CUBZ99

So on the day of a MLB imposed news blackout we hear news all day, but on an off-day we don't have anything yet? #-o

I actually think Kap did a decent job on the radio. =D>

Why are you trying to start @#$#? :D

McNutt and Jeff Baker?

Rogers article speculating on what happens if deal falls through http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-your-morning-phil-theo-bud-albert-20111018,0,4479202.story

Really? I think exactly the opposite. It is has been a bi-polar operation on their part. Meanwhile, Ricketts and Co. have been calm throughout, refusing to get flustered by the Sox strange negotiation tactics. Add to everything, this recent article by the Globe and it makes the Sox look even more pathetic.

That is ridiculous and just about as bad as the PR job that the Sox have been trying to do throughout the process. It really appears to be a bi-polar organization. One moment they trash Theo, the next moment they love him, they can't wait to get rid of him, they would love for him to stay. The sad part is that almost all of the early leaks were from Sox and have really backed them into a corner at this point. Theo clearly wants to leave, and management clearly wants him gone. Everything else is just fiction. I don't think any rational person believes that the Cubs will give up more than a few mid-level prospects to get him. Also, I think Sox fans clearly overestimate the impact of this deal falling through. Most of the Theo to the Cubs hype is from the more than casual fan. If you don't believe me, read the stories all over Chicago about how surprised the beat writers are that fans are not as excited about Theo coming as they expected them to be. The biggest story this offseason for the Cubs, is that they actually have an owner that "gets it". No more old cliches, but an owner that sees the significance of numbers and statistics. Even if the Cubs don't get Theo, they are going to get a GM in the same mold and for that they will be much better off.

Posting question marks like that is classic muskat too. Muskat. That was funny. =D> Good stuff.

She is much better than some. Pathetic that she still has to put up with comments like this. Hello Carrie Muskat Guess cubsclapp must be her also? Simply because he posted a neutral comment about her? Classic Muskat. ??

She is much better than some. Pathetic that she still has to put up with comments like this. Hello Carrie Muskat Guess cubsclapp must be her also? Simply because he posted a neutral comment about her?

She is much better than some. Pathetic that she still has to put up with comments like this.

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago-cubs/news/Red-Sox-playing-hardball-with-Cubs?blockID=577760&feedID=661 The Red Sox need a new PR department. Randy Bush, Crane Kenney or whomever is the source for this leak, just made them look like pathetic losers.

This is a hilarious read. I thought the SOSH people were supposed to be level headed "smart" posters. I mean I know their viewpoints are going to be unconsciously biased towards the Red Sox and vice versa for us, but some of the things they are saying are just plain ridiculous. They think that not only do the Sox have all the leverage, but they have significant leverage. Nah, I don't think so guys. The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter? They can come out and announce Cherington is the GM and Epstein's role is being sorted out, or he's a special assistant, or whatever they want. Meanwhile the Cubs have no GM. The Sox can say "take it or leave it" indefinitely. The Cubs don't have that luxury. I think you are kidding yourself. They don't want Theo and know that he doesn't want to be there. If he stays they are stuck with a high level employee that won't be GM and won't have a position. They are also stuck with with approximately $6MM obligation ($3.5MM buyout, $2.5MM+2012 salary) to Epstein. I know they have all kinds of money to waste (Crawford, Lackey, Beckett....) but why would they want to waste another $6MM only to have him leave at the end of the year anyways? The Red Sox have done a terrible job of trying to control the narrative of this whole transaction. Well as I said above I think this will get worked out... eventually. The Red Sox can leave it in limbo for much longer than the Cubs can, though. There's not the same urgency on their part. The Cubs absolutely have to have a GM in place by the end of the WS. If the Sox let Theo and the Cubs twist in the wind for a month or whatever, what's the harm to them? Other pressing issues can't be addressed? Why not? Other young executives won't want to work for them in the future? Please. I agree that it will get worked out, but the risk to the Red Sox is that the Cubs get tired of waiting and move on. According to the reports Ricketts did a thorough search and had interviewed other candidates in case Epstein didn't work out. I am thrilled that Epstein appears to be the next GM, but I think the biggest part of this search that has been overlooked is that we actually have an ownership group that gets it. I think the fact that Ricketts buys into significant fundamental changes to the team is far more important than obtaining any one person as GM.

This is a hilarious read. I thought the SOSH people were supposed to be level headed "smart" posters. I mean I know their viewpoints are going to be unconsciously biased towards the Red Sox and vice versa for us, but some of the things they are saying are just plain ridiculous. They think that not only do the Sox have all the leverage, but they have significant leverage. Nah, I don't think so guys. The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter? They can come out and announce Cherington is the GM and Epstein's role is being sorted out, or he's a special assistant, or whatever they want. Meanwhile the Cubs have no GM. The Sox can say "take it or leave it" indefinitely. The Cubs don't have that luxury. I think you are kidding yourself. They don't want Theo and know that he doesn't want to be there. If he stays they are stuck with a high level employee that won't be GM and won't have a position. They are also stuck with with approximately $6MM obligation ($3.5MM buyout, $2.5MM+2012 salary) to Epstein. I know they have all kinds of money to waste (Crawford, Lackey, Beckett....) but why would they want to waste another $6MM only to have him leave at the end of the year anyways? The Red Sox have done a terrible job of trying to control the narrative of this whole transaction.

I think it is a joke how pathetic the Red Sox have been with leaks throughout this process. Ricketts on the other hand has remained cool and calm. This is going to get done, and Ricketts has gained a ton of respect in the process.

Kaplan Cubs are going to get hosed.

Only thing I don't like is how far he thinks the current MLB team is from being competitive. I think he is being pretty realistic. I'm also in agreement that unless the Cubs can swing some trades for some significant upgrades, they shouldn't resign Pena or Ramirez. Offer both arbitration and use the money to draft some very good prospects in the draft.

Based on 2011, the only average/above average starting pitcher the Cubs have is Garza. Based on WHIP/ERA Wells, Z and Dempster were all in the bottom third of NL pitchers with over 100 IP. Maybe I'm too pessimistic, but I don't see Z turning it around at this point, and although Dempster did turn it around toward the end of the year, he is not getting younger. In regard to position players, offensively, Soto and Barney are well below avg. Soto ranks 10th in NL in OPS for C with over 200 ABs and Barney ranked 17th.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-report-epstein-deal-worth-over-15-million-5-years-20111012,0,3031960.story Trib reporting the deal is done based on WEEI source, but they seem to have a Cub source to verify it.

Sounds like Theo is using the Cubs to get a better deal with the sox

So according to this guy, the pitch to get Theo would be: We plan to drastically cut our spending by approx 30%, meaning he will have about $60MM less to spend with the Cubs than the Red Sox? Add to that the fact that the farm system is pretty barren, except the lower levels, and it would be no wonder Theo hasn't jumped at the opportunity.

That sounds promising.

I hope purple shirt guy and Sullivan get an apology once this story is corroborated at the Epstein/Cubs press conference tomorrow.

Nice day for all Cubs players.

That was great! Nobody is going to laugh when Theo is hired. :lol: I got to give it to Paul Sullivan, that takes real guts to print something like that.