Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[minnesotacubsfan]

He looks like a kid toucher in that pic. No bueno.

kid toucher look-a-like or not, I love the man

[imb]

Kaplan vs. Theo, the interview.

 

Hah, that's going to be hilarious.

 

Remember when we thought Quade vs. Kaplan was awesome?

 

 

It's funny because Kaplan thinks Theo's awesome, but he clearly has no idea why he does.

 

When he realizes what Theo is really about, his head will explode.

 

it will be like borat when he started singing at the rodeo.

 

Hahahahahahahahaha

[Guest]

Yea, that was pretty damn hilarious.

[Rob]

He looks like a kid toucher in that pic. No bueno.

 

I think he's earned it. Don't you?

[Guest]

lol wittenmyer is making stuff up about sandberg again

 

 

i love how he makes a story out of "the cubs could reach out to ryne sandberg now"

[17 Seconds]

hollandsworth's mug will now talk about how credible wittenmeyer is

[toonsterwu]

Taking a quick perusal of Epstein's first official offseason as GM with the Red Sox (took over November 25, 2002), but he really didn't make many big, news-making moves. Granted, he's coming into a far different situation. The 2002 Red Sox were a solid squad (93 wins) with several key players in their prime (Damon, Garciaparra, Manny, Lowe, Pedro). Perhaps the most notable changes they made, going into 2003, was the addition of Bill James and developing a more structured, analytical focus to their player development process. IIRC, and it's been awhile, but the Red Sox system in the early part of the century was viewed as mediocre. One interesting note, as compared to the talent on the Cubs as of now, was their attempt to go with a committee for the bullpen. Problem was, they didn't have a manager that showed a willingness to continue with it, so Byung-Hyun Kim was eventually shifted to closer. Of course, big, news-making moves don't mean that much, and the additions of guys like Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, and to lesser extents, Bronson Arroyo and Todd Walker, would end up being key to the team's success in 2003. He did make 7 selections in the Rule 5 draft, 3 on the major league level, 4 on the AAA level, so that may be something to watch.

 

Two interesting names that saw in their transactions ledger had nothing to do with talent. Buddy Bailey was brought back as AAA manager after Epstein took over, so I wonder if Buddy may be given a chance to move up in the organization. Ron Jackson was hired as hitting coach, and he's currently a minor league hitting coach with the Astros. Always liked what Ron Jackson was able to do, particularly in closing the hole in Big Papi's swing. Granted, he had talented rosters to work with, but if we move on from Rudy Jaramillo, that's a name I'd be intrigued with (granted, he was let go by Theo, so not sure what sort of relationship is there).

 

That said, this is a far bigger rebuilding situation than Epstein had to deal with at any point in his Red Sox tenure where he was the voice in charge. Does have me wondering, though, if we might be in line, in 2012, for more stopgap, "small" pickups, allowing Theo to get his team in place to better assess the organization and develop the internal tools they feel they need. I mean, guys like Kelly Johnson, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Jason Kubel (to name 3 guys that are roughly in their primes and are considered more 2nd, if not 3rd, tier FA's) wouldn't excite the fan-base at large, but they might be solid pickups to help build a foundation as Theo rebuilds things. There is a potentially solid 2013 FA class (granted, it could become weak, depending on what re-signings take place) that, while it lacks the impact bat of a Pujols/Fielder, may provide some better arms to target after.

[17 Seconds]

Is SoSH the biggest Red Sox forum out there? I'd hope not, because they sound like a bunch of clowns. Most of them are expecting the monetary compensation to be an amount big enough to take a big dent out of Lackey's contract (ha) and I just read a post from a guy saying he wanted Brett Jackson so they could "use him to get rid of Lackey or Beckett's contract".

[MrCub14]

Is SoSH the biggest Red Sox forum out there? I'd hope not, because they sound like a bunch of clowns. Most of them are expecting the monetary compensation to be an amount big enough to take a big dent out of Lackey's contract (ha) and I just read a post from a guy saying he wanted Brett Jackson so they could "use him to get rid of Lackey or Beckett's contract".

 

It's about the same size as TalkSox, activity wise. I prefer lurking over at TalkSox instead of SOSH. SOSH is mostly a bunch of homers. For example, the Jackson stuff you were talking about. For a while, they were going on and on about how they deserved Castro. Don't listen to those idiots lol. The highest valued package I've heard from a legitimate source was Jay Jackson + cash. Which sounds about right.

[treebird]

http://live-baseball.net/files/2011/08/wpid-98452706_crop_650x440.jpg

 

u mad, boston?

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fjUjzc-7IT4/TcQwW_uuMfI/AAAAAAAAADM/cMC2NSevxO8/s1600/trollface.jpg

[Omar]

Is SoSH the biggest Red Sox forum out there?.

 

I thought it was Red Sox Nation (RSN) for a while.

[Jazz]

would love to see a cosby/theo Gif.

[EpsteinCubs]

Feels good to finally care about the Cubs again and this is going to be an exciting few years.

[Laura]

Here's a better look at the compensation issues than most I've read -- discusses why this may drag out a little longer.

 

CBSSports.com

 

That's [compensation] the next step in this enormously complicated transaction, and it is significant enough to probably delay this deal from being completed for at least a day or two, and possibly through week's end, or the weekend.

 

Where Boston owners John Henry and Larry Lucchino are concerned, even if they've run their course with Epstein, both industry sources and Lucchino's history suggest that the Red Sox will extract a significant price from the Cubs before allowing Epstein out of the final year of his Boston deal.

 

Few in the industry are as sharp and as ruthless as Lucchino, whose negotiating tactics one industry source described as "conceal and delay" until usually gaining what he wants.

 

There are at least two schools of thought in the industry regarding what the Red Sox ultimately will demand from the Cubs.

 

The first goes like this: The Red Sox are loaded financially, and as such, will demand players in return. This isn't a franchise that needs more money.

 

But the flip side is this: If Boston receives, say, two second-tier players in exchange, then those players always will be linked to Epstein. And if he wins a World Series with the Cubs and the players fade as second-tier prospects usually do, then that becomes a lifetime source of embarrassment for the Red Sox.

 

Whereas, if an organization already flush with cash simply takes a few million back in compensation, that money will fade into history no matter what Epstein does in Chicago. Without a human face a prospect (or two or three) would bring back, the Red Sox could position the post-Theo narrative however they wish, explaining that they used the money to sign Free Agent A or toward Blue Chip Draft Pick B.

 

Though it happened more than a decade ago, it is instructive to look back to the end of the 1995 season, when Lucchino was president of the San Diego Padres and then-general manager Randy Smith turned in his resignation on the last weekend of the season so he could become Detroit's GM.

 

Because the Padres held a club option on Smith's contract, Lucchino refused to accept his resignation -- even though it was believed at the time that the Padres were not going to pick up Smith's option. Arduous negotiations then began for Smith's exit.

 

Lucchino finally allowed Smith to leave, but only after ensuring that Smith, in Detroit, would not be able to poach San Diego's front office, nor its farm system.

 

The separation agreement included a one-year moratorium on Detroit claiming any Padres players in the Rule V draft, as well as an agreement prohibiting Smith to take any Padres employees with him to Detroit.

 

A month later, the Padres did not renew the contracts of Steve Lubratich and Randy Johnson, and Smith hired Lubratich as an assistant GM in Detroit and Johnson as a special assistant/major-league scout.

 

"Larry's tough, there's no question about it," said Smith, now the Padres' director of player development, Wednesday from Arizona, where he was seeing San Diego's Instructional League club. "He's smart, and he's tough."

 

Right now, before they can finalize the deal with Epstein, that's the next path through which the Cubs must traverse.

 

I've read a few accounts that MLB got involved to try to tap down the Cubs' offer to Theo to keep front office compensation in line. It would seem inconsistent to me if that didn't carry over to team compensation.

[17 Seconds]

i like how the people bagging on Theo criticize him for being bad with big free agent signings, and then they say he only has success because of his payroll. so, which is it?

[Banedon]

HA! A guide for Theo to adjust from Boston to Chcago. Some of those comparisons are excellent. Well, the White Sox and Bozo ones are good... :)

 

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/10/13/2485998/theo-epstein-boston-chicago-field-guide

[hardcorecubfan]

Here's a better look at the compensation issues than most I've read -- discusses why this may drag out a little longer.

 

CBSSports.com

 

That's [compensation] the next step in this enormously complicated transaction, and it is significant enough to probably delay this deal from being completed for at least a day or two, and possibly through week's end, or the weekend.

 

Where Boston owners John Henry and Larry Lucchino are concerned, even if they've run their course with Epstein, both industry sources and Lucchino's history suggest that the Red Sox will extract a significant price from the Cubs before allowing Epstein out of the final year of his Boston deal.

 

Few in the industry are as sharp and as ruthless as Lucchino, whose negotiating tactics one industry source described as "conceal and delay" until usually gaining what he wants.

 

There are at least two schools of thought in the industry regarding what the Red Sox ultimately will demand from the Cubs.

 

The first goes like this: The Red Sox are loaded financially, and as such, will demand players in return. This isn't a franchise that needs more money.

 

But the flip side is this: If Boston receives, say, two second-tier players in exchange, then those players always will be linked to Epstein. And if he wins a World Series with the Cubs and the players fade as second-tier prospects usually do, then that becomes a lifetime source of embarrassment for the Red Sox.

 

Whereas, if an organization already flush with cash simply takes a few million back in compensation, that money will fade into history no matter what Epstein does in Chicago. Without a human face a prospect (or two or three) would bring back, the Red Sox could position the post-Theo narrative however they wish, explaining that they used the money to sign Free Agent A or toward Blue Chip Draft Pick B.

 

Though it happened more than a decade ago, it is instructive to look back to the end of the 1995 season, when Lucchino was president of the San Diego Padres and then-general manager Randy Smith turned in his resignation on the last weekend of the season so he could become Detroit's GM.

 

Because the Padres held a club option on Smith's contract, Lucchino refused to accept his resignation -- even though it was believed at the time that the Padres were not going to pick up Smith's option. Arduous negotiations then began for Smith's exit.

 

Lucchino finally allowed Smith to leave, but only after ensuring that Smith, in Detroit, would not be able to poach San Diego's front office, nor its farm system.

 

The separation agreement included a one-year moratorium on Detroit claiming any Padres players in the Rule V draft, as well as an agreement prohibiting Smith to take any Padres employees with him to Detroit.

 

A month later, the Padres did not renew the contracts of Steve Lubratich and Randy Johnson, and Smith hired Lubratich as an assistant GM in Detroit and Johnson as a special assistant/major-league scout.

 

"Larry's tough, there's no question about it," said Smith, now the Padres' director of player development, Wednesday from Arizona, where he was seeing San Diego's Instructional League club. "He's smart, and he's tough."

 

Right now, before they can finalize the deal with Epstein, that's the next path through which the Cubs must traverse.

 

I've read a few accounts that MLB got involved to try to tap down the Cubs' offer to Theo to keep front office compensation in line. It would seem inconsistent to me if that didn't carry over to team compensation.

 

What so hard about giving Boston a Compensation package of Soriano and Zambrano, a straight straight up trade, and we can even through in Mike Quade and any left over toothpicks from the Dusty days.

[Old Style]

Deer Island Prison - U.S. Cellular Field

:lol:

[OleMissCub]

HA! A guide for Theo to adjust from Boston to Chcago. Some of those comparisons are excellent. Well, the White Sox and Bozo ones are good... :)

 

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/10/13/2485998/theo-epstein-boston-chicago-field-guide

 

"Royale with Cheese", ha

[Banedon]

I wonder what Theo is actually doing this week. He can't really start work on the Cubs till the whole compensation thing is completed, and surely the Sox aren't allowing him access to their resources. Time to burn some sick days?

[MSG T]

I wonder what Theo is actually doing this week. He can't really start work on the Cubs till the whole compensation thing is completed, and surely the Sox aren't allowing him access to their resources. Time to burn some sick days?

 

 

I think he hacked C.C.'s account and has been posting here the last couple of days in an effort to lessen the enthusiasm so that when he starts actually working for the Cubs, his awesomeness will be fully revealed and appreciated by all.

[17 Seconds]

hanging out with noah pinzur

[KingCubsFan]

I wonder what Theo is actually doing this week. He can't really start work on the Cubs till the whole compensation thing is completed, and surely the Sox aren't allowing him access to their resources. Time to burn some sick days?

He's probably scrambling to hire a staff, considering how small the Cubs' front office is and the likelihood that nobody of significance from Boston will be allowed to come with him.

[Cubfanintheknow]

Just read all 49 pages. To recap:

 

Actual information: Theo Epstein most likely coming to the Cubs. Not 100% certain yet. Compensation package is a sticking point.

 

Fan reaction on NSBB: excitement, dancing, boners, drinking, screaming, more boners, enthusiasm, shock, mild trepidation, boners, some orgasms, boners, boners and more boners.

 

What'd I miss?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Just read all 49 pages. To recap:

 

Actual information: Theo Epstein most likely coming to the Cubs. Not 100% certain yet. Compensation package is a sticking point.

 

Fan reaction on NSBB: excitement, dancing, boners, drinking, screaming, more boners, enthusiasm, shock, mild trepidation, boners, some orgasms, boners, boners and more boners.

 

What'd I miss?

 

More boners.