Random Cubs Musings

[Guest]

Tim Keown has a pretty lengthy piece focused on Epstein and the rebuild for ESPN The Mag's MLB preview. It doesn't look like it's online yet and it's not terribly insightful, but here's a few fun tidbits:

 

Epstein begins an impromptu tour of the gleaming Mesa complex by heading toward Field 2, which can no longer be used by 21-year-old superprospect Javier Baez, a shortsop with light-tower power and the MLB logo tattooed on the back of his neck. Roughly 440 feet down the leftfield line sits AZ-202, the Red Mountain Freeway. During batting practice early in spring training, Baez drilled more than one car ascending the on-ramp, costing him his Field 2 privileges.

 

It's a big change from the previous regime, whose old-school methods prompted the overhaul. When one of Epstein's hires told scouts they'd be using Microsoft Excel for scheduling, one asked, "Sorry, but what is Excel?" When McLeod took over player development, just 8 of 24 area scouts had email linked to their smartphones. "Hendry is a great guy, but this was the Stone Age," says a player-development source no longer with the team. "A report would be, 'Plus-plus makeup--I love this kid.' What does that even mean?" Scouts did not take video of players--a basic and invaluable task with today's technology. The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day. "Theo finally told him to stop," the source says.

 

"One of the challenges with the drought or the streak is the idea that next year's the year," Hoyer says. "You want to reach the point where next year can always be the year. Trying to cobble something together every year to make a run has had a negative impact here."

 

[in reference to Sveum's failed tenure] "That was a failure on my part," Epstein says. "Dale established a toughness, accountability, and assertiveness that was lacking here. He was in a really tough spot, and I will say that's more my failure than Dale's failure."

Epstein stops stops nearly midsentence, a tactical silence. "Don't look past how difficult losing two straight years to the extent we did can be on a manager. Maybe we've reached a different phase where we need more of a positive, teaching aspect to our development."

 

Under Sveum last season, the lack of a full-time Spanish-speaking coach raised questions about the organization's commitment to its Latin players, especially Castro. (Sources say the front office deferred to Sveum, who felt confident he could communicate with all players.) After a rumored flirtation with Girardi, the Cubs hired the relentlessly positive and bilingual Renteria, a fast-walking, ever-smiling human handshake.

"Watching Ricky going back and forth between Spanish and English, you can't help but see what that means to our Latin players," Epstein says. "He's not the manager because he can speak Spanish, though. He's the manager because he can connect to players."

[ConstableRabbit]

Improptu? Great job, ESPN!

[Tyrant]

Improptu? Great job, ESPN!

 

I think that's TT transcribing, since the article is not online.

[ConstableRabbit]

Improptu? Great job, ESPN!

 

I think that's TT transcribing, since the article is not online.

Ah, sorry about that.

 

Great job, TT! :D

[Guest]

Correct, thanks for spotting that. Fixed!

[jersey cubs fan]

freaking Hendry

[Banedon]

freaking Hendry

 

I wonder if there are any other professional sports teams still being run that way.

[ConstableRabbit]

freaking Hendry

That was the biggest takeaway from the post and the quote sums him up perfectly.

[Guest]

That little snippet is up there with the Gary Hughes stuff from years ago.

[Banedon]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

[Guest]

I wonder what Randy Bush does now with that extra free time.

[Guest]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

I left out the part where the source said they had to let the guy go, so count your blessings.

[Guest]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

I left out the part where the source said they had to let the guy go, so count your blessings.

 

OHH... Fleita.

[bukie]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

I left out the part where the source said they had to let the guy go, so count your blessings.

 

OHH... Fleita.

I was going to say I always wondered what Kenney did for the team.

[Guest]

Don Muret ‏@breakground 5m

In SBJ, #Cubs Prez Crane Kenney had no idea FBI tapped into his talks w/ Gov. Blago over stadium upgrades. #wrigley100

 

 

SBJ?

[jersey cubs fan]

sports business journal?

[Illini Iceman]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

I left out the part where the source said they had to let the guy go, so count your blessings.

 

Isn't that pretty much what Brett at Bleacher Nation does? All they would have had to do is have the guy go there every day and click on all the links in his daily bullets.

[Guest]

It's a big change from the previous regime, whose old-school methods prompted the overhaul. When one of Epstein's hires told scouts they'd be using Microsoft Excel for scheduling, one asked, "Sorry, but what is Excel?" When McLeod took over player development, just 8 of 24 area scouts had email linked to their smartphones. "Hendry is a great guy, but this was the Stone Age," says a player-development source no longer with the team. "A report would be, 'Plus-plus makeup--I love this kid.' What does that even mean?" Scouts did not take video of players--a basic and invaluable task with today's technology. The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day. "Theo finally told him to stop," the source says.

 

Oh come on, my 77-year old grandmother knows how to use Excel and has been using it for about five years.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's a big change from the previous regime, whose old-school methods prompted the overhaul. When one of Epstein's hires told scouts they'd be using Microsoft Excel for scheduling, one asked, "Sorry, but what is Excel?" When McLeod took over player development, just 8 of 24 area scouts had email linked to their smartphones. "Hendry is a great guy, but this was the Stone Age," says a player-development source no longer with the team. "A report would be, 'Plus-plus makeup--I love this kid.' What does that even mean?" Scouts did not take video of players--a basic and invaluable task with today's technology. The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day. "Theo finally told him to stop," the source says.

 

Oh come on, my 77-year old grandmother knows how to use Excel and has been using it for about five years.

 

Is she out on the road, scouting the next generation of hurlers?

[Guest]

freaking Hendry

 

I wonder if there are any other professional sports teams still being run that way.

The Phillies, LAA (to an extent), Dodgers, Orioles, probably a few others.

[Guest]

freaking Hendry

 

I wonder if there are any other professional sports teams still being run that way.

The Phillies, LAA (to an extent), Dodgers, Orioles, probably a few others.

 

 

The only one of those that might be on that level is Philadelphia.

[NOLA]

RE: Sveum

Epstein stops stops nearly midsentence, a tactical silence. "Don't look past how difficult losing two straight years to the extent we did can be on a manager. Maybe we've reached a different phase where we need more of a positive, teaching aspect to our development."

Wondered about this when they got rid of Sveum. He was perfect for what they needed in the beginning-toughness, accountability, etc. When you lose 90 plus games a year, that style has to wear pretty thin. Renteria may be the perfect fit for here and now.

[davell]

freaking Hendry

 

I wonder if there are any other professional sports teams still being run that way.

The Phillies, LAA (to an extent), Dodgers, Orioles, probably a few others.

 

 

The only one of those that might be on that level is Philadelphia.

I could see the Orioles being as bad.

[KingCubsFan]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

I left out the part where the source said they had to let the guy go, so count your blessings.

I bet it was that Wasserstrom guy.

[TruffleShuffle]

The job of one executive under the computer-shy Hendry consisted of scanning the Internet for relevant stories and distributing printouts twice a day.

 

I feel like my dream job passed me by.

 

http://www.quickmeme.com/img/03/034f6e98174583e154f326dce722c110810ea1487b69fa1d0bc7674545f8b21b.jpg