Mariners sign Cano 10/240

[a700hitter]

Epstein has been stockpiling top-tier young talent in a big big way. You didn't even mention top international prospect Eloy Jimenez, or the #4 pick in the draft next year, or Jorge Soler. They also snagged Mike Olt last year from the Rangers. Theo isn't just picking up young guys who might be good, he's picking up young guys who might be stars.

 

The Cubs could go out there and spend 500 million on new players, but it wouldn't solve their main problem -- that they don't have a solid core to work with. No Pedro, Nomar etc. He needs to build that team completely from the ground up, and he is doing it the right way so far.

3 years is plenty of time to start showing results. If he can't play .500 ball in his third year, that is not a great plan.

[Bellhorn04]

3 years is plenty of time to start showing results. If he can't play .500 ball in his third year, that is not a great plan.

 

That depends on what Cubs ownership expected from him. Maybe he's doing exactly what they wanted him to do and what he told them he would do.

[User Name]

It doesn't matter how much sense what we say makes Bellhorn, a700 will argue otherwise so he can whine about Theo. It's his schtick.

[mvp 78]

It doesn't matter how much sense what we say makes Bellhorn, a700 will argue otherwise so he can whine about Theo. It's his schtick.

 

Except when they massively overpaid CC....

[a700hitter]

There is no schtick. The fact s are that Epstein has never proved that he can build anything from the ground up. He came to a Boston team loade with young stars on the cusp of becoming a powerhouse. He put on the last few brick to finish the job, and he deserves credit for that. He also took the powerhouse and once he had autonomy he deconstructed the powerhouse and left it decimated.

 

He is getting his first real chance at building something from the ground up in Chicago. He is entering his third year. I'd expect at least a .500 record in 2014 if his plan is on track.

 

I am glad that we have Cherries who found a way to build a Championship team 1 year after inheriting a team and orgnization in disarray.

[Palodios]

3 years is plenty of time to start showing results. If he can't play .500 ball in his third year, that is not a great plan.

 

Two years, not three. In that time, payroll has dropped about 40 million. The cubs are liquidizing assets, dumping bad contracts, stockpiling talent and waiting. I would not be surprised if profits are up because of their lower payrolls. When their young talent explodes, they'll have tons of money for a 2012 Red Sox type offseason where they get short-term deals on free agents to build their team to supplement their young core, and put themselves in a position to succeed for many years ahead. It seems very well planned to me, although significantly slower than a fan like you might tolerate.

[a700hitter]

Two years, not three. In that time, payroll has dropped about 40 million. The cubs are liquidizing assets, dumping bad contracts, stockpiling talent and waiting. I would not be surprised if profits are up because of their lower payrolls. When their young talent explodes, they'll have tons of money for a 2012 Red Sox type offseason where they get short-term deals on free agents to build their team to supplement their young core, and put themselves in a position to succeed for many years ahead. It seems very well planned to me, although significantly slower than a fan like you might tolerate.

2014 will be Theo's third year. I would expect a .500 record by year 3. If he can't manage that, IMO his plan is not on track. Also, the Cubs very loyal fan base has been going to the park less often, down 400,000 from 2011. Edited December 11, 2013 by a700hitter

[Palodios]

The very important thing to note here is that the Cubs don't want to just win 80-90 games and maybe lose in the wildcard game. That's not the goal here. Theo wants to break another curse, and create a legacy for himself that cements himself at the very top of the list of best baseball execs ever.

[a700hitter]

The very important thing to note here is that the Cubs don't want to just win 80-90 games and maybe lose in the wildcard game. That's not the goal here. Theo wants to break another curse, and create a legacy for himself that cements himself at the very top of the list of best baseball execs ever.

If he comes in last place again in 2014, I would not be surpirised if a new GM gets the opportunity to finish the job.

[BudLight]

So according to an anonymous source, Cano didn't want to hit second because it hurt his value in getting a big contract. He didn't want to play for Girardi as a result. I agree he's better used as middle of the order, but needs must as the devil drives.

 

Girardi confirmed, ina an article in the Saturday Post, that Cano didn't like hitting second and preferred to bat third, Girardi stated that Cano didn't tell him he was unhappy but that Girardi wa hearing things so he sat down and talked with Cano. Girardi states Cano told him OK, whatever you need. Girardi told Cano that he would get him back to the three spot in the order when he could, but at that time hitting second gave the Yankees the best chance to win.

 

It's funny how after Cano agreed to terms with Seattle the stories came out about his being unhappy in NY playing for Girardi, but when Girardi sat him down to talk Cano didn't relay his unhappiness to the manager. If I were Girardi and/or front office of the Yanks, I would be hesitant to entertain a $300M contract demand from someone who obviously had no interest in being the "face" of the team. If a player expects to be the highest paid on a team then the team should expect that he can be counted on to do what needs to be done for the good of the team. In this case I believe, with all of the Yankees roster issues last year and the fact that they were in the playoff chase up to the end, Girardi made the right calls.

[iortiz]

If he comes in last place again in 2014, I would not be surpirised if a new GM gets the opportunity to finish the job.

 

I have understood that he has 3 years left under his belt. Honestly I do not see any symptom of live in that team even in the mid-future (3Y). Next year is going to be critical. 5 Y is plenty of time to see at least some kind of foundation attached with decent results. Only time will tell, but I wouldn't be surprised either if he was replaced at the end of 2014.

Edited December 11, 2013 by iortiz

[iortiz]

It doesn't matter how much sense what we say makes Bellhorn, a700 will argue otherwise so he can whine about Theo. It's his schtick.

 

What A700 says has a lot of sense for some of us. You can agree or not, but it is not about whining at all.

Edited December 11, 2013 by iortiz

[iortiz]

Except when they massively overpaid CC....

 

Are you saying that it is A700's fault?

Edited December 11, 2013 by iortiz

[User Name]

How did you reach that conclusion? LOL.

[iortiz]

Just asking, because the comment doesn't have sense to me. Edited December 11, 2013 by iortiz

[a700hitter]

Just asking, because the comment has no sense to me.

He can't resist taking shots at me even though he knows that I have him on ignore and will not engage him. It's douchy.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Goes both way there a700. You say you have him on ifnore, and you probably talk about him more than you did without ignore. Lets be real here, you can't resist not talking about how much of a douche he is. iortiz is another one who will come in after everything has died out, just to make user name? Look bad. You can say whatever you want about him, if he was gone this board would not be the same.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Now that it's over with, are we going to start baseball? Or do we continue to ruin another thread with ******** again?

[BudLight]

If he comes in last place again in 2014, I would not be surpirised if a new GM gets the opportunity to finish the job.

 

Theo and crew were signed to five year deals by the Cubs ownership, but that in itself does not indicate ownerships patience with their progress. Having said that, the Cubs do have 5 prospects in the top 60 in the minors right now, they also play in a division that was the only one to have three 90 win teams last year. They have their work cut out for them, the competition within their division alone is extremely tough.

[iortiz]

He can't resist taking shots at me even though he knows that I have him on ignore and will not engage him. It's douchy.

He loves to use the whining/bitching argument when somebody disagrees with him. I still can't understand why.

 

Anyway... Have no problem with people loving Theo that much, but you have to see the whole picture. Sure, he did very well in a couple of years with a team that he didn't even assemble. Then, He left a mess here reason why JH didn't retain him, and now he has a shot in Chicago. Have no idea how the cubs owners feel about his performance thus far. In the meantime Cubs fans have to wait and see if he can help them to turn the ship in the right direction.

Edited December 11, 2013 by iortiz

[Bellhorn04]

Anyway... Have no problem with people loving Theo that much, but you have to see the whole picture. Sure, he did very well in a couple of years with a team that he didn't even assembled.

 

If Duquette gets some of the credit for the 2004 and 2007 teams, shouldn't Epstein get some of the credit for the 2013 team? About half of the 25-man roster that won the World Series was carried over from Epstein's time.

[iortiz]

Goes both way there a700. You say you have him on ifnore, and you probably talk about him more than you did without ignore. Lets be real here, you can't resist not talking about how much of a douche he is. iortiz is another one who will come in after everything has died out, just to make user name? Look bad. You can say whatever you want about him, if he was gone this board would not be the same.

 

Do I want to make U? Look bad? Hahahaha how's that? Naaahhhh I'm just pointing that A700 has a point which you can disagree or not, but he is not whining at all.... Or what, do we have to agree with Theo's "good performance"?

 

Without A700 this board wouldn't be the same as well, IMO he is the most knowledgeable baseball poster in this board.

[iortiz]

If Duquette gets some of the credit for the 2004 and 2007 teams, shouldn't Epstein get some of the credit for the 2013 team? About half of the 25-man roster that won the World Series was carried over from Epstein's time.

 

The way I see the thing he has no credit at all in 2013 WS, just the opposite. He left a cancer here that the current FO had to heal.

[User Name]

Now that it's over with, are we going to start baseball? Or do we continue to ruin another thread with ******** again?

 

Ah, the voice of reason. It's highly ironic how some here love to whine about whining. LOL.

[User Name]

The way I see the thing he has no credit at all in 2013 WS, just the opposite. He left a cancer here that the current FO had to heal.

 

No, that's the way a700 sees it. Tell us how you really feel.

[iortiz]

No, that's the way a700 sees it. Tell us how you really feel.

 

Do you want to start a s*** storm?

[iortiz]

Ah, the voice of reason. It's highly ironic how some here love to whine about whining. LOL.

 

…and some whining about people whining when they aren't even whining.

[mvp 78]

The way I see the thing he has no credit at all in 2013 WS, just the opposite. He left a cancer here that the current FO had to heal.

 

I kinda feel this way too. He left town leaving behind an overpaid and underproductive roster. If not for Ben's fire sale and amazing yard sale finds, they don't win a WS in 2013. I do kinda wonder what 2012 would have looked like if Ben got to pick the manager.

[mvp 78]

Are you saying that it is A700's fault?

 

No. It was just a joke because A700 has always hated Theo's moves. The only time he was happy with Theo was when they signed CC. He even changed his avatar to show Theo during that offseason. That move didn't quite work out.

[a700hitter]

No. It was just a joke because A700 has always hated Theo's moves. The only time he was happy with Theo was when they signed CC. He even changed his avatar to show Theo during that offseason. That move didn't quite work out.

Theo really messed up on that one.