It's the curse of Dwight Smith, Jerome Walton, Brant Brown, Gary Scott, Bobby Hill and Kevin Orie.

I do think if Epstein didn't have that Ivy League background that the expectations would be more realistic...that and the two World Series championships, it's a curse that guys like Friedman and Billy Beane have been able to escape, although the reverse is also true, not having won it all is held as a black mark against them.

 

It's the same problem the White Sox/Hahn are going to face if Viciedo, Garcia, Abreu and Hawkins don't progress.

 

Fans are going to forgive Hahn for the recent past, Dunn, Keppinger, etc. But they're not going to forgive 2-3 rebuilding seasons with no hope of progress in sight.

 

Then there's the spectre of the Cardinals, Pirates and Reds to deal with for Cubs' fans. 10/14 playoff appearances for the Cards, for example.

 

 

At least there's some hope for the White Sox because Verlander, Cabrera (I'm sure he'll be back to normal next season) and Fielder are/were looking very vulnerable at different points of this season, and the back of that bullpen is still a work in progress.

 

well done.

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors 19m

 

Samardzija Extension Appears Unlikely http://bit.ly/1aC6H0H #mlb

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors 19m

 

Samardzija Extension Appears Unlikely http://bit.ly/1aC6H0H #mlb

 

but he is elite

Zambrano still wants to pitch

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,4842593.story

Next time I apply for a job, I'm going to tell my superiors that my performance will be horrible compared to my peers, but that is all part of the plan. Please wait 3 years to re-evaluate. As I approach that three year mark, I'll let them know that my inferiors are really f***ing things up and I might need an extra 2-3 years. As they start to catch on, I'll spend all of my boss's money so that the results improve a little bit. It may or may not get me some short term success, but it will certainly lead to my firing.

 

That's okay though, because I'll have made plenty of money by then.

Next time I apply for a job, I'm going to tell my superiors that my performance will be horrible compared to my peers, but that is all part of the plan. Please wait 3 years to re-evaluate. As I approach that three year mark, I'll let them know that my inferiors are really f***ing things up and I might need an extra 2-3 years. As they start to catch on, I'll spend all of my boss's money so that the results improve a little bit. It may or may not get me some short term success, but it will certainly lead to my firing.

 

That's okay though, because I'll have made plenty of money by then.

 

The payroll is low and Theo is the face that will allow it to stay that way until the refurbishing of the park is completed.

 

The minion will finally get their shiny new park, cash will come in and then the cubs will have to decide if they are going to spend money or not on players.

 

That will be about 2020, when the Cards are letting Michael Wacha leave as a free agent.

 

 

 

 

The payroll is low and Theo is the face that will allow it to stay that way until the refurbishing of the park is completed.

 

The minion will finally get their shiny new park, cash will come in and then the cubs will have to decide if they are going to spend money or not on players.

 

That will be about 2020, when the Cards are letting Michael Wacha leave as a free agent.

 

If they go big on a FA this year, as I expect them to, they'll be up near $100 again

If they go big on a FA this year, as I expect them to, they'll be up near $100 again

I don't see who on the FA market makes a lot of sense for them (Cano?) but they really ought to be trying to trade one of their kids for Price or Scherzer.

I don't see who on the FA market makes a lot of sense for them (Cano?) but they really ought to be trying to trade one of their kids for Price or Scherzer.

 

Forget one of their kids, they should be backing up the truck for Price or SCherzer, and then signing them to a really long deal. It is the real step one to rebuilding the Cubs. They need pitching.

Just remember, this team sign Edwin Jackson to a 5 year contract 12 months ago. Who knows what the f*** they'll do, but you can pretty much bank on it not making senes

Eric Wedge is getting another interview for MGR

Eric Wedge is getting another interview for MGR

 

Didn't he just quit for health problems?

Eric Wedge is getting another interview for MGR

With the fiasco after they fired Sveum I can only draw one of two conclusions 1., Sveum and management just didn't work together and Cubs felt the need to get rid of him ASAP without putting a great plan in place 2., They completely thought, either through arrogance or mis-reading the situation, that Girardi was signed sealed and delivered.

Didn't he just quit for health problems?

No, I think he quit because he couldn't get buy-in from the organization...

With the fiasco after they fired Sveum I can only draw one of two conclusions 1., Sveum and management just didn't work together and Cubs felt the need to get rid of him ASAP without putting a great plan in place 2., They completely thought, either through arrogance or mis-reading the situation, that Girardi was signed sealed and delivered.

 

I think they also felt a fall guy was necessary for the regression of Castro and Rizzo. I think once it started to break down, management and Sveum's relationship deteriorated, but they also felt Girardi was in the bag

I think they also felt a fall guy was necessary for the regression of Castro and Rizzo. I think once it started to break down, management and Sveum's relationship deteriorated, but they also felt Girardi was in the bag

 

The arrogance of that clown car organization is amazing

The winds of discontent in the valley of the minion are beginning to blow.

 

Point brought up on radio is that ole Tom may not have the open checkbook he promised Theo.

 

Abreu and Garcia are two MLB selling points for this offseason. The minion had Joe but he said it wasn't so.

 

Oh and Boston seems to be just fine without the Boy Wonder.

 

 

The winds of discontent in the valley of the minion are beginning to blow.

 

Point brought up on radio is that ole Tom may not have the open checkbook he promised Theo.

 

Abreu and Garcia are two MLB selling points for this offseason. The minion had Joe but he said it wasn't so.

 

Oh and Boston seems to be just fine without the Boy Wonder.

 

It has been humorous to watch as a Sox fan. Pretty much every loophole that Theo used to exploit in Boston, got closed right after he got to Chicago. Overspending in the draft? Done. Accumulate many draft picks from free agents? Largely shutdown. Overspend in Latin America? Much tougher, much bigger consequences.

 

Then after that his luck has been for s***. Girardi? Nope. Big free agents? Meet Edwin Jackson. Castro, Smarj, and Castro as cornerstones? Both regress.