Is The Ricketts Family the worst thing to...

[jersey cubs fan]

Really siding with some winners here, gooney.

 

NOT LIKE THE RICKETTS, AMIRITE??????

 

All i did was answer your question.

[Sammy Sofa]

You're so much more to us. And in our hearts.

[CubInOK]

ever happen to The Chicago Cubs?

 

I'd say yes, sell the future so they can profit on a crap product in the present, get absolutely worked when trying to get the cities help on the renovation, as a result we'll see the worst 3 stretch since 1960-62 with absolutely no end in sight.

 

Thanks a lot you Pleasantville A-holes!

3.0

[imb]

http://i.imgur.com/15A2Nsf.png

[RynoRules]

I wish they'd bring back Green and Frey.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Billy Goat

Koyie Hill

Aaron Miles

Game 6 (2003)

Alex Gonzalez

Game 5 (1984)

Leon Durham

August 1969

Games 1-3 (2008))

Games 1-3 (2007)

Game 7 (2003)

Game 1 (2003)

refusal to pay Greg Maddux the first time

Cap Anson

Milton Bradley

Dusty Baker

Koyie Hill's return

Latroy Hawkins

Lou Piniella

Jim Hendry

Jim Frey

Ed Lynch

Jake Peavy

Refusal to cross William Barrett Travis' line in the sand

Cobs

Mark Grace

Sammy Sosa's Boom Box

Greedo shooting first

Hayden Simpson

the 7th Inning Stretch

Jerome Walton

Carlos Zambrano

John Grabow

Koyie Hill's 3rd stint

Bob Howry

The Priest

Marcus Giles

Rodimus Prime

Jeff Pico

Brent Lillibridge

[Guest]

I think they sort of have to stick to the plan. I just hope they don't really mean all the things that comes out of Theo's mouth.

 

It's almost like the Cubs are an expansion team. It's painful, but at this point we have to hope the plan is sound.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think they sort of have to stick to the plan.

 

Well, yeah, they have to because they've basically created a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[SABR Gamer]

The Billy Goat

Koyie Hill

Aaron Miles

Game 6 (2003)

Alex Gonzalez

Game 5 (1984)

Leon Durham

August 1969

Games 1-3 (2008))

Games 1-3 (2007)

Game 7 (2003)

Game 1 (2003)

refusal to pay Greg Maddux the first time

Cap Anson

Milton Bradley

Dusty Baker

Koyie Hill's return

Latroy Hawkins

Lou Piniella

Jim Hendry

Jim Frey

Ed Lynch

Jake Peavy

Refusal to cross William Barrett Travis' line in the sand

Cobs

Mark Grace

Sammy Sosa's Boom Box

Greedo shooting first

Hayden Simpson

the 7th Inning Stretch

Jerome Walton

Carlos Zambrano

John Grabow

Koyie Hill's 3rd stint

Bob Howry

The Priest

Marcus Giles

Rodimus Prime

Jeff Pico

Brent Lillibridge

 

Bolded have no business being on a list of bad things to happen to the Cubs. Grace being a douchebag is annoying, but he was a very good player for the Cubs.

[Cubswin11]

The Billy Goat

Koyie Hill

Aaron Miles

Game 6 (2003)

Alex Gonzalez

Game 5 (1984)

Leon Durham

August 1969

Games 1-3 (2008))

Games 1-3 (2007)

Game 7 (2003)

Game 1 (2003)

refusal to pay Greg Maddux the first time

Cap Anson

Milton Bradley

Dusty Baker

Koyie Hill's return

Latroy Hawkins

Lou Piniella

Jim Hendry

Jim Frey

Ed Lynch

Jake Peavy

Refusal to cross William Barrett Travis' line in the sand

Cobs

Mark Grace

Sammy Sosa's Boom Box

Greedo shooting first

Hayden Simpson

the 7th Inning Stretch

Jerome Walton

Carlos Zambrano

John Grabow

Koyie Hill's 3rd stint

Bob Howry

The Priest

Marcus Giles

Rodimus Prime

Jeff Pico

Brent Lillibridge

 

Bolded have no business being on a list of bad things to happen to the Cubs. Grace being a douchebag is annoying, but he was a very good player for the Cubs.

Also, no mention of the Tribune Company Ownership

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

What the hell is "Cobs"

[jersey cubs fan]

Also, no mention of the Tribune Company Ownership

 

The best era of ownership the past 100 years.

[Guest]

What the hell is "Cobs"

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=13091

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Billy Goat

Koyie Hill

Aaron Miles

Game 6 (2003)

Alex Gonzalez

Game 5 (1984)

Leon Durham

August 1969

Games 1-3 (2008))

Games 1-3 (2007)

Game 7 (2003)

Game 1 (2003)

refusal to pay Greg Maddux the first time

Cap Anson

Milton Bradley

Dusty Baker

Koyie Hill's return

Latroy Hawkins

Lou Piniella

Jim Hendry

Jim Frey

Ed Lynch

Jake Peavy

Refusal to cross William Barrett Travis' line in the sand

Cobs

Mark Grace

Sammy Sosa's Boom Box

Greedo shooting first

Hayden Simpson

the 7th Inning Stretch

Jerome Walton

Carlos Zambrano

John Grabow

Koyie Hill's 3rd stint

Bob Howry

The Priest

Marcus Giles

Rodimus Prime

Jeff Pico

Brent Lillibridge

 

Bolded have no business being on a list of bad things to happen to the Cubs. Grace being a douchebag is annoying, but he was a very good player for the Cubs.

 

Nor does most of it, thus the silly response to a silly thread.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well, yeah, they have to because they've basically created a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

Exactly this. We can go back and re-debate the post-2011 offseason every day from here to eternity (no, seriously, we could. I'd love that. It would be fun), but it's too late now.

 

Going into last season, the team really was awful. Revenue problems really do seem to be squeezing payroll. The free agent classes no longer suit our needs particularly well. Mineaswell stay the course.

 

This is especially why I think the people who are hoping for them to flip the switch and make a Price trade or some other sort of major upheaval for 2014 are fooling themselves. The timing doesn't look remotely right.

 

Iowa is a ghost town if you are looking for impact prospects right now, and AA is barely any better. I see some guys who could be backups or fringy starters if all goes well, but I don't see anyone coming up before the end of 2014 that makes me think "OK, yeah, that guy could definitely be an upgrade over what we have at that position."

 

If we don't trade anybody and we pick up DeJesus' option, here's what we have for 2014:

 

Soriano/DeJesus/Schierholtz

Valbuena or Stewart/Castro/Barney/Rizzo

Castillo

 

Samardzija/Jackson/Wood/Villanueva/Vizcaino

Everyone in the bullpen minus Camp and Marmol.

 

You know what that looks like? That looks to me like the exact same 2013 team that is on pace to win 45 and projected to win 75 pre-fire sale, except with a thinner pitching staff. You need to replace or re-sign Garza just to *get* to a 75-win projection, and that's not going to be an easy thing to do in an offseason that is incredibly pitching-thin. And replace anyone you trade this deadline, Maholm-style.

 

Let's assume that we don't trade anyone who isn't on an expiring contract, *and* that we sign Garza or a Garza-equivalent for $12-15m. Now you're somewhere in the $80 million range committed and you're maybe looking at a 75-win team if you are feeling generous about the pen. Probably even worse.

 

Has this front office given even the slightest indication that they'd go out and try to find the 10-15 marginal wins in the offseason that it would take to make that team a real contender? Are they really going to wait until Baez, Soler, etc. are a year or less away and then suddenly say "screw it, let's trade prospects for a big-name player and make it rain in free agency"? Is there even going to be enough offense available in the upcoming offseason to make that 10-15 win improvement, even if they wanted to?

 

More than likely, we'll get a Garza replacement or Garza extension. We'll get an outfielder to replace the one we trade at the deadline this year, Soriano or DeJesus. We'll get a mid-tier bullpen arm to replace Marmol and Camp. We'll go into camp projected to win like 78 games, and the front office will give us the same "aww, shucks, if we happen to get hot and be in it great, but we're not afraid to firesale rather than win 78 games" routine that we got this year.

 

And honestly, that's probably the best course. It's one thing to go hard after Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols or Yu Darvish when you have a glaring organizational need at those positions. Once Cano is signed to an extension by the Yankees, there's nothing remotely on that level available. And I don't think they are willing or able to make the half-dozen high-quality non-elite moves that it would take to get the team into fringe contention without an impact addition.

 

I'll be glad to explain every day until 2020 why this was a bad plan, but it's the only plan we've got now.

[illiniguy]

Honest question, let's say this season goes off the rails. I don't think it will, I think historical numbers will prevail and eventually we will get through this awful stretch of luck out of the pen. But, what if this team is like last year and we sell everything and end up with 100 losses? Is next year a make or break year for Theo? Or is he still safe? Edited April 23, 2013 by illiniguy

[SouthSideRyan]

Honest question, let's say this season goes off the rails. I don't think it will, I think historical numbers will prevail and eventually we will get through this awful stretch of luck out f the pen. But, what if this team is like last year and we sell everything and end up with 100 losses? Is next year a make or break year for Theo? Or is he still safe?

 

Theo could lose 100 games every year for 4 years and he'll be allowed to finish out his contract.

[illiniguy]

Honest question, let's say this season goes off the rails. I don't think it will, I think historical numbers will prevail and eventually we will get through this awful stretch of luck out f the pen. But, what if this team is like last year and we sell everything and end up with 100 losses? Is next year a make or break year for Theo? Or is he still safe?

 

Theo could lose 100 games every year for 4 years and he'll be allowed to finish out his contract.

That's kind of what I figured as well. Hopefully we won't ever find out.

[mul21]

Honest question, let's say this season goes off the rails. I don't think it will, I think historical numbers will prevail and eventually we will get through this awful stretch of luck out f the pen. But, what if this team is like last year and we sell everything and end up with 100 losses? Is next year a make or break year for Theo? Or is he still safe?

 

I'm amused by this typo because it's pretty much how I feel about them right now.

[XZero771679666304]

Honest question, let's say this season goes off the rails. I don't think it will, I think historical numbers will prevail and eventually we will get through this awful stretch of luck out f the pen. But, what if this team is like last year and we sell everything and end up with 100 losses? Is next year a make or break year for Theo? Or is he still safe?

 

Theo could lose 100 games every year for 4 years and he'll be allowed to finish out his contract.

That's kind of what I figured as well. Hopefully we won't ever find out.

 

Yeah, he's not getting fired.

 

But next year will be a make or break year of sorts when it comes to his plan. If the team isn't at least making the pretense of contending in 2014, things aren't going to be looking too hot on the five year plan front.

[Exile on Waveland]

Is it credibly possible to (1) "stick to the plan" and (2) the Cubs not to stink next year?

[XZero771679666304]

Is it credibly possible to (1) "stick to the plan" and (2) the Cubs not to stink next year?

 

I think so. On paper, the team this year shouldn't be nearly as bad as it has been. I think it's an acquisition or two from being decent, especially if we retain Garza, which I think is increasingly likely. With a good offseason, I could see the Cubs being a wild card contender next year.

[Gilby]

A benefit of building up the system is being able to trade for a player who can make an immediate impact. I think you underrate the FO's willingness to move highly rated prospects, Kyle, especially with a high pick coming this draft and potentially next to make up for the loss.

 

If this team is bad in 2014, I will turn against Theo, however.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A benefit of building up the system is being able to trade for a player who can make an immediate impact. I think you underrate the FO's willingness to move highly rated prospects, Kyle, especially with a high pick coming this draft and potentially next to make up for the loss.

 

If this team is bad in 2014, I will turn against Theo, however.

 

I don't see the point of refusing to spend money because the team isn't ready for it, then later paying double for a single player like Price (in talent and then a contract extension) when the team is in just as bad a shape. Nor do I find it to be a likely scenario.

 

I have no doubt that they'll be willing to deal prospects in the general sense. I have a ton of doubt that they'll be doing it as a push to make the 2014 team competitive.

[Exile on Waveland]

Is it credibly possible to (1) "stick to the plan" and (2) the Cubs not to stink next year?

 

I think so. On paper, the team this year shouldn't be nearly as bad as it has been. I think it's an acquisition or two from being decent, especially if we retain Garza, which I think is increasingly likely. With a good offseason, I could see the Cubs being a wild card contender next year.

 

Well, first, people have been saying "the team . . . shouldn't be nearly as bad as it has been" for going on two years. Sure, they're going to win more games than they're on pace for, but, either way, this team stinks.

 

Second, I've been arguing for quite awhile that a couple players could change a lot, but I'm not sure the necessary acquisitions fit in "the plan." I am a big fan of the Edwin Jackson signing, but I don't think two more similar additions is sufficient (other than hoping for 2012 Orioles luck--which is one reason we should all support such signings).