alright, who is he going to hire to manage the most excellent team Theo is about to start building?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

[Little Slide Rooter]

what awful contracts do they have besides soriano?

 

 

OK, awful is exaggerating it, but we have substantial money tied up in mediocre to OK players and have a good amount of guys who are overpaid and don't have bright prospects of getting better.

The level of denial regarding the Cubs' current major league roster is really quite amazing to me.

 

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Theo or whomever has his work cut out for him, and those expecting a contender next year are going to be disappointed IMO.

 

There's few here expecting a contender. Most are saying there's reason to hope for a contender given how weak the division is, the FA class available and that it doesn't require the Cubs to make a huge leap to be in the mix for at least most of the season.

 

There's a huge area between going from 2011 to winning 90+ games. The Cubs can have a relatively successful season next year if they just get back around .500 and stay competitive within the division for a good chunk of the year. It gives them the off chance to actually win it (certainly not a forgone conclusion) but also, more importantly, sets them on the right path for the seasons to come.

 

Ironically, I bet the same people who expect an immediate rise to contention and use 2006/2007 as an example are those who blast the big contracts that were handed out, however, the only reason they were able to jump straight from the 2006 mess to 2007 was due to Jim Hendrys reckless spending spree, whether it was his doing or more the fault of his superiors.

 

Yeah, it's going to take spending over the next 2-3 years to get back up there, but it needs to be done wisely and more patiently than simply dumping as much money as possible on the best available players. Spending on Pujols or Fielder would be a wise investment, but if we miss out on them, hopefully we dont dump too much money on Carlos Pena or Michael Cuddyer, not that I would expect that out of Epstein.

[Guest]

How are the Cubs above average at only 2 or 3 spots? Garza, Dempster, Zambrano and Wells are all above average pitchers (don't start with the #1, #2 nonsense, a pitcher is a pitcher, an ace isn't a position). Ramirez and Castro are above average. Soto, Barney, Pena and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

Marshall and Marmol are above average, Samardzija is above average.

 

 

I don't think that the likelihood of Ramirez being here next year is very high at all and Zambrano is 99% gone with us pretty much guaranteed to pick up a significant chunk of the salary.

 

Many of us are assuming this in looking at the upcoming offseason because it seems like a foregone conclusion. It may not be, but I think pretending otherwise is sticking your head in the sand.

[Banedon]

Alright, who is he going to hire to manage the most excellent team Theo is about to start building?

 

Too bad Robin Ventura is already taken!

[Little Slide Rooter]

Alright, who is he going to hire to manage the most excellent team Theo is about to start building?

 

Brian Cashman.

[SouthSideRyan]

Ironically, I bet the same people who expect an immediate rise to contention and use 2006/2007 as an example are those who blast the big contracts that were handed out, however, the only reason they were able to jump straight from the 2006 mess to 2007 was due to Jim Hendrys reckless spending spree, whether it was his doing or more the fault of his superiors.

 

 

The only thing reckless about that offseason was the Soriano contract. (Which was some kind of reckless) The other contracts handed out turned out to be good-great deals for the Cubs.

[BeerHere]

I am thrilled that Epstein is coming. Compensation won't be that much. He has a HUGE job ahead of him, this team is a mess.

 

No it isn't.

 

 

It sorta is. It's just not as bad as people think. We have been under awful ass-backwards ownership after all and professed an ass-backward philosophy of swing-at-everything as our minor league instruction over the past few years. We have a couple of awful contracts and are dead set on trading a decent starter and paying him to play for another team. We paid a closer decent money and now he might not be all that great anymore.

 

There are a lot of problems but that doesn't mean this can't be made a competitive team next year. I feel like the organizational problems will take more/longer to fix than the major league product itself.

 

No manager

Extremely restrictive and aging ballpark, limited public financing options available

Ownership shooting itself in the foot by declaring that a pitcher under contract won't play for the team again

Multiple years of the Soriano contract remaining

Minor league coordinator with a "swing first" approach, no one seems capable of teaching patience at any level

Mediocre farm system

Marmol has issues

No corner infielders currently under contract

Rotation needs help - at least one starter needed, possibly two

 

That seems like a mess to me. I'm not saying it can't turn around, or that it will take years, I'm saying the guy has a big job ahead of him. I'm extremely happy he's here though.

[KingCubsFan]

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Off the top of my head I'd say they were above average at 3B, SS, C, and 2-3 SP spots (Garza for sure and maybe Dempster and Z). Add Wilson and Pujols/Fielder to that (if you can obviously) and hopefully a 3B platoon can stay above average (shouldn't be hard given what we have in-house) and this team can be above average at most of its positions.

 

Then add in that the Cards and Brewers will fall off significantly without Pujols and Fielder and things get even better looking.

What about the fact that the Brewers will have Greinke for a full year (and not as unlucky) and the Cardinals will have Wainwright back? Not to mention the Reds. And calling Z "above average" is generous given his performance and the fact that he'll likely never pitch for the Cubs again. The Cubs may have a chance to be competitive next year, but a lot of things need to go right.

[scarey]

They are above average at maybe 2 or 3 spots. The mediocrity runs deep. The upside potential is modest, at best.

 

Off the top of my head I'd say they were above average at 3B, SS, C, and 2-3 SP spots (Garza for sure and maybe Dempster and Z). Add Wilson and Pujols/Fielder to that (if you can obviously) and hopefully a 3B platoon can stay above average (shouldn't be hard given what we have in-house) and this team can be above average at most of its positions.

 

Then add in that the Cards and Brewers will fall off significantly without Pujols and Fielder and things get even better looking.

 

 

Who would be hitting against RHP in that 3B platoon that you're saying shouldn't be hard to stay above avg with? Not being argumentative... genuinely asking.

 

Ryan Flaherty.

[jersey cubs fan]

How are the Cubs above average at only 2 or 3 spots? Garza, Dempster, Zambrano and Wells are all above average pitchers (don't start with the #1, #2 nonsense, a pitcher is a pitcher, an ace isn't a position). Ramirez and Castro are above average. Soto, Barney, Pena and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

Marshall and Marmol are above average, Samardzija is above average.

 

 

I don't think that the likelihood of Ramirez being here next year is very high at all and Zambrano is 99% gone with us pretty much guaranteed to pick up a significant chunk of the salary.

 

I don't really care about the speculation. As the Cubs currently stand they have more than 2-3 above average players. They can choose to get rid of some of those above average players if they want to, but they are Cubs.

[Magnetic Curses]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

[Guest]

How are the Cubs above average at only 2 or 3 spots? Garza, Dempster, Zambrano and Wells are all above average pitchers (don't start with the #1, #2 nonsense, a pitcher is a pitcher, an ace isn't a position). Ramirez and Castro are above average. Soto, Barney, Pena and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

Marshall and Marmol are above average, Samardzija is above average.

 

 

I don't think that the likelihood of Ramirez being here next year is very high at all and Zambrano is 99% gone with us pretty much guaranteed to pick up a significant chunk of the salary.

 

I don't really care about the speculation. As the Cubs currently stand they have more than 2-3 above average players. They can choose to get rid of some of those above average players if they want to, but they are Cubs.

 

 

Do you really think it's just "speculation" that Zambrano is likely to be gone after the way he was handled this year?

 

Aramis himself doesn't expect to be back. I don't think those two things are anything short of likely, if not certainties.

[Little Slide Rooter]

and Soriano are probably all a tick above average.

 

No.

 

he pretty much is

 

For now. He's nowhere near good enough to be making the money he is, but nowhere near bad enough to eat the rest of the contract and railroad him out of town for nothing. We'll see how he ages the rest of the way.