Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[Guest]

Yep. His success up until now hasn't convinced them, so why would him being around here change anything?

 

The only thing that's going to change that is younger people coming in. We're already starting to see that with some of the younger bloggers and even with guys with Bernstein. They're not exactly geniuses, but they're far more willing to buy in and understand the new wave stuff.

 

Old crotchety people are going to remain that way.

 

It'll be interesting to read how Miles covers this, as he's been the only writer in town consistently pointing out the flaws of Hendry's strategies.

 

 

If he ever gets away from that pay wall

[Guest]

Theo Epstein has kicked and made a 53 yard field goal.

[davell]

What's being said in the Waddle and Silvy interview?

[Guest]

What's being said in the Waddle and Silvy interview?

 

I'm too lazy to have kept track of everything and typed out a run-down...but I'll post a link to either a podcast or a report on it as soon as it shows up on ESPNChicago.

[SouthSideRyan]

Van Dyck wasn't exactly bringing the A game with those nonsensical questions.

 

He was the worst. He had this whole "who does this punk kid think he is?" attitude through the show.

 

I hope Theo's arrival means that the Chicago media actually starts to learn some things about baseball.

 

Don't hold your breath. Hopefully they do though.

 

Hold their breath that is. Killing themselves

[SouthSideRyan]

Theo actually remembers who Tom Waddle is (or some media relations person told him, lol).

 

He should, he was probably in his prime sports watching age when Tom Waddle was playing.

 

And Waddle played at BC while Theo was 12-16

[Guest]

Theo actually remembers who Tom Waddle is (or some media relations person told him, lol).

 

He should, he was probably in his prime sports watching age when Tom Waddle was playing.

 

And Waddle played at BC while Theo was 12-16

 

Good call.

[Guest]

Looks like the Hoyer/McLeod announcement will come Monday and not Friday with Mozeliak trying to get tonight's game postponed in advance due to weather.

[mul21]

Looks like the Hoyer/McLeod announcement will come Monday and not Friday with Mozeliak trying to get tonight's game postponed in advance due to weather.

 

Won't matter, the Rangers finish it in 6 so the announcement can be Friday!

[Laura]

The Waddle & Silvy podcast is up:

 

http://espn.go.com/chicago/radio/archive?id=3095454

[Guest]

Looks like the Hoyer/McLeod announcement will come Monday and not Friday with Mozeliak trying to get tonight's game postponed in advance due to weather.

 

Won't matter, the Rangers finish it in 6 so the announcement can be Friday!

 

For some reason I thought today was Thursday. My bad.

[Guest]

The Waddle & Silvy podcast is up:

 

http://espn.go.com/chicago/radio/archive?id=3095454

 

Beat me to it. Thanks!

[Guest]

Even though Callis is pretty sure nothing's going to change with the amateur draft, Selig appears to really want to cut out overslotting. If this actually happens, it's going to really put a crimp in Theo's plans. I hope like hell nothing changes, because I'm not sure what other avenues are really out there to improve the system, unless it's literally just throwing boatloads of cash at IFA's. Which I'm fine with, but it's not nearly as safe as the draft is. And it's not like the draft is safe to begin with.

 

I'm not too concerned with that. Too many owners will be opposed to that to let Bud have a chance. I'm more concerned they'll tinker with FA compensation, which Theo used quite liberally to stockpile picks (unlike Hendry).

 

Of course if they take that away, I'm sure Theo will find something else to take advantage of.

[Guest]

Got this from Jim Callis' Ask BA piece. It's staggering how poorly the cubs used FA compensation in the draft:

 

I knew there was disparity in the number of early-round draft picks teams had, but I didn't realize how much until a club official sent me some research his team put together. In the last six drafts, there have been a total of 1,049 selections in the first five rounds, an average of 35 per team. Because of free-agent compensation, the total choices for the clubs run the gamut from the Blue Jays (46), Padres (46), Rays (43), Diamondbacks (42) and Red Sox (42) at the top to the Cubs (28), Orioles (28), Athletics (30), Royals (30) and Yankees (30) at the bottom.

 

Of course, the clubs make their own decisions as to which of their free agents to offer arbitration (a requirement for receiving compensation) and which ones to sign (knowing when it will cost them a draft pick). But it's still odd to see that San Diego and Toronto have averaged three more choices per year than Baltimore and Chicago over the last six drafts.

 

No word has leaked out as to whether free-agent compensation will be addressed as part of changes to the draft in the next collective bargaining agreement.

[UMFan83]

Even though Callis is pretty sure nothing's going to change with the amateur draft, Selig appears to really want to cut out overslotting. If this actually happens, it's going to really put a crimp in Theo's plans. I hope like hell nothing changes, because I'm not sure what other avenues are really out there to improve the system, unless it's literally just throwing boatloads of cash at IFA's. Which I'm fine with, but it's not nearly as safe as the draft is. And it's not like the draft is safe to begin with.

 

I'm not too concerned with that. Too many owners will be opposed to that to let Bud have a chance. I'm more concerned they'll tinker with FA compensation, which Theo used quite liberally to stockpile picks (unlike Hendry).

 

Of course if they take that away, I'm sure Theo will find something else to take advantage of.

 

Exactly. Regardless of where the advantage lies, with the resources the Cubs have, there will always be an area that's undervalued that the Cubs can sink significantly more resources in than anyone else. The key is having smart people finding these inefficiencies and exploiting them, which we now have.

[jersey cubs fan]

Got this from Jim Callis' Ask BA piece. It's staggering how poorly the cubs used FA compensation in the draft:

 

I knew there was disparity in the number of early-round draft picks teams had, but I didn't realize how much until a club official sent me some research his team put together. In the last six drafts, there have been a total of 1,049 selections in the first five rounds, an average of 35 per team. Because of free-agent compensation, the total choices for the clubs run the gamut from the Blue Jays (46), Padres (46), Rays (43), Diamondbacks (42) and Red Sox (42) at the top to the Cubs (28), Orioles (28), Athletics (30), Royals (30) and Yankees (30) at the bottom.

 

Of course, the clubs make their own decisions as to which of their free agents to offer arbitration (a requirement for receiving compensation) and which ones to sign (knowing when it will cost them a draft pick). But it's still odd to see that San Diego and Toronto have averaged three more choices per year than Baltimore and Chicago over the last six drafts.

 

No word has leaked out as to whether free-agent compensation will be addressed as part of changes to the draft in the next collective bargaining agreement.

 

It still chaps my hide that they went after Latroy Hawkins as a Type A free agent for middle relief without caring about the repurcussions. It just speaks volumes toward Hendry's absurd values.

[bukie]

Got this from Jim Callis' Ask BA piece. It's staggering how poorly the cubs used FA compensation in the draft:

 

I knew there was disparity in the number of early-round draft picks teams had, but I didn't realize how much until a club official sent me some research his team put together. In the last six drafts, there have been a total of 1,049 selections in the first five rounds, an average of 35 per team. Because of free-agent compensation, the total choices for the clubs run the gamut from the Blue Jays (46), Padres (46), Rays (43), Diamondbacks (42) and Red Sox (42) at the top to the Cubs (28), Orioles (28), Athletics (30), Royals (30) and Yankees (30) at the bottom.

 

Of course, the clubs make their own decisions as to which of their free agents to offer arbitration (a requirement for receiving compensation) and which ones to sign (knowing when it will cost them a draft pick). But it's still odd to see that San Diego and Toronto have averaged three more choices per year than Baltimore and Chicago over the last six drafts.

 

No word has leaked out as to whether free-agent compensation will be addressed as part of changes to the draft in the next collective bargaining agreement.

 

It still chaps my hide that they went after Latroy Hawkins as a Type A free agent for middle relief without caring about the repurcussions. It just speaks volumes toward Hendry's absurd values.

 

The saddest thing is that in six drafts of five rounds, any team that simply holds onto their existing picks would have made 30 picks over that time. That's the bare minimum assuming you don't go after any kind of compensatory picks. The Cubs (and Orioles?) couldn't even manage that.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Exactly. Regardless of where the advantage lies, with the resources the Cubs have, there will always be an area that's undervalued that the Cubs can sink significantly more resources in than anyone else. The key is having smart people finding these inefficiencies and exploiting them, which we now have.

 

It does disappoint me that we wasted 20 years twiddling our thumbs, because the inefficiencies get smaller every year as teams get smarter. I'm just expecting Epstein and Friends to find small inefficiencies and mostly just bludgeon the NL Central with our financial resources.

[bukie]

Exactly. Regardless of where the advantage lies, with the resources the Cubs have, there will always be an area that's undervalued that the Cubs can sink significantly more resources in than anyone else. The key is having smart people finding these inefficiencies and exploiting them, which we now have.

 

It does disappoint me that we wasted 20 years twiddling our thumbs, because the inefficiencies get smaller every year as teams get smarter. I'm just expecting Epstein and Friends to find small inefficiencies and mostly just bludgeon the NL Central with our financial resources.

Of course, as the gap between front office development strategies lessens, the greater the payroll gap makes a difference. If every team is doing the same thing, the team that does more of it is in better shape to deal with mistakes and risks.

[CubColtPacer]

Got this from Jim Callis' Ask BA piece. It's staggering how poorly the cubs used FA compensation in the draft:

 

I knew there was disparity in the number of early-round draft picks teams had, but I didn't realize how much until a club official sent me some research his team put together. In the last six drafts, there have been a total of 1,049 selections in the first five rounds, an average of 35 per team. Because of free-agent compensation, the total choices for the clubs run the gamut from the Blue Jays (46), Padres (46), Rays (43), Diamondbacks (42) and Red Sox (42) at the top to the Cubs (28), Orioles (28), Athletics (30), Royals (30) and Yankees (30) at the bottom.

 

Of course, the clubs make their own decisions as to which of their free agents to offer arbitration (a requirement for receiving compensation) and which ones to sign (knowing when it will cost them a draft pick). But it's still odd to see that San Diego and Toronto have averaged three more choices per year than Baltimore and Chicago over the last six drafts.

 

No word has leaked out as to whether free-agent compensation will be addressed as part of changes to the draft in the next collective bargaining agreement.

 

It still chaps my hide that they went after Latroy Hawkins as a Type A free agent for middle relief without caring about the repurcussions. It just speaks volumes toward Hendry's absurd values.

 

The saddest thing is that in six drafts of five rounds, any team that simply holds onto their existing picks would have made 30 picks over that time. That's the bare minimum assuming you don't go after any kind of compensatory picks. The Cubs (and Orioles?) couldn't even manage that.

 

Yup, although at least the Cubs stopped losing picks a few years ago (I think Soriano was the last pick they lost, and that was the only one they lost with that 2006 shopping spree). They've only gained 2 picks during that time though and both of those were luck (Pierre and Kendall both signed before the deadline). That's the area the Cubs really need to improve in as they've had a couple of really good chances to get picks that they've squandered.

[Guest]

 

Yup, although at least the Cubs stopped losing picks a few years ago (I think Soriano was the last pick they lost, and that was the only one they lost with that 2006 shopping spree). They've only gained 2 picks during that time though and both of those were luck (Pierre and Kendall both signed before the deadline). That's the area the Cubs really need to improve in as they've had a couple of really good chances to get picks that they've squandered.

 

 

Stuff like this is the real reason we're in a crappy spot right now. Not the large contracts that were handed out. Hell, we'd probably be in amazing shape right now even with the tied up money if we had prioritized drafting/player development more highly years ago.

[jersey cubs fan]

Stuff like this is the real reason we're in a crappy spot right now. Not the large contracts that were handed out. Hell, we'd probably be in amazing shape right now even with the tied up money if we had prioritized drafting/player development more highly years ago.

 

I think they did prioritize it years ago, they just weren't good at it and didn't understand the competitive advantages they could have used.

[mookie]

They need to name the computer system Goat.

[C.C.]

They need to name the computer system Goat.

 

I like Bartman better.

[PrimeTime]

Just listened to the whole Waddle and Silvy interview.It was good. It's like sex to your ears hearing Theo speak.