Theo Speak

[Cubswin11]

 

is he driving for uber or something too

It wouldn’t surprise me if this is true. He’s probably spent incredible amounts of time trying to move contracts/run through scenarios and figure out every which way he can to pitch to the Ricketts to let him spend more.

[imb]

maybe he had to pin descalso before he would agree to sign

[jersey cubs fan]

 

is he driving for uber or something too

It wouldn’t surprise me if this is true.

Offseason has been a snore but I’m still giving 5 stars

[Brian]

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[Banedon]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-cubs-theo-epstein-changes-20190703-ckiidkbdbvdbpktv5kkpfs3wi4-story.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

When asked about the job of manager Joe Maddon, who held his annual midseason meeting before Tuesday’s 5-1 loss, Epstein said, “I’d rather lump us in collectively.”

 

“We’re way sloppier than we’re used to," he said. "We come out of the chute way sloppy. Our first innings have been horrible. We’re seemingly going down 1-2-3 without a fight with less than 10 pitches. The opponent is getting into a good rhythm. We’re making a lot of mental errors early. We’re putting ourselves in a hole and not fighting back.”

 

Epstein’s comments come with four weeks left before the July 31 trade deadline.

 

“If this stretch of bad play continues, there certainly will be a ton of changes in order.”

[PackLandVA]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-cubs-theo-epstein-changes-20190703-ckiidkbdbvdbpktv5kkpfs3wi4-story.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

When asked about the job of manager Joe Maddon, who held his annual midseason meeting before Tuesday’s 5-1 loss, Epstein said, “I’d rather lump us in collectively.”

 

“We’re way sloppier than we’re used to," he said. "We come out of the chute way sloppy. Our first innings have been horrible. We’re seemingly going down 1-2-3 without a fight with less than 10 pitches. The opponent is getting into a good rhythm. We’re making a lot of mental errors early. We’re putting ourselves in a hole and not fighting back.”

 

Epstein’s comments come with four weeks left before the July 31 trade deadline.

 

“If this stretch of bad play continues, there certainly will be a ton of changes in order.”

 

 

[Regular Show]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-cubs-theo-epstein-changes-20190703-ckiidkbdbvdbpktv5kkpfs3wi4-story.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

When asked about the job of manager Joe Maddon, who held his annual midseason meeting before Tuesday’s 5-1 loss, Epstein said, “I’d rather lump us in collectively.”

 

“We’re way sloppier than we’re used to," he said. "We come out of the chute way sloppy. Our first innings have been horrible. We’re seemingly going down 1-2-3 without a fight with less than 10 pitches. The opponent is getting into a good rhythm. We’re making a lot of mental errors early. We’re putting ourselves in a hole and not fighting back.”

 

Epstein’s comments come with four weeks left before the July 31 trade deadline.

 

“If this stretch of bad play continues, there certainly will be a ton of changes in order.”

 

Wow. It sounds like Maddon is done. I don't think he's getting fired, but it really seems like he won't be coming back next year. I wonder if we should start a thread about replacements and who we want or think the Cubs should target.

 

I'm a big fan of Minnesota bench coach Derek Shelton (plus he's from my hometown).

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-managers-perspective-derek-shelton-on-managerial-philosophy/

[Laura]

“If this stretch of bad play continues, there certainly will be a ton of changes in order.”

 

 

 

If Then

 

The leadup had me anticipating more than that weak sauce conditional phrasing.

[17 Seconds]

if something doesn't happen during the break, he's full of horsefeathers

[Brian]

“Our failure to play up to our ability, up to our potential,” Epstein said when asked what one area was most inconsistent. “We just lost two games in a row to a team that I think we’re more talented than, we have a 150 better run differential than. We were just caught from behind in the wild-card standings by a team that our run differential is over 100 runs better than. But they’re playing better ball – the Brewers, they just beat us five out of seven (recently) in huge games. We put them back in the race. It’s the inability to show up and play winning baseball.

 

“We’re playing bad baseball – second-most errors in the league, the most outs on the bases in the league. Those things chip away at your margin for error.

 

“Yeah, I think going back to the way last year ended and just going over to this winter and then the season, it has been extremely frustrating – and it has been for our fans too,” Epstein said. “You feel that responsibility as well. You want to put a team out there that plays a quality brand of baseball that doesn’t make those errors, that doesn’t make those outs on the bases, that gets the most out of its ability. We clearly haven’t done that. It’s immensely frustrating for me. I feel that responsibility on behalf of our fans that are watching us.

 

“If you go back 12, 13 months, it’s just been marked by underachievement and uninspired play. And that applies to us in the front office too. Everyone is in this together. It’s just been uninspired and unacceptable. This is clearly our chance to get it right. Like I said, we can’t take that lightly.”

 

https://670thescore.radio.com/theo-epstein-frustrated-by-underachieving-uninspired-cubs

[Cubswin11]

Yada, yada he spoke big last offseason and did nothing. He had a good interview today and I still trust him and believe the right changes will be made.

 

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[Clem Fandango]

He probably did nothing because the Ricketts pulled the money rug out from under him, and it seemed obvious that was why. That said, they absolutely could've done better.

[UMFan83]

He probably did nothing because the Ricketts pulled the money rug out from under him, and it seemed obvious that was why. That said, they absolutely could've done better.

 

He doesn't even really touch on the fact that we've had to throw resources at fixing holes because we haven't developed any talent in several years. Oh except Bote, who they were so excited about getting an average player from their farm system that they quickly extended him through his arb years. Dodgers have won 7 straight NL West titles and the last 2 NL pennants. They also have a top 5 farm system. I expected a Theo run organization to be something like that.

[Cubswin11]

He probably did nothing because the Ricketts pulled the money rug out from under him, and it seemed obvious that was why. That said, they absolutely could've done better.

 

He doesn't even really touch on the fact that we've had to throw resources at fixing holes because we haven't developed any talent in several years. Oh except Bote, who they were so excited about getting an average player from their farm system that they quickly extended him through his arb years. Dodgers have won 7 straight NL West titles and the last 2 NL pennants. They also have a top 5 farm system. I expected a Theo run organization to be something like that.

He touched on that a bit in the full interview in regards to plugging holes.

 

Also Dodgers play in an easier division and up until this year the accomplishments since 2015 were pretty neck and neck, and we still have the ultimate prize. Decent offseason we are right back with them.

[minnesotacubsfan]

He probably did nothing because the Ricketts pulled the money rug out from under him, and it seemed obvious that was why. That said, they absolutely could've done better.

 

He doesn't even really touch on the fact that we've had to throw resources at fixing holes because we haven't developed any talent in several years. Oh except Bote, who they were so excited about getting an average player from their farm system that they quickly extended him through his arb years. Dodgers have won 7 straight NL West titles and the last 2 NL pennants. They also have a top 5 farm system. I expected a Theo run organization to be something like that.

He touched on that a bit in the full interview in regards to plugging holes.

 

Also Dodgers play in an easier division and up until this year the accomplishments since 2015 were pretty neck and neck, and we still have the ultimate prize. Decent offseason we are right back with them.

 

decent playoff and they are way ahead of us

 

TheoCo talked about the 1990's Braves, meaning needing to have multiple winning seasons and div championships. Turns out i had no idea they were talking about the Dodgers doing it, not us

[Transmogrified Tiger]

live stream of theo's presser:

 

[Brian]

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Here's a lot of window talk for Kyle

[Brian]

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Let's take the names off the back of the jerseys again! Was that 2005 after the brutal 2004?

[Banedon]

Sure sounds like Willson isn't going anywhere.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Less individualism?"

 

1: Gross. That's some of the creepiest bootlicker horsefeathers right out of the worst corporate motivational retreat seminar book.

 

2. That pretty much means not hiring someone like Ross, or really any other "name" as a manger. A nobody it shall be!

[Sammy Sofa]

That whole "setting up a new window during this window" thing been happening since they brought in the 2015 IFA class. 2019 was bottoming out, now that it's over with it wasn't so bad (thanks Schwarber and Darvish), and I'm already over it

 

Huh; I guess developing absolutely no pitching and minimal offensive assets is one way to look at as being "setting up a new window."

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Sure sounds like Willson isn't going anywhere.

 

Might be confirmation bias, but I'm actually extra convinced he's gone now.

[Cubswin11]

Sure sounds like Willson isn't going anywhere.

Really? That sounded like a sales pitch to the 29 other teams, to me. He’s gone, imo.

[Banedon]

Sure sounds like Willson isn't going anywhere.

Really? That sounded like a sales pitch to the 29 other teams, to me. He’s gone, imo.

 

"Shame on us if we can't develop a player like that at the major league level."

 

That sounded like he's staying to me.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Sure sounds like Willson isn't going anywhere.

Really? That sounded like a sales pitch to the 29 other teams, to me. He’s gone, imo.

 

"Shame on us if we can't develop a player like that at the major league level."

 

That sounded like he's staying to me.

 

Unspoken: Willson isn't up to par when it comes to framing, and Theo's language about the things Willson worked on was all about things "he" believes will drive improvements.

 

When you pair that with all the winner's curse talk and some of the pitching infrastructure stuff that's inextricably tied to game-calling and framing, I'm willing to lay odds that he's traded. Not overwhelming odds though, he does have significant strengths.