Nice move by the Cubs. Epstein is a proven successful GM. If he can do half of what he did in Boston, the Cubs should win one World Series championship. :wink:
I don't understand it. Why would he go to Chicago, it's a black hole for GM's and Coaches. Nice town though!
This coming from a Lastros fan. :wink: :lol: No. They are more like the Yankees.....Pay big bucks for starting pitching that flops, the only exception lately being CC. :wink: :lol:
How about this opinion from an outside looking in: When you know your abilities and consider yourself to be one of the best in your field, it is a win/win proposition to go to a team not well known for success. If you can improve that team, it means much more than maintaining a highly successful team. Let me draw an analogy that I know something about. Derek Dooley and Nick Saben are involved in a head no collision. Both die instantly. A very motivated coach that KNOWS he is the best in his field would be better off to take the Tennessee job over the Alabama job. He could go into Alabama and with zero work maintain a successful program. If he went to Tennessee after our coaching merry go round over the past few years and put out maximum effort. If both of those teams are playing in the SEC CG that year or the next, from which move would he gain the most? With Bama: "Oh he took over from Nick and maintained... who cares." With Tennessee: "Wow, look at what this guy did at Tennessee!" I think he mae a good move.
Good analogy, Tom. That's what I was thinking in terms of why he would take the job. Of course, $20 million over 5 years is a nice enticement, but for a true competitor and, as you say, one of the best in his field, the challenge has to be an attraction.
JD Drew...Lugo..Lackey..Saltalamachia..Cameron.Crawford..and probably 5 or 6 others that I cant remember. Yes he brought me 2 Championships..but CUBBIES..this man is all yours!!
If Theo wins a championship in Chicago, he becomes a city/state God and will guarantee himself a lifetime income in endorsements for the remainder of his life. Listening to Chicago radio, my sense is that nearly all of the 85 Bears still get commerical endormsements. The Cubs may not dole out as much as the Yankees and Red Sox in salaries but they will spend more money than the other teams in the NL Central. So, in contrast to the situation in Boston where his primary competition usually fielded the best team that money could buy, he will be the one holding the fattest wallet in the NL Central and willl not have the yarly task of trying to beat the Evil Empire and the Empire's unlimited supply of money. He willl have his work cut out for him because the Cubs farm system is supposedly thin and they do have a significant amount of dead weight on their present roster. But, he did a great job in Boston in rebuilding their minor league system and when making trades and free agency acquisitions ( I think JIF disagrees) and suspect he will do the same in Chicago. I do not think this is good news for his competitors in the NL Central. Plus, by moving from Boston, he no longer has to deal with the Massholes although the folks in Chicago are not all that warm and cuddly either.
Jif..jif..jif.... I thought you were the type of guy who flew the flags of gratitude and loyalty. Before Theo, the last time your boys won a WS was when you were in the trenches in Flanders fighting Germans wearing helmets like this
How many WS have the Yankees won since the Cubs last won one? 20? 25? I think Brian Cashman has six rings so some of his free agent pitching signings have worked out besides CC. David Wells. David Cone. Mike Mussina come to mind. :wink: