I guarantee that Beane would get us to the WS in less than 3 years. Because Oakland has got there so often, right? He'd be an upgrade, but he's not a complete savior either. Getting to the WS is a combination of design, talent, and lots of luck. I don't thnk you can realistically guarantee anybody could do it in 3 years. Actually, Oakland has performed pretty well with spare parts. Unleash the Cubs budget on Billy Beane and there's a pretty strong chance he could build a perennial contender. I agree, I think he would do better. But is he considered a failure if he doesn't get the Cubs to WS within 3 years? That is the point I was trying to make.