Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[tfarks]

Everything in that article sounds wonderful and warms my heart

[davearm2]

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've got Castro and Marshall as solidly above average.

 

Garza and Dempster are above average starters, but Garza is not an above average "ace" nor is Dempster an above average #2. Wells, average at best. So, either 0 or 2 above average starters depending on semantics.

 

Soto has a ton of volatility. Given the terrible seasons he's had I can't go higher than average overall.

 

Barney, average thanks to his defense.

 

Soriano, average.

 

Ramirez and Zambrano I expect to be gone.

 

Marmol is debateable. When he's on, absolutely.

 

Samardzija, meh. If you're hanging your hat on him as a key guy, then my point is proven.

[Little Slide Rooter]

How much fun is this offseason going to be??

 

Hopefully lots.

[tfarks]

TOM FN RICKETTS

[Ding Dong Johnson]

TOM FN RICKETTS

my next t-shirt

[Sammy Sofa]

this is Kaplan, but he seems to be repeating what he's been told:

 

Sources tell us that Ricketts laid out his plan to Epstein and offered him near total authority on baseball decisions with no one to answer to other than the Ricketts family themselves. Epstein has no interest in running the business side of the organization and Ricketts organizational structure is set up to separate both the baseball and the business sides leaving Epstein to concentrate on fixing an organization that needs a new philosophy and must change the culture in the major league clubhouse.

 

Ricketts outlined his plan to build through the farm system while also spending wisely on the acquisition of veteran stars who can make an immediate impact on the Cubs. In fact, sources tell us that Ricketts is not opposed to spending big money on a star player, but for him to sign a mega contract the player must fit long-term with the organization. The acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez by the Red Sox is the type of player and commitment that Ricketts is willing to take on with the Cubs. He looks at Gonzalez as a star player, in the prime of his career and a player who is solid both offensively and defensively in addition to being a person of impeccable character. When opportunities like that come along he wants his Cubs to be in a position to make a move for a superstar. It was that willingness to spend when it makes sense in addition to the increased power and salary that will come with his contract that sold Epstein on Ricketts vision for the organization.

 

In addition, Tom Ricketts stressed to Epstein that the family was committed to the Cubs long term and that it wanted to build the franchise the right way. Not trying to quick-fix the major league roster to improve the record. Instead, he showed Epstein his plans for a new spring training complex, a new state of the art academy in the talent rich Dominican Republic, a long term plan for renovating Wrigley Field and thus increasing revenue streams that will impact the major league payroll. Additionally, Ricketts told Epstein of his family's willingness to spend heavily in the draft and on international signings which should translate to a rapidly improving farm system.

 

Add it all up and sources tell me that Epstein was "blown away" by Ricketts level of commitment], research, and willingness to spend on the developmental side of the game. Add in the long term contract that he will receive along with more power than he has ever had in Boston and the move was a no-brainer from a professional standpoint.

 

=D>

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago-cubs/news/Kaplan-Epstein-blown-away-by-Ricketts-lo?blockID=576086&feedID=661

 

Holy crap, I love all of this so damn much.

 

Except for Kaplan. And his creepy new goatee.

[Tracer Bullet]

 

I am really really beginning to like Ricketts

Is it possible that the cubs landed an incredible owner and a great GM in consecutive years? I'm getting in line tomorrow for 2014 WS tix.

[Magnetic Curses]

we have 4 home grown starting position players that are all above "average" or project to be above average (brett jackson).

 

shouldn't that allow us enough leeway to go out and make 3 big free agent signings while we wait out the bad contracts, getting what we can out of said players with terrible contracts?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Instead, he showed Epstein his plans for a new spring training complex, a new state of the art academy in the talent rich Dominican Republic, a long term plan for renovating Wrigley Field and thus increasing revenue streams that will impact the major league payroll. Additionally, Ricketts told Epstein of his family's willingness to spend heavily in the draft and on international signings which should translate to a rapidly improving farm system.

 

 

I want that paragraph to personify itself so it can make babies with me.

[Sammy Sofa]

davearm2, you have to officially shut up for right now. Harsh my buzz and I will kill you.

[Banedon]

It's gonna be fun to like baseball again.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is it possible that the cubs landed an incredible owner and a great GM in consecutive years?

 

No.

[tfarks]

Don't quote the whole damn article just make sure to credit @kapman

[Guest]

I wish Laura's posts had a like button.

[Tracer Bullet]

Is it possible that the cubs landed an incredible owner and a great GM in consecutive years?

 

No.

 

Within a few years, sorry.

[tfarks]

Is it possible that the cubs landed an incredible owner and a great GM in consecutive years?

 

No.

 

Within a few years, sorry.

 

How about great GM and superstar player in the same year? That sounds nice.

[kujay]

Instead, he showed Epstein his plans for a new spring training complex, a new state of the art academy in the talent rich Dominican Republic, a long term plan for renovating Wrigley Field and thus increasing revenue streams that will impact the major league payroll. Additionally, Ricketts told Epstein of his family's willingness to spend heavily in the draft and on international signings which should translate to a rapidly improving farm system.

 

 

I want that paragraph to personify itself so it can make babies with me.

 

I got first.

 

I've HATED this team so much for the last three years that I've probably not watched more than 30 innings of Cubs baseball during that time.

 

That's all over. There's finally hope.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wish Laura's posts had a like button.

 

I wish she had her own thread for actual news that the rest of us could't gum it up with our rehashing and analysis.

[Sammy Sofa]

I wish Laura's posts had a like button.

 

I wish she had her own thread for actual news that the rest of us could't gum it up with our rehashing and analysis.

 

Yeah, stupid talking baseball on a baseball site.

[bukie]

So does this mean that, once official, Ricketts starts getting the Geovany Soto treatment?

[minnesotacubsfan]

Is it possible that the cubs landed an incredible owner and a great GM in consecutive years?

 

No.

 

Within a few years, sorry.

 

its entirely ok to forget most of 2010 and 1/2 of 2011.

[Laura]

Ricketts

 

And:

 

Old Hoss Radbourn

Perhaps the Red Sox should demand "Go Cubs Go" as compensation and then shoot the song with a shotgun.

16 hours ago

[ctcf]

I wish Laura's posts had a like button.

 

I wish she had her own thread for actual news that the rest of us could't gum it up with our rehashing and analysis.

 

Yeah, stupid talking baseball on a baseball site.

 

How dare he not want to wade through countless pages of your deeply fascinating baseball discussions for actual news.

[minnesotacubsfan]

meh, we can just adopt that crummy Eddie Vedar song

[UMFan83]

I think the "average" player puts up something like a 2 WAR.

 

ok, the last 2 years he's been 4.4

 

Where do you see him having a 3.1 WAR in 2010? Baseball reference gives h im a 1.6 WAR in 2010 and a (-0.9) in 2009. Meaning in the last 3 years his overall WAR has been 2.0. In the last 3 years he has produced the value of what an average player produces in 1.